Mixed feelings for Sarina Wiegman after England beat Switzerland
Grace Clinton netted the winner for the Lionesses but England failed to fire in Sheffield
Sarina Wiegman had mixed feelings about England’s performance after they concluded 2024 with a 1-0 victory over Switzerland in a friendly at Bramall Lane.
Continuing preparations for next summer’s title defence at the Euros by taking on the team who will be hosting the tournament, a much-changed, youthful Lionesses side went in front via an eighth-minute finish from Grace Clinton, one of four 21-year-olds starting, following up when Millie Turner headed against the the post.
They were unable to add to that despite creating several chances, including debutant Laura Blindkilde Brown, also 21, being denied by Swiss goalkeeper Elvira Herzog.
Hannah Hampton then did well at the other end to tip a 79th-minute Meriame Terchoun shot over the bar, before substitute Georgia Stanway cracked a shot against Herzog’s post in stoppage time.
Boss Wiegman, whose starting XI showed 10 changes from Saturday’s 0-0 draw with the United States at Wembley and lined up with three central defenders, said: “Of course (I am) happy with the win.
“I thought in the first half we played really well, we challenged them all the time, we played mainly in their half of the pitch, created chances, scored one goal.
“I was really happy with that because what we wanted to do, with a very young team, some debuts (Blindkilde Brown and Ruby Mace, another 21-year-old), some starters for the first time (Aggie Beever-Jones, the other aged 21, and Turner), one starter that hadn’t played for us in six years (Gabby George), so many changes, but I thought that was a very good first half.
“I think the second half our level dropped, we were more sloppy, we didn’t find the box well enough. They did some different things, but I still think we were not as good aligned as we were first half.
“I think you can tell that for some it’s the first time. You have to get through these moments, become more comfortable, and everyone’s different.
“So some were maybe a little more anxious than others, but that’s OK, you have to get through, and now it’s ‘OK, how are you going to move forward, how quick does the development go?’ And that’s what we see also with some other players who are now more starters than they were a couple of months or years before.”
Asked about playing three at the back, Wiegman said: “We want to be adaptable to what we have in front of us, and also how we want to play.”
Wiegman also confirmed that the intention had been for Lucy Bronze to come on in the second half but the right-back could not due to an error of her not being on the teamsheet, saying: “Unfortunately that was a human error from our side.
“And that’s very frustrating of course, and very disappointing, because we wanted to bring her in – mainly for her. Things happen sometimes.”
Switzerland went into the contest having been thrashed 6-0 by Germany in Zurich in their previous outing last Friday.
Boss Pia Sundhage said: “I think the defending part against Germany was a little bit too low. I think it was a little bit too low pressure even today.
“We need to have better courage, and I think in the second half the fact we stood up a little higher, pressed a little bit higher, made the attack a little bit better as well. We kept the ball better than we did against Germany, and that was good.”
PA