England were brought back to earth with a small, if likely inconsequential, bump in the first match of their Homecoming Series as a 2-1 defeat by Brazil at the Etihad Stadium exposed the Lionesses’ defensive fragility. Brazil’s first-half goals were a reflection of England’s struggles with dealing with direct, transitional forward play as well as a consequence of their instability at the back and the fact they are missing key players.
England’s weakness in defence is nothing new – it has been evident on a relatively consistent basis over the last couple of years regardless of the personnel available. They have recorded one clean sheet in their last seven games, relying on their resilience, never-say-die attitude and wealth of attacking players. Unfortunately for them on this occasion, the last part was lacking despite the significant pressure the forward line applied once their opponents were reduced to 10 players, thanks to Angelina’s 21st-minute red card.
Brazil may have been deemed suitable opponents exactly because they would challenge England’s frailties, that and the obvious PR bonus of taking on the Copa América champions. Arthur Elias’s team possess a wealth of pace and technical capability, particularly in the offensive areas. Ludmila, Luany, Dudinha and Bia Zaneratto can stretch and challenge the best in the world with their qualities. The latter two found themselves on the scoresheet inside 18 minutes in Manchester with a display of clinical finishing that their counterparts at the other end would have been looking at enviously.
The lack of protection offered by the midfield will have been a significant worry. Both goals came from Georgia Stanway being caught in possession, leaving space in behind and the defence on the back foot. Brazil appeared to particularly target the right side of England’s defensive partnership for both finishes, taking advantage of Maya Le Tissier pushing high and leaving Jess Carter more isolated. This is not a fault of the two players, more a feature of the system that Sarina Wiegman likes to employ. It is one that attempts to balance leaving the defence more exposed with providing support from the full-back areas to the attack.
There is, of course, plenty of context to the predicament England found themselves in. It is the beginning of a new cycle, a restart after the triumph in Europe this summer, and the beauty of these friendlies is that there is an opportunity for Wiegman to experiment and bring in new personnel.
The England manager is missing key players throughout her squad. Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was ruled out with a minor injury on the eve of this match, giving Khiara Keating a senior debut. The fact the 21-year-old Manchester City player could have this moment at the Etihad was fitting, the home of the club where she has been since she was 11 years old. Leah Williamson is also absent, the captain having undergone knee surgery at the start of pre-season, while Lucy Bronze has only just recovered from a fractured tibia and was not ready to start. Between the two of them, they have amassed more than 200 caps for their country.
It meant just two of the defensive unit that took to the field in that famous final against Spain in July – Carter and Alex Greenwood – remained. Le Tissier was handed a rare appearance after an impressive start to the season with Manchester United while Esme Morgan, who has been in fine form for Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League, partnered Carter in the centre. A lack of cohesion was evident from the start as relationships are still to be built and both goals highlighted a lack of communication that would be more apparent with a defence that had been able to work together more consistently.
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There is, of course, no need to panic. England have time and their success has earned them some grace to try things over the next few months. But continuing weaknesses have to be a focus for Wiegman and her new cohort of assistants to try to rectify before qualification begins for the 2027 World Cup next spring. This game may turn out to be a blessing in disguise, a red flag against complacency and a reminder that lifting silverware on the international stage does not automatically fix endemic problems. If England can figure out that side of their game, there is no doubt that with the quality of personnel available, this team could push the levels of their success even higher than they have previously done.
