New Women's football thread (inc World Cup) 2023-26

[Durhamfootman]

Lauren James subbed at half time with a niggle. She did go quiet in the last 10 mins of the first half

early sub with Park on for Toone, who struggled all night. Kept giving the ball away. Nowhere near it tonight

[Durhamfootman]

comfortable 5-0 win for England. Walsh scored the 5th goal after hitting the post earlier on. Seemingly that was her first goal for England

Russo has improved massively since she left Man Utd. She pulled the Belgium defence all over the place. She now holds the ball up well, is difficult to get off the ball, has strength. Pretty much the complete package these days. Taken off after a nasty tackle, hopefully as a precaution.

Beever Jones came on for James and scored. Park came on for Toone and scored. Everything Wiegman tried came off tonight. It was a polished performance from England against a team that caused them all sorts of problems last year

[Durhamfootman]

It was a polished performance from England against a team that caused them all sorts of problems last year

well...... the problems have returned

England are as awful tonight as they were good on Friday. It's hard to credit how this sort of role reversal can be allowed to happen. We're about half an hour in and England are 3 down already and Belgium are scoring every time they launch a counter attack. It's exactly what was happening a year ago. England are being skinned on the break time and time again. Belgium just sit back and draw England further and further up the field, then bang, crash, wallop they go on the offensive, run like buggery and catch England out at the back, because they're too slow getting back

England put 5 past this team a few days ago and look as though they are going to lose by a similar margin tonight

madness!

[Durhamfootman]

Arsenal win the Champions league, beating Barcelona 1-0

Barca dominated possession, but did nothing with it

there's been a lot of that lately in football

[andy]

Mary earps has retired from England duty...seemingly sulking at not being number 1

[Durhamfootman]

seems to have caught everyone by surprise

I certainly wasn't expecting it. A pity really because there was something reassuring about her between the sticks in the really big matches. I know Hampton is a good keeper who deserves to be England no 1, she wouldn't be Chelsea's no 1 if she wasn't, but she still makes me a bit nervous at times

still, if Earps fancies a summer off, then having won golden gloves at the last 2 major tournaments, she's probably earned the right to go out on her own terms

[Durhamfootman]

England got off to a flyer with 2 goals in the opening 5 mins. 5-0 at HT. Portugal's defending has been woeful, but England are playing really fluent football. First half hat trick for Beever Jones

[Durhamfootman]

Hemp is back. She's been electric this game

[Durhamfootman]

6-0 with seconds remaining.

Portugal tightened up defensively in the second half and England were happy to just move the ball around. Hemp and Bronze went off early, presumably with the Spain game in mind, and a lot of England's impetus went off with them. Good result though.

Of course they did this to Belgium at Wembley and then a few days later got mullered in the return fixture, so they can't afford to do that on Tuesday

A lot of experienced Lionesses are returning from injury at just the right time, with the Euro's starting later in the summer

[Gingerfinch]

Great to see Hemp back. Along with pre injury Mead, one of my favourite England players

[Durhamfootman]

they'll have to play well if they want to beat Spain and make it through to the SF's in the Autumn

England don't seem to travel well lately. A disappointing draw in Portugal, a loss in Belgium, but 3 wins at home. They need to change that on Tuesday

[Durhamfootman]

Very straightforward win for the Lionesses, last night. 6-0 thumping of Jamaica in the their final warm up match before the Euros begin on Wednesday

A decent choice of opponent if the aim was to get a morale boosting win ahead of a very tricky group phase. Everyone they need to score in the comp, scored last night apart from Hemp

[sussexpob]

I am not convinced at all with some of these automated offside calls. That Swiss knocked through header then for instance, the Norwegian defender looked miles ahead of her, and if you freeze frame the shot even if the angle is slanted, the distance of their nearest foot to the change in colour stripe on the turf... she is clearly onside. Even with AI, VAR is a load of shite.

Game has really fizzled out since the Norwegian second. Feel for the girls out there, its been an absolute scorcher today in this part of the world, cant be nice playing in this heat.

[sussexpob]

Norway win 2-1 ... wasn't pretty at all, but a wins a win against the host nations in desert conditions.

Gull til Norge! Bra jobbet, jenter!

[Durhamfootman]

Finland made hard work of beating Iceland in the game I watched. Iceland did have a few really good chances to score, but always found a way not to