Injury-ridden England fall to Tessa Wullaert and the Red Flames

Belgium 3-2 England

by Catherine MacKenzie (08/04/2025)

Above: Tessa Wullaert celebrates her brace. Photo: BelRedFlames on X

Belgium pulled off a shock 3-2 win against injury-ridden England in Leuven, three days after being beaten 5-0 by the same team.

Following a Lionesses game, the reaction on social media can vary from “we are going to win everything” to “we are never going to win a game again”. Fans are vocal and opinionated, their emotions irrevocably tied up in the performance of a team that has given them a huge amount of joy in winning England’s first major trophy since 1966. 

This year, the Lionesses have won against Spain and Belgium in stellar performances whilst missing a substantial portion of the squad to injury. The narrative on social media has been positive; suggesting the team are ‘back’, that they have improved so massively that not even their so-called ‘bogey’ team could set them back.

Last time England were in Leuven, the Red Flames pulled off a stunning 3-2 victory. Ask any England fan and they will tell you about the context around that game; it was mere weeks after the world cup final, and the referee on that day got fundamental decisions wrong.

This time, the Lionesses have been in good form, beating the Red Flames 5-0 in the first leg of the double header. However, following the home game in Bristol, England’s injury woes worsened when two players withdrew from the squad: Lauren James and Alessia Russo. Both are fundamental to the team’s structure.

The Lionesses were already without Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway and Alex Greenwood, who would all likely be part of the starting eleven if fit. Losing James and Russo in addition to the trio was an immediate blow that turned the positive social media narrative around staggeringly quickly. Questions of man-management; should Wiegman have rested James for the first leg, or not played Russo? This led to further questions about the need for this international window, and the integrity of the UEFA Nations League.

Above: Alessia Russo in action for England during the first game against Belgium in Bristol. Photo: Shell Lawrence for Impetus.

With James’ injury in addition to Hemp and Greenwood, England’s left flank was most affected, with first choice left-winger and left-back both unavailable.

It was this left side that Belgium exploited in Leuven on Tuesday evening, using the pace of Belgian captain and star player Tessa Wullaert to outrun England’s left-back, Niamh Charles.

James and first-choice left winger Lauren Hemp have both become known for their tendency to track back and aid their defence. With both players injured, 21-year-old Chelsea starlet Aggie-Beever Jones was in their place.

Beever-Jones has yet to solidify her best position; she can play all over the front line. A key difference to James and Hemp is that she is not used to tracking back; a lethal attack-minded player, this is not something she has often had to do.

The lack of support from Beever-Jones left England’s left flank exposed, and Charles alone to face the speed of the Belgian counterattack. Charles is at her best when she can get forward, and as she did this, there was ample space for Belgium to hoof a long ball into because there was no James or Hemp to cover. Charles then struggled for the pace to get back, and found herself beaten by Wullaert every time the Belgian broke forward.

By half-time, England were 3-1 down thanks to two goals from Wullaert and one from Justine Vanhaevermaet. Esme Morgan and Jess Carter, who both play in the US’ NWSL, were brought on at half time for Bright and Charles. Morgan had more success in dealing with Wullaert’s pace, and Carter brought more physicality to the England back line. Whilst the first half could have been four or five to Belgium, they did not register a shot on target in the second half, owing to these changes. 

Speaking post-match, Morgan said that “we had clear messaging that we needed to be tighter on the transition, get pressure on the ball and counter press”. 

For England fans, the highlight of the evening will be when nineteen-year-old Michelle Agyemang made her debut in the 80th minute, scoring a brilliant goal a mere 41 seconds later. It is often a criticism levelled at Wiegman that she does not trust youth; few would have expected Agyemang to make her debut when she was playing for England’s under-19s a mere few days ago, called up to the senior squad as a replacement for the injured Alessia Russo.  

Above: Michelle Agyemang celebrates. Photo: Lionesses

She scored with her second touch in the match, getting hold of a cross from Leah Williamson and smashing the ball into the top left corner. England pushed for the remainder of the match, however were unable to find the back of the net. 

Asked for her thoughts post-match, Wiegman said that “Belgium are a different team with and without Tessa Wullaert”, and that certainly proved to be the case.  She added that for her team, it simply “was not good enough”; that it “does not feel good” but she and her squad will learn from this loss.

It is difficult to truly assess this performance for England given the number of injuries to important players. The next window includes the home game against Portugal and the away leg against Spain, and at least some of the injured players should have returned by then to provide a much more accurate view of where the Lionesses are in their preparations. 

