SSweden gave Alina Wigman’s side plenty to think about despite lacking possession and having just one shot on target – Fridolina Rolfo’s 64th-minute equalizer – But they tightened the defense of the defending European champions. It was a performance that might have come as a bit of a surprise to England, given how easily Sweden managed to break through after a poor start to their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign.
Wigman and her assistant Arjan Warrink will have a lot to think about in the coming days, as they know the Lionesses must improve defensively. They’ve been placed in arguably the toughest qualifying group and can’t afford to fall behind in games or lose momentum like they did this time if they want to advance directly to next summer’s tournament.
What they particularly lacked under the Wembley lights was pace at the back, as was clearly shown by the pace of Sweden’s attack. Wingers Rolf and Johanna Retin-Kanerid were given acres of space to run into, while Stina Blackstanius’ direct run extended England’s way. They could have made the latter pay late in the game but the striker spurned the chance to go home with three points for the visitors when one-on-one with Mary Earps.
This will cause concern among fans in attendance and will increase calls for Leah Williamson to return. The England captain returned to Lioness training camp for the first time since tearing his ACL and was named as substitute for the first time in 362 days. Her leadership and composure in those pressure moments are hallmarks of their success at Euro 2022, something England have lacked at times in her absence.
However, Wegman struggled to decide how to dismantle her defense. What was unusual about this performance was that neither the centre-back pairing of Lot Ubben-Moy and Alex Greenwood performed poorly. In fact, they were quite adept at dealing with the Swedish front line – strong in the face-off; reading danger; and able to release forward pressure. Greenwood’s passing ability is a key factor in England’s lead.
What England lacked most was midfield, with Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway performing exceptionally sloppily. When the pair lost possession, there was little structure in the midfield, leaving England stretched thin on the counter-attack. Filippa Angeldal consistently broke through the center of the defence, while they were being bypassed, as the wingers were not afraid of inversions and sometimes operated more centrally. This allowed Sweden to bypass defensive cover, leaving the centre-back pairing particularly exposed. This, coupled with carelessness in possession, meant the visitors were able to pass the ball away as the Lionesses advanced.
The goals they concede will cause particular frustration. With Greenwood occupied by Blake Stanius, substitute Rosa Kafaji was given space to cross to the far post. Lucy Bronze was spotted in no man’s land with Rolfo lurking in it, giving her a free header.
The highlight of England’s night, however, was Alessia Russo’s performance. The 25-year-old initially struggled to escape Ellen White’s shadow. However, with each game, Russo looks to take on the lead role with increasing ease.
Russo’s goal against Sweden holds fond memories – ‘Russo’, her famous back-track strike against Peter Gerhardsen in the Euro 2022 semi-finals at Bramall Lane Scored by the team. It was the goal that thrust her into the spotlight that night and she found the England shirt productive. She played alongside Lauren Hamp as a forward at last summer’s World Cup, scoring three goals.
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This time, she spearheads a front three but looks equally comfortable in her surroundings. An early shin cut did little to dampen her energy and she coolly headed in England’s only goal from Lauren James’ pinpoint cross. It was her third goal in three games for her country this year and she was clearly Wigman’s first choice, with Rachel Daly coming on as a substitute.
What sets the Arsenal striker apart from other options is not just her ability to finish in a variety of ways, but also her defensive efficiency. Her ability on the ball makes England a focal point player and they know she has the technical ability to drop deep, maintain possession and pass accurately to other players in attack.
England will look to use her creativity to make a difference in the upcoming qualifiers. With the Republic of Ireland heading into a historic clash at the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday, Wigman will know that improvement will be key to defeating opponents who have proven their quality is not something they can take for granted.
