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Women’s World Cup: Euro 2022 winners England carrying high expectations

Sarina Wiegman leads England into the World Cup as European champions and with that also comes the weight of expectation.

The Lionesses have previously gone into tournaments with high hopes but this time, England are among the favourites to lift the trophy. 

That in itself makes the task trickier and it will need the key players to make sure they deal with the pressure that goes with that expectation.

What Women's World Cup 2023 
Where Australia and New Zealand 
When Thursday 20th July - Sunday 20th August 2023 
How to watch BBC and ITV 
Odds USA Women 5/2, England Women 9/2, Spain Women 6/1, Germany Women 7/1, France Women 10/1


England have made steady progress

Having failed to qualify for back-to-back World Cups in 1999 and 2003, England headed to China in 2007 with expectations minimal.

An opening game 2-2 draw with Japan was followed by a goalless draw with Germany, with a 6-1 win over Argentina sealing their place in the knockout stages.

The USA were just too strong though in the last eight, with three second-half goals bringing England’s run to an end.

Four years later, England qualified for the World Cup in Germany and the hope was that they could go one step further.

Having got through the group stages with two wins and a draw, they once again fell at the quarter final-stage with a penalty shootout defeat to France.

In 2015, the number of teams in the finals increased from 16 to 24, with England being talked about as contenders as they headed to Canada.

Having lost their group opener against France, the Lionesses – 21/10 to reach the final in August - beat Mexico and Colombia to reach the round of 16 – where they defeated Norway 2-1.

England then progressed past the last-eight for the first time with a 2-1 win over the hosts, but missed out on a place in the final after a heart-breaking injury-time winner for Japan.


USA provide barrier to pass

Despite the USA being clear favourites to prevail in France in 2019, Phil Neville’s squad had high hopes of ending their wait for a major title.

Three wins from three in the group stages – against Scotland, Argentina and Japan - raised expectations heading into the knockout stages.

The feel-good factor then increased following comfortable 3-0 wins over Cameroon and Norway – 1/3 Group A betting - saw them reach the semis again.

It was the USA though that prevented them from making the final this time, with the Americans running out 2-1 winners before going on to beat the Netherlands to lift the trophy for the fourth time.


Euros success boosts belief

England’s first major women’s title came 12 months ago when lifting the European Championship trophy on home soil.

Having appointed Wiegman as manager in 2021, there seemed to be a change in the approach of the Lionesses, especially in big games.

They no longer seemed overawed by the occasion and they felt they were capable of beating anyone in the tournament.

Ranked third going into the Championships, England started with 1-0 success over Austria, before a statement 8-0 win over Norway – runners up in 2013.

Wiegman’s team then finished the group stage with a 5-0 win over Northern Ireland to set up a quarter-final clash with Spain.

A narrow 2-1 win saw them progress to the semi-finals, where they took on Sweden – who finished third in the 2019 World Cup.

The hosts easily disposed of the Swedes, with a crushing 4-0 win at Bramall Lane, to see them reach their first major international final.

Germany, eight-time European champions, were their opponents and despite England taking the lead with just under half-an-hour to play, the final went to extra-time.

In front of a crowd of over 87,000 fans at Wembley, Chloe Kelly scored the winner to hand the trophy to the Lionesses and give them the perfect lift ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
 

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