Above: England head coach Sarina Wiegman thanks fans after the game. Photo: Lionesses

For Belgium, this is the first win under new coach, the Icelander Elisabet Gunnarsdottir. After narrowly losing to Spain 3-2, they will be hoping to use this result as a springboard to develop ahead of this summer’s European Championships. They remain bottom of the Nations League group, one point behind Portugal. 

Spain returned to the top of the group, and as things stand, they will head to the finals later this year. If England win against Portugal, the group standings would come down to the final game in Spain, taking place in June. 

TEAMS: BELGIUM (3-4-3): Lichtfus, Cayman, Tysiak, Deloose, Philtjens, Teulings, Vanhaevermaet, Janssens, Eurlings, Detruyer, Wullaert. Substitutes: Delacauw, Blom, Dhont, De Caigny, Evrard, Bastiaen, Elyn, Missipo, Van Kerkhoven, Wijnants, Toloba, Mathys. 

Scorers: Wullaert 4’, Vanhaevermaet 16’, Wullaert 29’ 

ENGLAND (4-3-3): Hampton, Bronze, Williamson, Bright, Charles, Clinton, Walsh, Park, Mead, Parris, Beever-Jones. Substitutes: Earps, Moorhouse, Morgan, Le Tissier, Turner, Carter, Toone, Parker, Naz, Kirby, Symonds, Agyemang. 

Scorers: Mead 35’, Agyemang 81’ 

Referee: Maria Caputi (ITA) 

Attendance: 6,253.

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Ireland get their groove back against Greece

By Alyce Collett (08/04/2025)

Above: Ireland celebrate their win. Photo: Ireland Football

The Republic of Ireland has made it two wins from as many matches against Greece this international window, after winning 2-1 tonight in Dublin.

The Girls in Green dominated in many key areas but just could not finish cleanly in front of goal. The Irish goals came from Amber Barrett and Anna Patten, while the Greeks pegged one back late off the boot of star midfielder Veatriki Sarri.

Unlike the first match between the sides this window, the Republic of Ireland were on the front foot early, dominating possession and pressing high, putting the Greeks under plenty of pressure. The Irish were finally playing with the true confidence that had perhaps been missing for a while, and were showing the dominance that had perhaps been expected of them all campaign.

The Irish dominance was rewarded early when Barrett perfectly converted a penalty kick in the ninth minute.

However as the half progressed, as much as the home side were dominating possession, the Greek defence sat back and crowded the box, making it harder for the Irish to get shots on goal, which led them to take shots that were rushed and from further out.

Barrett’s goal was ultimately the only goal in the first half, with plenty to think about for both sides ahead of the second half.

The Republic of Ireland took even less time in the second half to score a goal than they did in the first, after Patten headed in a goal to convert a strong Megan Campbell corner within the first five minutes of the half.

Despite being well beaten in many areas for most of the night, Greece never gave up hope of finding themselves a goal, and they eventually did with a long strike from Sarri in the 72nd minute.

This gave the visitors a bit of a boost, who took control of possession and controlled things for a bit, which was helped along by a drop in the quality of the Irish passing.

However the Republic of Ireland did eventually wrestle control of the match back, but as much as they were controlling the game, a crowded box full of Greek defenders meant that the shots on goal the home side were taking were often from far out and rarely on target.

One player who impressed for the home side from opening whistle to final whistle was Aoife Mannion, who despite playing as a centre back was at times more playing like a wing back, getting high up the pitch and creating nice attacking drive on multiple occasions.

Despite picking up a vital three points, the Republic of Ireland will need to get their scoring boots on in the final two matches of the leagues if they want to catch up to group leaders Slovenia and automatically qualify for promotion back to League A. Slovenia’s goal difference is currently seven goals better than the Girls in Green’s.

Teams: IRELAND (4-3-3): Brosnan, Campbell, Stapleton, Patten, Mannion, O’Sullivan, Toland, Sheva, Quinn, Barrett, Kiernan. Substitutes: Hayes, Littlejohn, Clancy, Noonan, Kavanagh, Moloney, Larkin, Murphy, Mustaki, Whitehouse.
Scorers: Barrett 9’ (P), Patten 50’

GREECE (3-5-2): Nasi, Palama, Markou, Paterna, Mitkou, Sarri, Moraitou, Saich, Ntarzanou, Papatheodorou, Spyridonidou. Substitutes: Giannakouli, Kotsaki, Gkouni, Kapnisi, Georgiou, Kakabouki, Koskeridou, Petaloti, Gkatsou, Chamalidou, Koggouli.

Scorers: Sarri 72’

Referee: Franziska Wildfeuer (GER)

Attendance: 5,879.

