The Women's World Cup finalists traded victories with France in their double-header, leaving them well positioned to seal qualification in July
Despite a disappointing defeat to France on Friday, England will go into their July camp knowing that wins over Ireland and Sweden will secure automatic qualification for the 2025 European Championship. Pessimistic fans would not have expected it to be in the Lionesses' hands after Les Bleues dealt them a real setback last week, but Sarina Wiegman's side bounced back brilliantly, securing a first win away in France since 1973 on Tuesday to ensure they go into their last two games in a good position.
That disastrous record across the channel would've been on the minds of those who made the short journey across to Saint-Etienne, with England's last win in such circumstances coming in a match where only two 35-minute halves were played. However, the Lionesses started brilliantly, creating enough chances to score more than the two goals they did by the break.
Wiegman couldn't count on No.1 goalkeeper Mary Earps for that second meeting with France, owing to a hip injury she innocuously picked up in the opening seconds of their first encounter four days earlier. Yet, it didn't matter because Hannah Hampton, her understudy, came up with a huge save in the final moments to preserve a 2-1 win, a reverse of the scoreline Les Bleues triumphed by in Newcastle.
England are still third in their qualifying group, but now sit level on points with Sweden and two behind France. Beat an Ireland side set to finish fourth in Norwich next month and follow it up with victory over the Scandinavian nation in Gothenburg, and the Lionesses can look ahead to booking in some friendlies for the second half of 2024. Fall short and it'll be the play-offs, where dangerous sides such as Italy and Belgium could be lurking to deny them a shot at defending their European title.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from England's latest camp…
GettyWINNER: Alessia Russo
Alessia Russo's England career to date has had plenty of ups and downs. She thrived at Euro 2022 as an impact substitute, struggled to have the same effect as a starter after that tournament, bagged some huge goals in the run to the 2023 Women's World Cup final, but has had questions asked of her since. In this camp, though, she showed the very best side of herself.
In truth, it was a surprise to see Russo in England's starting XI on Friday since the game came just seven days after she had featured in Arsenal's controversial post-season fixture in Australia, some 10,000 miles away. However, there was no sign of jet lag in her display in Newcastle, even if France emerged victorious. She was full of energy, willing to run at defenders and held the ball up well.
Four days later, she was even better. Russo's movement was superb in Saint-Etienne and helped her bag a fourth goal in six appearances for the Lionesses in 2024. There are still questions about how clinical she is, with her lacking her shooting boots in the first France game for sure, but this was a reminder of why Wiegman has so much faith in the 25-year-old. Given the lack of other true No.9s at her disposal, it was timely, too.
AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Mary Earps
Earps hit an impressive milestone on Friday night when she made her 50th appearance for England. Given how out of the picture she was when Wiegman arrived less than three years ago, it was a fantastic achievement and a testament to how trustworthy she has been in the Dutchwoman's tenure.
For it to end after just a few minutes then was sad. The Manchester United star couldn't hold back the tears after she sustained a hip injury less than 30 seconds into the match, from executing a simple pass.
Wiegman offered a positive update on Earps this week and expects her to be back in camp next month, but there is also the Hampton of it all. While the Lionesses' usual No.1 was absent, second-in-line Hampton stepped up big time in Saint-Etienne and has only intensified the competition for that place.
GettyWINNER: Hannah Hampton
Had Hampton not showcased her wonderful reflexes in the dying moments of England's trip to France, the outlook would be very different. It was another instance of her taking her chances with the Lionesses. This was the fourth that the 23-year-old has had in 2024, one of those enforced when Earps limped off on Friday, and she has performed so well in them that the No.1 shirt in Wiegman's team is slowly becoming more and more up for grabs.
It'll take something significant for Earps to lose that spot, it must be said, or a particularly bold decision from the coach. However, Hampton just continues to put herself in a good position when it comes to getting minutes for her country.
GettyLOSER: Alex Greenwood
It was known ahead of this camp that Wiegman had some big decisions to make in defence, with Leah Williamson and Millie Bright, her centre-back pairing for the Euro 2022 triumph, both in an England squad together for the first time in over a year. Yet, few anticipated her making calls that meant Alex Greenwood did not get on the pitch at all for this double-header with France.
Greenwood was one of the Lionesses' most in-form defenders throughout the 2023-24 season and one of the very best in the Women's Super League. Yes, Wiegman has roots in that Williamson-Bright partnership, but the former hasn't returned to her best since coming back from an ACL injury earlier this year, and Bright only got back on the pitch at the start of May following five months out. At worst, it felt possible that Greenwood would be moved to left-back, her previous role. At best, she'd pair one of them in the heart of defence.
That she wasn't involved at all was a shock and, in truth, harsh. The defensive areas may be extremely competitive, but the Man City star has every right to feel aggrieved about her role being reduced to one on the bench, given how brilliant she has been playing.