Having received their first ladies’s main match 13 months earlier with victory over Germany at Euro 2022, England had excessive hopes of backing that up in opposition to Spain in Sydney.
It wasn’t to be.
The Lionesses, seeking to turn into the primary senior England facet because the males’s crew in 1966 to win a World Cup, had been outplayed by a Spanish facet filled with aptitude and creativity.
Spain captain Olga Carmona slotted the winner previous goalkeeper Mary Earps within the first half, capitalising after England’s Lucy Bronze misplaced possession in midfield.
Would a repeat be doubtless on Sunday? Not essentially.
England beat the world champions at Wembley in February – the final crew to take action – though Spain received their most up-to-date assembly 2-1 on 3 June.
The Lionesses’ general document within the fixture can be respectable, shedding simply 5 of 19 aggressive fixtures.
“I do not assume England will see themselves as underdogs – they’re European champions,” former England defender Fara Williams mentioned on BBC One.
“Sure, Spain beat them within the World Cup remaining however that is their trophy. They have handy it over and so they’re not going to need to do this. They don’t seem to be going to lie down and make it straightforward for Spain.
“I feel they know they’ll beat Spain.”
Houghton agrees.
“I do not assume the [World Cup final] might be behind England’s minds,” she informed BBC Radio 5 Stay. “This can be a recent slate and there are quite a lot of new gamers.”