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Lionesses look to “get revenge” against Belgium

By Catherine MacKenzie (07/04/2025)

Above: Lionesses train in Leuven, Belgium. Photo: Catherine MacKenzie for Impetus

On a beautifully sunny afternoon in Leuven, Belgium, England’s Lionesses trained ahead of their second match in the UEFA Nations League double header against the Belgian Red Flames. The home leg saw a dominant win for England, with five different players on the score-sheet. Joy from Friday’s performance was marred only by injuries, as Alessia Russo was the third player to withdraw from the squad this window.

Despite these (and other) injuries, England head into the game top of their Nations League group half-way through the phase. They are one point ahead of world champions Spain, and a win against Belgium will see them retain that lead. Draw or lose, and that lead diminishes, dependent on Portugal’s ability to thwart their Spanish rivals.

During the press conference, questions primarily revolved around these injuries – both new and long-term. Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman was asked for updates on the three players who left camp, but could not provide any this soon. In terms of those out longer-term, Wiegman shared her hope that all or part of the trio (Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway and Alex Greenwood) will return in time for the last scheduled camp before this summer’s European championships.

The role of Beth Mead was highlighted by media, with her head coach agreeing that the Arsenal player was integral for the team’s attack in the home game – particularly linking up with Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze. This is something Wiegman will be hoping to replicate on Tuesday evening, although she admitted that she is expecting a different game – that Belgium will “play a little deeper” and be tougher to break down.

Above: Beth Mead for England. Photo: Shell Lawrence for Impetus.

With the likely return of Belgian star player Tessa Wullaert and the Belgian fans known to be loud in their support, the game already has potential to be difficult. There are echoes of the time England played here in late 2023; they were also besieged by injuries that autumn, however were not on as good a run of form.

The game in 2023 also came soon after the world cup, when many players were feeling the fallout from their journey. Looking ahead, Wiegman issued a strong statement: that England are out “to get revenge on ourselves” – that the team did not play well in 2023, and are looking to rectify that.

Wiegman was joined by Chelsea left back Niamh Charles, who has endured a difficult season thus far. One of England’s most promising young players, Charles suffered an injury late last year and missed a few months of Chelsea’s season alongside two England camps.

Above: Niamh Charles for England against Belgium. Photo: Shell Lawrence for Impetus.

Asked what it is like to come back into a squad that is developing rapidly ahead of a summer tournament, Charles responded that it has been nice to be back “catching up on what I’ve missed and being in and around the conversations we’ve had as well, that it is sort of a new team and we’re really looking forward to developing that camp by camp.”

She continued; “…it was nice, although it was horrible watching from the side-lines. It was sort of nice to see the progress and then come back in and be a part of it.”

Belgium v England kicks off at 19:30 UK time on ITV.

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Composed Matildas complete Korea series clean sweep

Australia 2-0 Korea Republic

by Alyce Collett (7/4/25)

Above: The Matildas celebrate their second goal in Newcastle tonight. Photo: Football Australia.

Australia has completed a series clean sweep against Korea Republic, after defeating them 2-0 tonight in Newcastle in a composed performance.

Once the Matildas took control of the game, they really asserted their dominance, and found the goals through Mary Fowler and a second successive own goal from Lim Seon-Joo.

Both sides were up and about early in the clash, with a lot of end-to-end action, and recorded some promising shots on goal. However, it was the visitors who looked the more dangerous of the sides early, with the likes of Mun Eun-Ju, Choo Hyo-Joo, and Kang Chae-Rim getting into really good positions and being able to sneak past the Matildas’ defensive line on a number of occasions.

Eventually, Australia did get settled into the match, and started to get their attacking systems firing. Fowler and Holly McNamara were starting to ask questions of Korea’s defence, but just could not find the space to inflict maximum impact.

The Korean defence was holding up really well and double teaming Matildas’ attackers at times, and just as it was starting to look like there may be no goals in the first half, Fowler was played in with a well-timed pass from Emily van Egmond to wriggle her way past Korea’s defence and slot the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Both sides started the second half with high energy and intensity, as the on-field play was free-flowing and end to end, much like it was in the first half.

Australia did eventually pick up a second goal, which came just after the hour mark. The goal came after the ball pinballed around in the box after a number of deflections of Caitlin Foord shots, and ultimately, a strike from Torpey was accidentally helped in by Lim Seon-Joo. Things went from bad to worse for the Korean defender, as after the goal, she was stretchered off the field.

As the game reached its final stages, the Matildas really started to put their foot down. They started to dominate possession and time in the forward half, and as a consequence, the shots started to rack up too.

In the first half, the Australia had three shots on goal, with two of them being on target, while in the second half they had 13, five of which were on target. By comparison, Korea Republic had four shots in the first half with one of them on target, and in the second half they ultimately finished with six shots for the half, but only one of them was on target.

