England head coach Sarina Wiegman has emphasized that her side has thoroughly reviewed their performance and taken vital learnings from Friday’s FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 qualification round one play-off first leg against Greece. Holding a 3-1 advantage from the match in Crete, the Lionesses are preparing for Tuesday night’s return leg at The King Power Stadium in Leicester, where a coveted spot in the round two play-off awaits.
Reviewing The First Leg In Crete
Speaking to the media during the pre-match press conference ahead of the fixture at Leicester’s King Power Stadium, Wiegman reflected on the strengths and vulnerabilities shown by her squad during the opening fixture. While acknowledging that England scored three well-crafted goals and created numerous scoring opportunities, the manager pointed out that defensive transitions require immediate attention.
“Everyone has been really good after the game,” Wiegman told reporters. “We reviewed, did recovery and we were on the pitch here again yesterday. Of course, we were very clear with what we wanted to do and we tried to execute that, but there were many moments where we didn’t do that well. There were moments where we did do well; we scored three good goals and created many more opportunities to score more goals.”
However, the Dutch coach was quick to highlight the threat posed by Greece on the break. “We definitely want to take out those counter-attacks because they are really dangerous with them. Those are the learnings that we took from Friday and we want to do better tomorrow.”
Sharpening The Final Third And Tactical Adjustments
Delving deeper into her tactical assessment, Wiegman pinpointed the final third as the primary area for improvement. As the Lionesses look to secure their progression in the World Cup qualification pathway, cleaner execution will be vital to breaking down disciplined defensive blocks.
“The execution in the final third,” Wiegman said when asked where her team needs to improve most. “We got in good positions, but then it’s about staying onside, having the right pass at the right moment, the run at the right time or right moment, decide what cross or cut-back you are going to use. Also, it’s about the connections with the players in those moments and taking out the counter-attack.”
Squad Rotation And Personnel Changes Expected
Entering the second leg with a comfortable two-goal cushion, England are not taking anything for granted, but the favorable aggregate scoreline provides an opportunity for squad management. Wiegman confirmed that changes to the starting lineup are anticipated as she looks to evaluate different players while maintaining a winning standard.
“You want to play well and get a good win,” she noted regarding her selection philosophy for Tuesday’s 7.30pm kickoff. “When we become more comfortable, you make changes because you want to see players. You also make changes to win games and get more out of them. These are all of the considerations that we have during the game and we make the decisions. Yes, [there will be some changes].”
- England hold a 3-1 aggregate lead from the first leg in Crete.
- The second leg takes place at The King Power Stadium in Leicester on Tuesday at 7.30pm.
- Sarina Wiegman highlighted final-third execution and stopping counter-attacks as key learnings.
- Personnel changes are expected as the Lionesses target a place in the round two play-off.