The Lionesses play each recreation with a goal on their backs, stated coach Sarina Wiegman, who was not stunned Denmark coach Lars Sondergaard pegged his crew as underdog going through a “superpower” England aspect.
Wiegman’s fourth-ranked European champion takes on world No. 13 Denmark in its second recreation of the Women’s World Cup at Sydney Football Stadium on Friday. The groups are stage on three factors atop Group D.
“Of course (Sondergaard) wants to put us in that position,” Wiegman stated. “We’re always the team to beat. I’ve never experienced anything else.
“I think (Friday) we will have more of the ball but we’ll see how it goes.”
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The Lionesses are among the many favourites on the World Cup however opened with a nervy 1-0 win due to a penalty in opposition to minnow Haiti in a recreation the place they missed possibilities and required a spectacular late save by Mary Earps to keep away from a draw.
Five days later, Wiegman was questioned as soon as once more about her crew’s scoring woes.
“We talked about ruthlessness … we talked about coming into the final third, the crosses being right, coming into the box at the right time, and we worked on that,” she stated. “Today looked really good actually.”
Barcelona defender Lucy Bronze stated outcomes had been extra necessary than the variety of targets scored. “You could go to the World Cup and win it by winning 1-0 all the time or drawing and winning on penalties,” Bronze stated.
England is lacking a number of key gamers to accidents, together with Arsenal ahead Beth Mead who scored six targets in six video games to win the Golden Boot on the 2022 Euros.
“Performances mean a lot to us, but results are important too,” Bronze stated. “It’s not always about scoring seven goals. If you have enough to win the game, that’s important.
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“The performances are there in games, from individuals and collectively, it’s just being more ruthless, more clinical in front of goal and I don’t think people would talk as much about performances and results then.”
England has to cope with Denmark midfielder Pernille Harder, who Bronze praised as one of many world’s finest gamers.
“I think we don’t prepare just for one player,” Wiegman stated. “Denmark is a very well organised team. They have a very clear game plan in possession and out of possession and Harder is a big part of that too.
“And that’s how we prepare and what we really tried to do is have the ball a lot, and play our style of game and then dominate.”
England additionally faces China in its ultimate group stage match on Tuesday.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com