Just as the visitors looked like they were again going to go goalless against Australia, they almost picked up a goal through Ko Yoo-Jin, but an offside call meant it did not count.

This was an extremely positive way to round off the April international window. A strong performance, particularly in the second half, and two clean sheets in a row bring confidence flooding back ahead of the next series at home to Argentina at the end of May.

Teams: AUSTRALIA (4-4-2): Micah, Nevin, Wheeler, Catley, van Egmond, Fowler, Yallop, Kennedy, McNamara, Grant, Cooney-Cross. Substitutes:  Heatley, Torpey, Davidson, Heyman, Hunt, Foord, Rankin, Prior, Lincoln, James.

Scorer: Fowler 43’, Lim (OG) 63’.

SOUTH KOREA (4-2-3-1): M. Kim, S.J Lim, N Shin, S. Kim, Y. Choi, S.Y Ji, Mun, Y.J Lee, H.R Kim, H.J Choo, Kang. Substitutes:  Choi, E. Lee, K. Kim, Jeong, Bae, Ko, D.J Lee, Jung, M. Kim, Y.R Choe, G.M Lee, Phair. 

Referee: Asaka Koizumi (JPN).

Attendance: 28,019.

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Victory keep themselves in title race with win over Wanderers

Western Sydney Wanderers 0-1 Melbourne Victory

By Kieran Yap 6/4/25

Above: Kayla Morrison. Photo: Melbourne Victory

Melbourne Victory have kept their title race alive with a 1-0 win away to Western Sydney Wanderers. A Danika Matos own goal was the difference between the two teams, which leaves Victory only two points behind league leaders Melbourne City with two games to play.

This rescheduled fixture left both sides understrength. Victory’s star central defender Claudia Bunge was away with The New Zealand national team, while Wanderer Sienna Saveska was on Young Matildas duty.

The game was decided early, a Nikki Flannery cross in the opening minutes evaded everybody in the penalty area except for a lunging Matos. The header wrong footed Sham Khamis in goal and nestled in the back of the net. Victory had a lead to defend, and even with the relatively inexperienced Rosie Curtis in place of Bunge, it was a big ask for the gun shy Wanderers.

Emily Gielnik was the most obvious outlet for a second goal. The club leading scorer thought she had doubled the lead in the 24th minute, but the referee assistant flagged for offside. She came close soon after after Sara D’Appolonia played her through on goal, but her shot skidded wide.

As with many occasions this season, Melbourne Victory did just enough to win. It was not a game of many clear chances, and those that were created went begging. Alana Jancevski’s dangerous free kick was met by Ellie Wilson at the back post, but her header missed the target.

This win was mostly due to a typically Herculean effort from captain Kayla Morrison. She not only played an excellent individual game, but marshalled a defence featuring the prodigious but inexperienced Curtis, but also Wilson who is still returning to full fitness after injury and the converted left back Jancevski.

The back four were admirably solid as they have been for many of this season’s tight wins and to do this without Bunge was a particularly impressive effort.

Victory’s lack of goals and free-flowing football can be a source of frustration for fans, but this is a team that has managed to get the job done more often than not, and they are still a chance of lifting the premiership on the final day of the season. They will be dependant on Melbourne City dropping points against either Newcastle or Perth, but stranger things have happened in this league and the fact they are still in this race is a testament to their underrated consistency this season.  

This game will not live long in memory, it was not highlight packed or even particularly exciting, but as they so often do, Victory did enough when it mattered, and bank another three points.

Check out our Instagram page – @ImpetusFootball to see Kris Goman’s exclusive photos from the game for Impetus

Teams: WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS (3-4-2-1): Khamis, Harrison, McComansky, Buchanan, Matos, Chessari, Harada, Rue, Caspers, Price, Trew. Substitutes: Harding, Kapetanellis, Stajcic, Ferris, Segavcic.

MELBOURNE VICTORY (4-2-3-1): Newbon, Wilson, Curtis, Morrison, Jancevski, Chidiac, D’Appolonia, Furphy, Lowe, Flannery, Gielnik. Substitutes: O’Grady, Murphy, Pickett, Young, Candy.

Goals: Matos (og) 18’

Referee: Molly Godsell

Attendance: 568.

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Beth Mead and Lucy Bronze star as rampant England put five past Belgium

England 5-0 Belgium

By Catherine MacKenzie (05/04/2025)

Above: Aggie Beever-Jones celebrates her first senior goal. Photo: Shell Lawrence for Impetus.

Five different Lionesses were on the scoresheet at Ashton Gate on Friday evening, as England followed up February’s win over Spain with a demolition of Belgium’s Red Flames.

England came into the game against Belgium with positivity following a win against world champions Spain in February. The Lionesses started the game joint-top of their Nations League group, level on points and goal difference with Portugal.

