Brazil’s Fast Start Delivers Victory Over Lionesses Despite Angelina’s Red Card

England were caught retired against Brazil astatine nan Etihad, Georgia Stanway’s punishment not capable to cancel retired first-half goals from Bia Zaneratto and Dudinha, but it was acold from a capacity to interest about.

Shortly aft taking a two-goal lead, nan visiting squad were down to 10 successful Manchester, Angelina receiving a consecutive reddish for bringing down Ella Toone, but contempt a gutsy and fiery conflict to nan end, Sarina Wiegman’s broadside couldn’t find nan equalising goal.

We knew England’s starting XI would look rather different to nan squad that lifted nan Euros trophy for a 2nd clip successful Basel successful July. Captain Leah Williamson remains sidelined pinch an wounded picked up successful Switzerland, while Lauren Hemp and Lauren James are besides semipermanent absentees. Williamson’s nine replacement Katie Reid and Manchester City’s Grace Clinton were forced to retreat from October’s world campy done injury, while Lotte Wubben-Moy near for location pinch an illness, Jess Park withdrew pursuing concussion protocol and Hannah Hampton was not included successful nan squad to look Brazil owed to an elbow injury.

The backmost statement to look Brazil successful their first outing since that historical punishment shootout triumph complete Spain was wherever astir of nan changes fell arsenic a result. Khiara Keating was handed a first commencement for England successful goal, becoming England’s first achromatic goalkeeper to person a headdress The Manchester United centre-back Maya Le Tissier deputised for right-back Lucy Bronze, who is being eased backmost pursuing nan tibia fracture she infamously played connected pinch during nan Euros, while Esme Morgan and Jess Carter collaborated up successful nan centre of defence and Alex Greenwood was shifted to left-back.

Brazil's Angelina (right) fouls England's Ella Toone, and was sent disconnected soon afterwards. Photograph: Craig Brough/Action Images/Reuters

The defence struggled against nan Copa América champions successful beforehand of a crowd of 37,460, nan gait of Ludmilla and Zaneratto and Dudinha peculiarly troublesome against nan slower centre-back pairing.

Ludmilla fired nan first informing changeable connected behalf of nan visiting team, shooting wide of Keating’s acold station successful nan 3rd minute, and their opening extremity came successful nan ninth. Carter was incapable to halt Zaneratto aft Morgan was drawn retired of position and nan guardant powered nan shot into nan bottommost corner. The celebrations from nan Brazil chair were wild, a testament to nan scalp England are viewed as.

Wiegman’s squad had chances to level, Angelina getting successful beforehand of Alessia Russo to clear Le Tissier’s shot successful and Toone firing consecutive astatine Lorena for her side’s first changeable connected target of nan game.

The task sewage greater successful nan 18th minute. Toone mislaid possession successful nan mediate and nan visiting squad were away, Dudinha flicking nan shot goalwards pinch nan extracurricular of her ft to nonstop it successful disconnected nan post. The hosts had their champion chance of nan half soon after, Greenwood’s free-kick came backmost disconnected nan barroom and Carter’s travel up header flew complete aft Angelina had been shown a consecutive reddish for bringing down Toone.

England’s fortunes shifted aft nan break, Mead was caught by Zaneratto arsenic she went to sprout and Stanway duly converted from nan spot.

Reinforcements arrived conscionable past nan hr mark, pinch nan Lionesses connected nan beforehand ft arsenic they hunted an equaliser. England subordinate of nan twelvemonth Bronze replaced Carter pinch Le Tissier shifted centrally and Aggie Beever-Jones came connected successful spot of Chloe Kelly.

It was each England successful nan 2nd half, Brazil grounded to support nan strength of their property and Stanway rattled nan crossbar successful nan champion chance for a second. Euro 2025 leader Michelle Agyemang was sent connected precocious but, contempt aggravated pressure, England couldn’t find nan breakthrough they were looking for.

No squad wants to lose, but England person suffered worse and much consequential defeats. Given nan measurement of injuries presently plaguing Wiegman’s squad this is improbable to beryllium nan starting XI we spot astatine nan 2027 World Cup successful Brazil – pending qualification. It was a chance for caller starters to show what they tin do, for caller relationships to beryllium forged and positions to beryllium toyed with.