England had been caught out towards Brazil on the Etihad Stadium, Georgia Stanway's penalty not sufficient to cancel out first-half targets from Bia Zaneratto and Dudinha, however it was removed from a efficiency to fret about.
Shortly after taking a two-goal lead, the visiting workforce had been all the way down to 10, Angelina receiving a straight purple for bringing down Ella Toone, however regardless of a gutsy and fiery battle to the tip, Sarina Wiegman's aspect couldn't discover the equalising objective.
We knew England's beginning XI would look fairly completely different to the workforce that lifted the Euros trophy for a second time in Basel in July. Leah Williamson stays sidelined with an harm the captain picked up in Switzerland, whereas Lauren Hemp and Lauren James are additionally long-term absentees. Williamson's membership alternative Arsenal, Katie Reid, and Manchester Metropolis's Grace Clinton had been pressured to withdraw from this camp by way of harm, whereas Lotte Wubben-Moy left for house with an sickness, Jess Park withdrew beneath the concussion protocol and Hannah Hampton was not included within the squad to face Brazil due to an elbow harm.
The backline to face Brazil within the Lionesses'' first outing since that historic penalty shootout win over Spain was the place a lot of the modifications fell in consequence. Khiara Keating was handed a primary begin in objective, changing into England's first black goalkeeper to obtain a cap. The Manchester United centre-back Maya Le Tissier deputised for he right-back Lucy Bronze, who's being eased again from the tibia fracture she infamously performed on with throughout the Euros, whereas Esme Morgan and Jess Carter partnered up within the centre of defence and Alex Greenwood was shifted to left-back.
The defence struggled towards the Copa América champions in entrance of a crowd of 37,460, the tempo of Ludmilla, Zaneratto and Dudinha notably troublesome towards the slower centre-back pairing.
Ludmilla fired the primary warning shot on behalf of the visiting workforce, taking pictures broad of Keating's far put up within the third minute, and their opening objective got here within the ninth. Carter was unable to halt Zaneratto after Morgan was drawn out of place and the ahead powered the ball into the underside nook. The celebrations from the Brazil bench had been wild, a testomony to the scalp England are seen as.
Wiegman's workforce had probabilities to stage, Angelina getting in entrance of Alessia Russo to clear Le Tissier's ball in and Toone firing straight at Lorena for her aspect's first shot on course.
The duty received better within the 18th minute. Toone misplaced possession within the center and the visiting workforce had been away, Dudinha flicking the ball goalwards with the skin of her foot to ship it in off a put up.
The hosts had their greatest probability of the half quickly after: Greenwood's free-kick got here again off the bar and Carter's follow-up header flew over after Angelina had been proven a straight purple for bringing down Toone.
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England's fortunes shifted after the break: Mead was caught by Zaneratto as she went to shoot and Stanway transformed from the spot.
Reinforcements arrived simply previous the hour, with the Lionesses on the entrance foot as they hunted an equaliser. Bronze, England's participant of the 12 months, changed Carter with Le Tissier shifted centrally and Aggie Beever-Jones got here on instead of Chloe Kelly.
It was all England within the second half, as Brazil failed to keep up the depth of their press and Stanway rattled the bar in one of the best probability for an equaliser. The Euro 2025 hero Michelle Agyemang was despatched on late however, regardless of intense stress, England couldn't discover the breakthrough they had been searching for.
No workforce desires to lose however England have suffered worse and extra consequential defeats. Given the quantity of accidents plaguing Wiegman's squad that is unlikely to be the beginning XI we see on the 2027 World Cup in Brazil – pending qualification. It was an opportunity for brand spanking new starters to point out what they'll do, for brand spanking new relationships to be cast and positions to be toyed with.