Marvellous Mead goes under the radar

It is rare that a player of the match performance goes to a player who did not get on the scoresheet. However, on a chilly Friday evening in Bristol, Beth Mead accomplished exactly that. Whilst Lucy Bronze also deserves many plaudits and was a standout player in the match, Mead deserves a mention in the conversation.

England’s most active goal scorer in the last European Championship, Mead’s role for club and country has evolved over recent months, following a lengthy absence due to an ACL injury. At twenty-nine, she is now one of the older members of this Lionesses squad, and goalscoring duties mainly rely on her Arsenal team-mate Alessia Russo.

For some, this evolution has implied that Mead is somehow past her best; that her most effective position is as an impact player off the bench. However, she has consistently been putting in strong performances for Arsenal, scoring six goals in 17 appearances, assisting twice and making a goal-line clearance against West Ham in the closing moments that saved the game.

Mead was withdrawn from the last England camp due to a minor injury (replaced by Chloe Kelly, who has pulled out of the current camp due to minor injury), so she missed the Lionesses’ statement win over Spain. However, her link-up play with teammate Russo was something fans were eager to see spill over into England performances, and this was certainly the case against Belgium.

She played the full 90-minutes, providing an assist for Aggie Beever-Jones, making 40 accurate passes (out of 44, for a completion rate of 91%), nine key passes, six crosses, and creating two big chances. She also made a couple of tackles at the other end, showcasing her willingness to get back and help her team defend.

Above: Beth Mead for England. Photo: Shell Lawrence for Impetus.

Substitutions make an impact

When England won the 2022 Euros, substitutions made the difference. Every player wants a starting position; to stand facing the audience to sing the national anthem, to be featured in the starting line-up photograph. The importance of being an impact player is often underestimated; Toone’s goal off the bench in the Euros final is not marred by the fact that she did not start the game, neither is Kelly’s. The impact player has a vital role in tournament football and is something England will have been slightly concerned about in recent windows.

However, the win against Belgium showed that the impact substitutions are still there for England if squad members take their chances. Aggie Beever-Jones replaced Lauren James at half-time, scoring her first senior goal and causing the Belgian defence a lot of concern with her pace and ability to stretch the opponent. It is difficult to know if she would have had such an impact from a starting position, however given Russo’s form of late, a substitution was always going to be the most likely option to give Beever-Jones minutes.

Another substitution that made a difference was Jess Park, who replaced Ella Toone on the hour mark. After scoring against Spain to secure a vital win, Park may have felt aggrieved not to start against Belgium. It is likely the Toone-Clinton club connection that is currently working so well that pushed Park out of the starting line-up, however Park took her chance and showed why she is also effective as a substitute. The Belgian defence was fatigued by this point and gave Park the space to be at her creative best, leading to England’s third goal.

Above: Jess Park preparing to shoot for England. Photo: Shell Lawrence for Impetus.

Esme Morgan, Jess Carter and Nikita Parris also got minutes, giving Leah Williamson, Millie Bright and Russo some time to recover ahead of the return leg on Tuesday.

First senior goals for Beever-Jones and Keira Walsh

Widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, Keira Walsh has numerous accolades to her name – from winning the Champions League with Barcelona, to the 2022 Euros with England. On her 83rd cap Friday evening, she added another ring to her belt – goal-scorer for England.

Defensive midfield is not a position known for its goal-scoring potential, however Walsh put that right against Belgium. Speaking post-game, head coach Sarina Wiegman said that she encouraged Walsh to shoot more – “she has a good shot!”.

Slightly earlier in her England career, twenty-one year old striker Aggie Beever-Jones also netted her first goal, getting into the right position to strike from a superb Mead cross.

Momentum is building

Ahead of the match, Wiegman admitted that her focus on the Nations League is split with focus on the European Championships this summer. Following the win against Spain, there is a feeling about England – that something is shifting, that they are discovering the form that made them so unbeatable back in 2022.

This is the first time that feeling has been around since then, and it is striking that it is being felt when the squad are dealing with so many injuries to important players. That is important to remember – Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp, and Alex Greenwood are still to be added to the squad.

Speaking to Ian Wright and Karen Carney post-match, Wiegman admitted that she is feeling this too; she said “…something is happening, we are getting closer.” A key test of this momentum will be to see if they can maintain this high level of performance, remaining consistent in the few remaining games heading into the tournament this summer.

England now lead their group with seven points, one ahead of Spain in second. They also have a superior goal difference, with six compared to Spain’s two.

TEAMS: ENGLAND (4-3-3): Hampton, Bronze, Williamson, Bright, Charles, Clinton, Walsh, Mead, Toone, James, Russo.

