Key occasions
“It's precisely the place I wish to be. I really feel snug sufficient to push for my place in addition to getting pushed on daily basis to develop into a greater particular person and participant. So I'm actually, actually having fun with it. Hopefully we are able to make our mark and maintain going.”
Aggie Beever-Jones is relishing her first expertise of a serious event with England. The Chelsea striker got here off the bench towards the Netherlands for Alessia Russo within the 84th minute of England's 4-0 defeat of the Netherlands, and hopes to play a component on Sunday towards Wales. Russo made her title as a ‘finisher' on the event in 2022, Beever-Jones is hoping to have an identical affect this time round and has been chatting with Suzanne Wrack in Zurich:
We've got loads of reside motion throughout the Guardian's sports activities pages at this time.
Daniel Gallan has eyes on the the Lions newest warmup sport towards the AUNZ Invitational XV:
Whereas Rob Smyth is on the primary shift for at this time's OBO of the third Take a look at of England's summer time collection towards India:
For those who're in want of slightly catchup on final evening's huge sport in Group B, I'll level you within the route of Louise Taylor's report from the Wankdorf Stadium, the place she noticed a superb sport between Spain and Italy:
If that preamble felt a bit harsh on Poland and Denmark, who will play out the deadest of rubbers on the Swissporarena in Lucerne similtaneously the opposite Group C fixture tonight, I apologise. The draw back of a 16-team event is that it may be brutal for groups who lose their opening two video games to have to stay round realizing they don't have anything to play for. That's all I actually must say about that, there's a purpose this sport will solely be on ITVX.
Preamble
To lean on a drained cliché: generally it's higher to be fortunate, than good. No would accuse England of getting been good towards France however that defeat and the next win over the Netherlands imply that barring an utter catastrophe towards the Welsh on Sunday the Lionesses will come out of Group D in second. Why is that this fortunate? Effectively it could definitely be advantageous to be on the alternative facet of the draw to Spain, the group who've appeared a category aside thus far in the course of the event, in case your purpose is to achieve the ultimate. However can that luck stretch additional?
Knockout qualification just isn't on the road for Sweden or Germany after each groups earned the utmost six factors from their opening two fixtures, however the prize of ending high of Group C is. The winners of Group C will play the second-place group in Group D within the quarter-final, do you see the place I'm going with this? Whereas completely illustrating the fantastic simplicity that could be a 16-team worldwide event, tonight's assembly on the Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich is an actual choose your poision, with a defeat that means you'll face France and a win bringing on England.
For the Lionesses, they might say that they don't care who they face subsequent. They beat each of those potential opponents en path to successful the trophy 4 years in the past. Germany are ranked third on this planet and have appeared good for it thus far in Switzerland, whereas Sweden, who're but to concede a purpose, are one place under England in sixth. Both manner, the event is shaping up properly. Wouldn't it's nice if Uefa noticed the error of their methods and lowered the lads's Euros again right down to 16 too? Wishful pondering, I do know.
