England 6-1 Wales: Ella Toone points warning to Sweden as England e book quarter-final spot | Soccer Information
Ella Toone issued a warning to England’s quarter-final opponents Sweden following an emphatic 6-1 win over Wales on Sunday, the place the midfielder was on the scoresheet for a second successive recreation.
Georgia Stanway, Toone, Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo, Beth Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones had been all heading in the right direction for England, who completed Group D runners-up to France after their 5-2 victory over the Netherlands.
“They need to be scared,” Toone stated, talking to ITV Sport as England secured qualification from the hardest quartet within the event.
“It may be a tough recreation,” she continued stood subsequent to team-mate Russo. “We watched Sweden the opposite night time, they usually had been actually good – an excellent counter-attacking group. We simply have to be on our greatest recreation. We have now been these previous couple of video games.”
Sweden, who received all three of their video games to high Group C, got here from behind with a four-goal haul to beat ten-player Germany on Saturday and arrange the last-eight assembly in Zurich on Thursday.
The Lionesses have now reached the knockout rounds for a 3rd Euros event in a row, and the fourth within the final 5.
Toone added: “We had been actually good. It is at all times laborious to play in opposition to a group that sits in a low block and there is not plenty of area for us, however I believe we drained them out, and it was good that we acquired early objectives within the first half. We actually loved the sport.”
The second-place end may be an surprising bonus as offered they get previous the Swedes, England would keep away from world champions Spain within the semi-finals.
“We scored six objectives and an enormous a part of the sport we dominated, an excellent recreation,” England boss Sarina Wiegman stated. “Enjoying effectively is an important, who scores shouldn’t be that vital.”
A lot was made in regards to the rivalry between the 2 nations, with Wales wanting nothing higher than to spoil England’s celebration however the reigning champions confirmed their huge expertise in opposition to a Wales facet making their main event debut.
England have received 10 of the 11 conferences between the 2 groups, with Wales’ finest consequence being a 0-0 attract 2018.
Wiegman added: “I am very comfortable. We knew forward of this event how laborious this group was going to be, then once you lose the primary recreation there may be huge urgency to win the opposite two.
“It gave plenty of learnings with the group and it introduced us collectively – I believe that is fairly good.”
Wilkinson: Painful loss reveals hole between us and ‘high groups’
Wales boss Rhian Wilkinson talking on ITV Sport:
“This was not our recreation. We had been outplayed and I used to be out-coached. We all know we’ll take so much from it, however I really feel for the gamers. I would not need to stand with another group.
“There is a hole between us and the highest groups and we all know that. My job is to proceed to push and shut that hole.
“I need to thank all of our help. It was a troublesome recreation to remain loud they usually did for us. Again residence we have got work to do. This is not a group that’s prepared for event play when it comes to three, 4, 5 video games again to again.
“That’s an space of enchancment. This was a painful one.”
England’a worry issue returns
Evaluation by Sky Sports activities’ Laura Hunter:
England’s worry issue appears to be like to have returned simply in time, scoring ten objectives throughout their final two video games. The draw has opened up, too – avoiding Germany and Spain till the ultimate can solely be factor.
That isn’t to say England’s path is straightforward, Sweden have been near-perfect up to now, however the Lionesses current document is beneficial.
People who keep in mind 2022 with fondness may have specific recollections of the 4-0 semi-final win over the Swedes on the way in which to being topped champions – the decide of the strikes being a exceptional Alessia Russo back-heel.
England are actually three video games away from retaining their title. That France recreation feels an increasing number of like an anomaly. Hold taking part in like this and making a 3rd successive main event closing in a row needs to be the minimal expectation.
Euros quarter-finals ties
All kick-offs at 8pm BST
July 16
QF1: Norway vs Italy (Geneva)
July 17
QF2: Sweden vs England (Zurich)
July 18
QF3: Spain vs Switzerland (Bern)
July 19
QF4: France vs Germany (Basel)