This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jul/06/england-sweden-womens-world-cup-third-place-play-off-match-report

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Sweden beat England to Women’s World Cup bronze with help from VAR Sweden beat England to Women’s World Cup bronze with help from VAR
(32 minutes later)
Rotherham in November does not have too much in common with Nice in the searing 30-degree heat of a June evening but there was a definite sense of deja vu on the Cote d’Azur night. Rotherham in November does not have too much in common with Nice in the searing 30C heat of a June evening but there was a definite sense of deja vu on the Côte d’Azur on Saturday night.
Phil Neville readily admits that one of his toughest moments in 18 months as England coach came in South Yorkshire late last year where a soul-crushing 2-0 defeat inflicted by Peter Gerhardsson’s side “ruined” his Christmas. Phil Neville readily admits that one of his toughest moments as England coach came in South Yorkshire late last year where a soul-crushing 2-0 defeat inflicted by Peter Gerhardsson’s side “ruined” his Christmas.
England v Sweden: Women's World Cup third-place play-off – live!England v Sweden: Women's World Cup third-place play-off – live!
Following a shocking start this was a much improved, if at times flawed, performance but still proved insufficient to overcome the Lionesses’ fellow losing semi-finalists. Falling slightly short in the face of the United States in Lyon on Tuesday was one thing, but this served as a salutary reminder that, for all their strong points, England are not quite as good as sometimes advertised. Following a shocking start this was an improved, if at times flawed, performance but still proved insufficient to overcome the Lionesses’ fellow losing semi-finalists. Falling slightly short in the face of the United States in Lyon last week was one thing but this served as a salutary reminder that England are not quite as good as sometimes advertised. Their style may have changed from four years ago in Canada – where they finished third – but deficiencies remain.
Neville knows it but nonetheless enjoyed the joke when, shortly before kick off, Baroness Sue Campbell – the Football Association’s head of women’s football – told him that, viewed in the right light, bronze can look a lot like gold. Neville knows it but nonetheless enjoyed the joke when, shortly before kick-off, Baroness Sue Campbell, the Football Association’s head of women’s football, told him that bronze can look a lot like gold, viewed in the right light.
England’s coach has many talents but even he does not quite possess the powers of alchemy required to turn third place into tournament winners. In any case, despite joking that he was going to buy a new light to shine on that prospective medal at his family home, Neville’s side needed to actually secure third place and it swiftly became apparent that getting hold of that bronze would be easier said than done. The problem was that, despite joking that he was going to buy a new light to shine on that prospective medal at his family home, Neville’s side needed to actually beat Sweden and as England swiftly conceded twice it became apparent that this would be easier said than done. They subsequently improved, dramatically, but it was too little too late.
The Lionesses have got away with some extremely hairy defensive lapses during the past month but it seems as if all that luck had finally expired as they paid the price when Fridolina Rolfö’s left-wing cross was whipped in unopposed. “It was probably our worst 20 minutes and our best 70 minutes of a tournament in one but this playoff’s a nonsense game,” admitted England’s manager. “We feel disappointed, frustrated because we’ve not achieved our goals. I’m not disrespecting the playoff but we came here to win the tournament. We wanted gold not bronze. There’s a million things I could have done better but I can’t ask anything more of my players.”
Although Alex Greenwood eventually attempted to intervene, she merely succeeded in cushioning the ball superbly for Kosovare Asllani to sweep a 10-yard shot beyond a fractionally slow to react Carly Telford and on into the bottom corner. His team looked mentally shot as, in the 10th minute, Fridolina Rolfo’s unopposed cross highlighted their defensive vulnerabilities.
Not that Telford could not be remotely blamed for the second goal. It arrived as Sofia Jakobsson was permitted to cut in unimpeded and, with Steph Houghton uncharacteristically standing off, Jakobsson sent a sumptuous shot curving imperiously beyond England’s goalkeeper. Jakobsson’s duel with Greenwood was turning into a principal subplot and the left-back looked mighty relieved as another of her shot’s whizzed literally inches wide. Although Alex Greenwood eventually attempted to intervene she merely succeeded in cushioning the ball superbly for Kosovare Asllani to sweep the crispest of shots into the bottom corner.
Fran Kirby had been Neville’s brightest players and, having connected with a fabulous, defender disorientating, pass from Jill Scott – one of the real stars of this tournament – the Chelsea playmaker made the very most of it. Shortly afterwards Sofia Jakobsson cut in unimpeded and, with Steph Houghton, uncharacteristically, standing off, Jakobsson whose duel with Greenwood turned into a principal subplot – sent a sumptuous shot curving imperiously beyond Carly Telford.