Substitutes: Beever-Jones (James 45′), Park (Toone 60′), Morgan (Williamson 73′), Parris (Russo 73′), Carter (Bright 80′), Moorhouse, Earps, Turner, Parker, Le Tissier, Symonds.

Scorers: Bronze 21′, Bright 45′, Beever-Jones 67′, Park 77′, Walsh 88′.

BELGIUM (3-4-3): Evrard, Iliano, Cayman, Tysiak, Janssens, Teulings, Vanhaevermaet, Philtjens, Toloba, Missipo, Eurlings.

Substitues: Delacauw (Missipo 62′), Detruyer (Toloba 62′), Deloose (Philtjens 76′), Blom (Eurlings 83′), De Caigny (Teulings 84′), Lichtfus, Bastiaen, Elyn, Wijnants, Dhont, Mathys, Van Kerkhoven.

Referee: Marta Huerta de Aza (ESP)

Attendance: 23,202

England next face Belgium away in Leuven on Tuesday – kick off at 19:30 UK time on ITV1.

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Ireland silences doubters with emphatic win

Above: The Ireland squad who defeated Greece 4-0. Photo: Ireland Football.

Greece 0-4 Republic of Ireland

by Alyce Collett (4/4/25)


The Republic of Ireland’s Nations League campaign is back on track after an emphatic 4-0 win over Greece this afternoon.

Second half goals to Marissa Sheva, Kyra Carusa, Jessie Stapletonand Amber Barrett saw the Irish completely eliminate the damage done to their goal difference in the last match and bag the three points. 

It was a free flowing match to begin with, with the ball freely moving end to end. However Greece did look more dangerous in attack early, with the home side able to use speed and space much better than their visitors. 

However as the half progressed, the Republic of Ireland started to warm up a little and things started to come together better in attack, with players like Ruesha Littlejohn, Denise O’Sullivan and Leanne Kiernan starting to threaten in attack. 

But the Greek threat was not going away, with the likes of Eleni Saich and Anastasia Spyridonidou not afraid to use their speed and shoot from distance. Goalkeeper Zoi Nasi was also really keeping her side in the match with some strong and brave saves.

The other thing that was letting Ireland down was passing accuracy in midfield in transition from the middle third into the final third. The passes were not coming with the usual polish that has come to be expected from the team. 

The score was ultimately goalless at half time, but with all things considered the home side would have been the happier camp at the break. 

The Republic of Ireland started with strong intent in the second half, and finally got some reward for effort with a goal within the first five minutes of the half from Sheva. Sheva – who had only been on the pitch mere minutes – let a shot rip from outside the penalty box, and although it did take a deflection on the way into the back of the net, no one in an Irish shirt was complaining. 

Whatever the Irish manager Carla Ward said to her troops at half time worked, because the visitors had renewed sense of energy in their play, and the goal just added more pep in their already re-energised step. 

The Republic of Ireland found a second goal 10 minutes later when Carusa tapped the ball into the back of the net after Kiernan’s initial conversion attempt of Katie McCabe’s cross was blocked. 

The visitors were really starting to play like their old selves again, and were rewarded with a third goal about 10 minutes after their second, when Stapleton headed the ball into the back of the net to convert a McCabe corner. 

The Irish were not done scoring though, with Barrett completing the scoring with less than a minute left in the match. She struck one in the bottom corner and into the back of the net after having sprinted down half the pitch to cap off her 50th appearance for the national team in style. 

Teams: GREECE (3-5-2): Nasi, Palama, Markou, Gkouni, Ntarzanou, Saich, Sarri, Moraitou, Mitkou, Papatheodorou, Spyridonidou. Substitutes: Giannakouli, Peiou, Kapnisi, Georgiou, Kakabouki, Koskeridou, Petaloti, Gkatsou, Kotsaki, Koggouli, Paterna, Chamalidou.

IRELAND (4-3-3): Brosnan, Campbell, Stapleton, Patten, Mannion, O’Sullivan, Toland, Littlejohn, Quinn, Carusa, Kiernan. Substitutes: Hayes, Barrett, McCabe, Clancy, Sheva, Moloney, Noonan, Larkin, Murphy, Mustaki, Whitehouse.

Scorers: Sheva 49’, Carusa 61’, Stapleton 74, Barrett 90+3’.

Referee: Jelena Pejković (CRO).

Attendance: 550.

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Matildas begin the international window with a win

Australia 1-0 South Korea

By Kieran Yap (4/4/25).

Above: Emily Van Egmond celebrates the goal. Photo: Damien Briggs /Football Australia)

An Emily van Egmond cross provided Australia with a 1-0 win against South Korea in Sydney. A physical game opened up in the second half, and van Egmond’s curling cross was turned into goal via a misplaced defensive header by Lim Seon-joo.

