Following their Women’s World Cup opener against Haiti, the European champions face the toughest opponents in their group – a Denmark side who sit just nine places below England in the Fifa women’s rankings.
The last meeting between the two nations took place in 2019, where goals from Nikita Parris and Jill Scott were enough to seal a 2-0 victory.
England’s Rachel Daly admitted she is frustrated about not starting England’s opening World Cup group game against Haiti and insisted she will keep pushing to replace Alessia Russo as first choice striker.
Read more of Daly comments HERE.
What and when is it?
England play Denmark in their second Women’s World Cup fixture on July 28 at 9.30am (BST).
Where is the match being played?
The match is being played at Sydney Football Stadium.
How to watch
The match will be broadcast by the BBC.
Who are Denmark?
Denmark are currently ranked 13th in the world and most recently finished runners-up in the Tournoi de France earlier this year.
What are Denmark saying?
Speaking to Fifa ahead of the tournament, Danish manager Lars Sondergaard called England “one of the biggest nations,” but later added that growing investment in the women’s game across Europe makes it difficult to single out a winner.
He said: “That development is the reason you can’t say one team are the big favourites.”
What are England saying?
Most people had expected Daly to start ahead of Russo, given she was handed the number 9 shirt by manager Sarina Wiegman and also started the team’s last friendly against Portugal earlier this month.
But it was Arsenal’s new signing who was picked for the opener with Haiti, with Daly emerging from the bench in the second half and Chelsea’s Beth England an unused substitute.
Russo worked hard and led the line well in Brisbane, but she also missed chances and having gone three games without a goal, in open play, there is an argument to be made that Daly, the WSL’s top goalscorer last season, deserves an opportunity.
Russo has still not done enough to prove she can definitely fill the boots of Ellen White, who started ahead of her at the Euros last summer, but retired last year. The 24-year-old emerged as one of the breakout stars from that tournament, but was mainly used as an impact player coming off the bench against tired defences.
Asked if she was frustrated, Daly replied: “I think anyone would be. No one is happy to sit on the bench.
“If you are, then you are not in the right place, not in the right career. It’s a tough place for Sarina to be, to pick the team. I respect her decisions and I will support Alessia all the way and obviously I know Beth will do the same.”
That answer hinted at the fact Russo has been told she will be first choice and Wiegman tends to stick with the same team, rather than tinker with lineups and formations, during a tournament.
But Daly is not ready to meekly accept a supporting role and Wiegman will come under pressure to make changes for Denmark given the largely uninspiring display against Haiti.
“I think that’s the beauty of having a competitive squad [that there is not a first choice striker],” added Daly, who scored 22 goals in an Aston Villa side that finished outside the top four in the WSL last season.
“I think everybody is digging out for a position. It’s a headache Sarina has to have in multiple positions. I wouldn’t like to be in her shoes obviously making such big decisions coming into tournaments. But she’s a fantastic manager, we respect all of her decisions. It proved tonight that it works, so we are happy.
“ I mean you could put it [ the lack of goals at the moment] down to a number of things, but I think we are quite a new side, a relatively new side.
“We have lost a lot of players through injury, retiring. We are still building, but I don’t think it’s a worry and a concern at the minute. Hopefully, more will come.
“Obviously, we are coming off the back of some time off after the season, but no I wouldn’t say that [we are rusty]. I think Haiti were a fantastic side and they are a force to be reckoned with. I think they will do some damage. I think you have got to give credit to the opposition as well, they were brilliant.”
Russo, though, had a different response when asked about being rusty, as did manager Wiegman in her post match comments.
“Yeah, I think so,”said Russo, when asked if the team had been slow to start the game because they were rusty after so long without a competitive game. “Us as players are the first to recognise that.
“We’ll be back to training this week and training hard to push on, but tournaments are always about winning. That’s the most important thing.
“I don’t ever worry about a lack of goals or winning with this team. I think we’ve got a very special, talented squad. I know that people show up at the right times.”
Who else is in England’s group?
England’s final match in Group D will be against China, who complete the group along with Haiti and Denmark.
What do the other World Cup groups look like?
Group A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
Group B: Australia, Ireland, Nigeria, Canada
Group C: Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan
Group E: United States, Vietnam, Netherlands, Portugal
Group F: France, Jamaica, Brazil, Panama
Group G: Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina
Group H: Germany, Morocco, Colombia, South Korea
What are the fixtures?
Who is in England’s squad?
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Aston Villa), Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City)
Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Laura Coombs (Manchester City), Jordan Nobbs (Aston Villa), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Manchester United)
Forwards: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Bethany England (Tottenham Hotspur), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Katie Robinson (Brighton & Hove Albion), Alessia Russo (Manchester United)
England face their biggest danger of the group in Denmark. Back them to still come out on top with these Women’s World Cup free bets.
Source link: https://sports.yahoo.com/england-vs-denmark-women-world-110102783.html?src=rss
