England target ruthlessness ahead of Greece playoff second leg

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 12 Oct, 18:37 · Archive

England hold a 2-0 aggregate lead over Greece in their Women's World Cup playoff after winning Friday's first leg 3-1 in Crete. The victory gave England a commanding position ahead of Tuesday's second leg in Leicester, but manager Sarina Wiegman demanded improvement from her side.

England had 58 touches in Greece's penalty box but converted only three of their chances. Wiegman expressed particular concern about defending, saying she was unhappy with how England conceded and noting that Greece scored after limited possession. The Lionesses also struggled to defend quick counterattacks, an issue that has affected them in recent months.

England's attacking inefficiency has been a recurring problem. The BBC reports that the team had 74 per cent possession in the first leg with 26 shots but managed only three goals. Since the 2023 World Cup, where they finished runners-up to Spain, England have repeatedly failed to win convincingly, including narrow victories over Iceland and a 1-0 win against Haiti in qualifying. Midfielder Keira Walsh acknowledged the different pressures of tournament football compared to qualifying matches.

Wiegman must address multiple questions ahead of Brazil 2024, including which players should fill the starting centre-back and number 10 positions, while her own future at the helm remains unclear.

How it is being reported

• Do Lionesses lack ruthlessness in front of goal?England take a two-goal lead into the second leg of their Women's World Cup qualifying play-off against Greece - but should it be more?BBC News · 12 Oct, 17:54
• Six questions facing England as they target next year’s Women’s World CupStarting positions at centre-back and No 10 are up for grabs, while Sarina Wiegman’s future continues to be in the air England have two jobs to do on Tuesday. The first, avoiding an almighty upset and progressing past Greece on aggregate in their Women’s World Cup playoff to reach a final tie, should be a formality for one of the world’s best-resourced teams. The second, honing their style to play like contenders for next summer’s World Cup in Brazil, is a far trickier but crucial challenge. Friday’s relatively uninspiring 3-1 first-leg victory in Crete left room for improvement and England…The Guardian · 12 Oct, 15:33

In this story: England · Greece · Sarina Wiegman · Leah Williamson · Keira Walsh · Brazil · Leicester · Spain

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