The Matildas lineup was the results of some forced changes, but that provided opportunities to some popular fringe players. Ellie Carpenter and Hayley Raso’s injuries meant starts for Charli Grant and Winonah Heatley, while Jamilla Rankin started at left back, with Steph Catley partnering Alana Kennedy in the centre of defence.

Melbourne City star, Holly McNamara started in attack alongside Caitlin Foord and the A-League Women Golden Boot leader was a menace throughout the first half. The South Korean defence struggled with her acceleration and mobility. They often resorted to desperate physical challenges and professional fouls to slow her down.

The brightest attack of The Matildas’ first half, was when McNamara played through Caitlin Foord, and despite her shot being on target and taken in plenty of space, it was blocked by Kim Min-jeong in the Korean goal.

Kyra Cooney-Cross made a statement in the opening moments of the second half. Her surging run direct from kickout sent defenders lunging and scrambling. Once again it took a cynical foul to stop her.

The Matildas often looked at their best in these moments. The passing was good, and kept them largely in control of the match, but when the Australian’s were able to run at their opponents they were at their most dangerous. Cooney-Cross typified this and her confidence visibly grew throughout the game as she began to exhibit her rare pace through the middle of the ground.

It was through a Foord solo run that the goal was created. The Arsenal attacker ran toward goal, and had the defence guessing while they back-pedaled. Foord sized up her options, passed wide to van Egmond and her curling cross was sent over the sprawling goalkeeper by her own defender.  

Clare Wheeler’s introduction was another reminder of what the Everton midfielder can bring to this side. She was aggressive with the ball and dogged without it. Often described as a defensive midfielder, Wheeler added spark and creativity when she came on. Mary Fowler’s eventual appearance brought cheers from the crowd and chances on goal. She was unlucky not to score, especially as her well crafted effort bobbled agonizingly wide.

Despite a late Korean rally that brought out a diving fingertip save by the excellent Teagan Micah, Australia held on to the slim lead. The 1-0 win provided some relief for fans after the struggles of the She Believes Cup, and although this was far from a complete performance, it was an entertaining one. In crucial moments, The Matildas were in full flight and if they once again back their individual skills, they should hit the scoreboard more on Monday night.

Check out our Instagram feed @ImpetusFootball for exclusive photo galleries from the game by Impetus’ Pat Charalambous.

Teams: AUSTRALIA (4-4-2): Micah, Grant, Kennedy, Catley, Rankin, Yallop, Heatley, Cooney-Cross, Foord’s, van Egmond, McNamara. Substitutes: Nevin, Hunt, Wheeler, Torpey, Fowler, Heyman, Prior, Lincoln, Davidson.

Scorer: Lim 54’ (OG).

SOUTH KOREA (4-2-3-1): M. Kim, H.R Kim, S.J Lim, N Shin, H.J Choo, S. Kim, Y.J Lee, Y.R Choe, S.Y Ji, G.M Lee, Phair. Substitutes: Mun, Chois, E. Lee, Kang, K. Kim, Jeong, Bae, Ko, Y. Choi, D.J Lee, Jung, M. Kim.

Referee: Yoshimi Yamashita (JPN).

Attendance: 37,199.

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Five things to look out for in England’s double-header against Belgium

By Catherine MacKenzie (03/04/2025)

Above: The Lionesses lineup to face Spain in February. Photo: England Women.

The Lionesses return in a double header against the Red Flames in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, the second-to-last window before this summer’s European Championships.

This week, England’s Lionesses face a double header against Belgium’s Red Flames, in the UEFA Women’s Nations League. The UWNL is viewed variously by fans: some view the league as a collection of glorified friendlies, whilst others focus on the potential for a trophy.

There is also the impact the final standings will have on qualifying for the 2027 World Cup, where England will be eager to avoid yet another tough qualifying group – qualifying for this summer’s European Championships, they faced several top teams, including France and Sweden, and they have been handed difficult groups for the Nations League and European Championships as well.

The games also hold a more abstract importance. When we last saw England, they beat world champions Spain at Wembley, which followed a mixed performance against Portugal. The expectations on this Lionesses team are huge – you only have to look at responses to the team either losing or even winning without domination to see that.

Whilst the USA failing to win the She Believes Cup was accepted by USWNT fans because it was a “minor tournament used to grow the squad and embed new players”, England do not get that chance. Any perceived ‘dropping of the ball’ is seen as a sign that the team (and its head coach) are ‘finished’, that England will never win a trophy again. Ahead of a major tournament this summer, there is a need for proportionality.