Fran Kirby helped turn the tide a little. The Chelsea creator had an excellent playmaking evening and should be exempt from any criticism. One early cameo proved emblematic of her display; it began with connecting with a fabulous, defender disorientating, pass from Jill Scott – one of the tournament’s real stars – before making the very most of it.
Home pride in ‘Pompey lass’ Jill Ellis now bidding for a World Cup doubleHome pride in ‘Pompey lass’ Jill Ellis now bidding for a World Cup double
There was the fabulous touch to drag her away from her marker and then the beautifully weighted, subtly curling, left-foot shot which went in off a post. Earlier Hedvig Lindahl had done very well to divert Lucy Bronze’s 25-yard cannonball but, this time, Sweden’s goalkeeper had no riposte. There was the fabulous touch to drag Kirby away from her marker and then the beautifully weighted, subtly curling, left-foot shot which went in off a post. Earlier Hedvig Lindahl had done very well to divert Lucy Bronze’s 25-yard cannonball but, this time, Sweden’s goalkeeper had no riposte.
Lindahl was beaten again after the golden boot challenging, Ellen White, chested Beth Mead’s cross down, turned Linda Sembrant and lashed home but a VAR check ensued and that “goal” was disallowed after it was decided that the ball had been tamed by the suddenly incandescent striker’s arm. Lindahl was beaten again after Neville’s leading scorer, Ellen White, chested Beth Mead’s cross down, turned Linda Sembrant and lashed home but a VAR check ensued and that “goal” was disallowed after it was decided that the ball had been tamed by the suddenly incandescent striker’s arm.
No wonder White looked so enraged – the ball appeared to bounce from chest to arm, making entirely inadvertent and non consequential contact with her hand before a superb, technically assured finish. In those increasingly sepia-tinged days before VAR it would have undoubtedly stood. Sometimes the new law really is an ass. No wonder White looked so enraged, the ball appeared to bounce from chest to arm, making entirely inadvertent and non-consequential contact with her hand before a superb, technically assured, finish. In those increasingly sepia-tinged days before VAR it would have undoubtedly stood. Sometimes the law really is an ass. “I don’t know where the game’s going,” said Neville. “I really don’t.”
At least England were succeeding in disrupting Sweden’s initially meticulous organisation, inducing an untypical element of untidiness to their play. Neville endeavoured to make it count by introducing Jodie Taylor in a rejig which necessitated White shifting to the left in a new look 4-3-3 formation. At least England were disrupting Sweden’s initially meticulous organisation, inducing an untypical element of untidiness to their play. Neville endeavoured to make it count by introducing Jodie Taylor in a rejig involving White shifting left in a new look 4-3-3 formation.
The Lionesses began passing and moving according to the Nevillian gospel with Scott and Kirby particularly influential. With Scott and Kirby particularly influential the Lionesses began passing and moving according to the Nevellian gospel. The tone was further raised as Karen Carney drew the afternoon’s biggest cheer from the 21,316 strong crowd by jogging on to mark her final game before retirement by winning the 144th cap of a wonderful career.
Karen Carney drew one of the biggest cheers from the 20,316 crowd as the about-to-retire winger come off the bench to mark her final game by winning the 144th cap of a wonderful career. Sweden though had dropped deep, their positioning and body language challenging England to get behind their defence. Although it took a terrific headed clearance off the line from Nilla Fischer to prevent extra time after Bronze swung a boot at the high velocity fallout from a corner, even a handful of typically clever Carney manoeuvres could not quite unhinge them.
Sweden had dropped deep, their positioning and body language challenging England to get behind them and even a handful of typically clever Carney cameos could not quite unhinge them. As England’s players slumped to the turf, Sweden celebrated bronze as if it really was gold. Ikea must surely stock a light which will perform the necessary alchemy in Gerhardsson’s home.
Even so it took a terrific headed clearance off the line on Nilla Fischer’s part to prevent the game going into extra-time after Bronze met the fall out from a corner at high velocity.
As England’s players slumped to the turf, Sweden celebrated their bronze medal as if it really was good. Neville may not now be needing it but Ikea must stock a light which will perform the necessary alchemy in Gerhardsson’s home.
Women's World Cup 2019Women's World Cup 2019
The ObserverThe Observer
England women's football teamEngland women's football team
Sweden women's football teamSweden women's football team
Women's World CupWomen's World Cup
Women's footballWomen's football
match reportsmatch reports
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content