by Down and not out, straight. England’s stunning second-half comeback from two goals down against the Netherlands to win 3-2 ensured they were in with a chance of progressing from their Nations League group and securing a place for Team GB at the Olympics.
Ella Toone was the hero, returning to the super sub role she played during the Euros, firing in from a tight angle in added time to seal the win and the Lionesses’ unbeaten run at Wembley keep.
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The England Lionesses may be avoiding Paris 2024 and having a summer off after back-to-back tournaments three years in a row have some positives, but those positives are the smallest silver linings on the darkest clouds and not Sarina Wiegman’s players. trying to reflect. If England fail to progress to the second stage of the Nations League and secure Team GB’s entry to the Olympics, which would only be achieved by finishing as one of the top two teams, it would be a disaster for the side with their ambition and expectation.
As it stands now, with Scotland holding Belgium to a final, just a win against Scotland will be enough to play a final between Belgium and the Netherlands.
There were two changes to the England team that lost 3-2 to Belgium in October, with Jess Carter replacing injured World Cup captain Millie Bright and Lauren James replacing Alessia Russo.
With Arsenal forward Russo on the bench, Lauren Hemp led the line for England, making her 50th appearance, flanked by James and Manchester City team-mate Chloe Kelly.
It was a very different starting XI to the side that lost 2-1 to the Netherlands in September, Renate Jansen giving the home side the winner in the 90th minute. Five players who started that game lost this time, and Russo, Bright, Rachel Daly, Katie Zelem and Ella Toone had started that game.
Andries Jonker’s side were unchanged from their 1-0 win over Scotland in their previous Nations League game, and it was the same starting line-up that also secured the late victory against England.
England dominated the opening 10 minutes, pushing Holland into their own half, pressing high and forcing the ball out at every opportunity. Beerensteyn’s opening goal coming from the first ball behind the England defense sent the Wembley crowd into a frenzy. It was a slick move, Arsenal forward Victoria Pelova beating Alex Greenwood before slotting the ball into Beerensteyn’s run, Lucy Bronze and Carter raced in ahead of her but ran into each other, allowing the forward to take the skin off and send the ball through the feet of Mary Earps.
It was a devastating blow after such a positive opening, England’s mobile defense struggling without Leah Williamson and Bright, who missed the camp with a knee injury.
Wiegman said England knew what they had to do against the Dutch after their win against Belgium, where they were similarly dominant, showed they needed to improve defensively. against counterattacks. “The intentions, how we wanted to play, where we found the space – that was good,” she said. “It was just the last touch, the last moments to score a goal, that we didn’t do well enough. we [also] we gave away some counter-attacks and we want to protect that.”
The situation here was almost the same. England toiled and Jonker’s back three of Caitlin Dijkstra, Dominique Janssen and Esmee Brugts looked relaxed. Without Russo’s midfield, England’s attack looked even brighter than in recent games. Knáib struggled to position herself in the middle against the tall center backs and a lack of rotation between the front three meant that the box was short of teammates when she went wide or deep to collect.
Despite marginalizing possession, the Dutch continued to look the stronger, Jill Roord curling a ball in from the back corner after a Bronze header from a corner fell to her.
The Netherlands doubled their lead in the 35th minute and it was another comedy of errors from England, Beerensteyn pouncing on the loose ball after the home side failed to clear before beating Greenwood and sending a tame shot towards captain, Earps , which lapsed. the ball into its own net.
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It was time for a change at the break, Beth Mead making her long-awaited return in an England shirt after more than a year out following an ACL injury. The Lionesses probed, searching for a way past a resolute Dutch defense to create an opportunity that would drag them back into the game they had to win. That moment came just before the hour mark, Georgia Stanway springing the trap to head James’ ball over the top past Daphne van Domselaar.
Two minutes later they were level, Stanway teeing up Hemp who swept his effort low and in. The crowd roared but the players refused, collecting the ball and delivering it back to the center circle with the focus of the team that knew it was still working. to do.
In the 67th minute the pair who had been so effective off the bench during England’s run to their first European title in 2022, Russo and Ella Toone, entered the fray.
The European champions were on top again, Keira Walsh heading straight at Van Domselaar, Mead sending a header wide and Toone’s shot deflected for a corner as they looked for the winner that would keep their Olympic hopes alive. It looked like it would be too little too late, and then Toone nodded, at the feet of James’ brilliant cross through the legs of Van Domselaar.