So let’s dig in to what the most pressing matters are for England, in the context of two competitive games against Belgium and balance:

  1. Facing yet another team outside the top 10

Belgium, along with other teams around their FIFA ranking, have proved difficult opponents for England in the past. In the 2023 iteration of the Nations League, England won one and lost one against the Red Flames – however it is worth mentioning that those games were very soon after the world cup final, where England narrowly lost to Spain in their first world cup final appearance since 1966. The physical and emotional toll of that tournament were still being felt – and many players have spoken about the difficult months over that winter. It is not altogether surprising that performances dropped for a team that reached the final half-way across the world.

In their last camp, England conceded late to draw with Portugal before conquering the number two in the world (Spain). This is a team who know how to raise their game to face the best opponents; however, we have seen them fall to lower-ranked nations on occasion. The consistency and concentration levels are going to be ever-more important due to injuries to senior members of the starting eleven like Georgia Stanway and Alex Greenwood. How the rest of the team manage to remain consistent over the 90 minutes (and across multiple international windows) will provide insight into the progress the younger members have made.

  1. Goalkeepers battling for third

The battle to be the Lionesses’ no. 1 for Euro 2025 is heating up as we inch closer to the tournament. Hannah Hampton and Mary Earps are splitting the duties between the sticks 50/50 at the moment, however the decision-deadline is fast approaching.

What is intriguing but rarely discussed is the battle for the third goalkeeping spot in the squad. The Lionesses can take three keepers to Switzerland this summer, and that third spot is seemingly tied between Manchester City’s twenty-year-old Khiara Keating, and Orlando Pride’s thirty-year old Anna Moorhouse. Whilst Moorhouse has trophies in the bank including last year’s NWSL championship and shield, Keating has featured for the U23s and has had brilliant performances for Manchester City.

Above: Anna Moorhouse for Orlando Pride. Photo: Orlando Pride

Coming into this camp, that third spot seemed secure for Moorhouse. Keating’s form took a hit earlier in the WSL season, and she lost her starting spot for City. However, she has recently had a resurgence, putting in a player-of-the-match performance against Chelsea. Keating’s inclusion in this squad shows that Wiegman and her staff want another look at the City keeper.

  1. Left back depth

Left-back has been a bit of a sore spot for England for years. There is no senior left-footed defender in the England set-up apart from Alex Greenwood, so whoever plays left-back is relying on their weaker left-foot. Since Rachel Daly’s retirement and Greenwood’s injury, the spot has primarily been taken by Chelsea’s Niamh Charles – however she is struggling for game-time this calendar year with France’s Sandy Baltimore often getting the nod instead. This will be a concern for Wiegman, particularly as there is no natural back-up for Charles in the squad.

  1. Backup for Russo

Depth is also a potential issue up front. England’s main outlet for goals is Alessia Russo, who after a difficult start, has been on electrifying form for Arsenal this season. Her link-up with teammates Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead have been particularly impressive, and she has nailed down that starting spot for England.

Above: Alessia Russo training for Belgium. Photo: Clare Wood for Impetus

There is no obvious back-up for Russo, however. Aggie-Beever Jones has been improving steadily at Chelsea and has made her senior England debut; however, she is still young and relatively inexperienced to rely on for long periods. Nikita Parris has been included in recent squads for perhaps this reason, and it will be interesting to see if she gets any minutes against the Red Flames.

  1. Midfield personnel

Georgia Stanway and Keira Walsh have been the most consistent pairing in midfield this Lionesses squad have had. Together, they work well and have settled into a partnership that has lasted two tournaments and counting. With Stanway’s injury, Grace Clinton has been playing in a deeper role to her preferred no.10. This has been mostly successful against Spain and Portugal, one lapse in concentration aside.

Playing Clinton deeper is is also a way of getting her on the pitch at the same time as Manchester United team-mate Ella Toone, who has played an integral role for England since Euro 2022. Her ability to score goals from ‘out of nowhere’ has been incredibly beneficial to the Lionesses and being able to field both has worked for both United and England.

Above: Ella Toone in training. Photo: Clare Wood for Impetus.

What will be interesting is what happens on Stanway’s return from injury – she is expected back before the European Championships this summer. If she does return to the fold, it is likely that she would start in partnership with Walsh, and Clinton may be relegated to an impact player as a substitute. This may be how she gets more minutes in her preferred role, but then we would miss that burgeoning link up with teammate Toone.

England are currently joint-top of their group with Portugal, with one draw and one win so far. Following the double header against Belgium, their last window before the Euros will see them face Portugal at home and Spain away.

England v Belgium kicks off at 8pm UK time, Friday evening on ITV. The away leg kicks off at 19:30 UK time on Tuesday 8th April, also on ITV.

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