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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Ireland outclassed by World No. 1 USA in Denver
IT was not unexpected but that did not make it any easier. Ireland boss Carla Ward has never beaten USA boss Emma Hayes, and the Girls in Green have never got a result against the USA. Advertisement So a 4-0 loss in Denver in the first of two games against the Olympic champions is no shock, nor a disaster. But that an Ireland team - without key players Katie McCabe, Denise O'Sulivan, Aoife Mannion and Megan Campbell - were thoroughly outclassed is a worry. These summer games were arranged primarily with a view torwards the Win that two legged tie against the Red Flames and Ireland go into League A for the World Cup qualifiers; something that makes qualifying that little bit easier. Advertisement Read More On Football But Belgium are, on paper, better than Ireland. So taking on the top class Americans was arranged to prepare; effectively like altitude training in thinner air that you will face in future. But against the USA, the Girls in Green learnt that it can be tough to breath when the best team in the world are running you ragged. The statistics said it all. The USA had 26 shots to Ireland's two, and it would have been greater than 4-0 were it not for stand-in captain Courtney Brosnan, winning her 50th cap. Advertisement Most read in Football Ireland were already hanging on before Avery Patterson opened the scoring with a header from a Rose Lavelle corner on 18 minutes. A second goal arrived in first half stoppage time when Sam Coffey skipped by two defenders before firing home. Christian Norgaard to Arsenal LATEST | Transfers Exposed And the second half was all-USA and Lavelle got a goal her performance deserved on 53 minutes before Alyssa Thompson added a fourth with a lovely curling effort after beating two Ireland defenders. Ireland: Brosnan; Stapleton, Patten, Hayes, Mustaki ( Atkinson 90); Connolly, Littlejohn (Toland ht); Murphy ( Noonan 65), Carusa ( Sheva 64), Quinn ( Larkin ht); Barrett ( Healy 75) Advertisement 1 Rose Lavelle of the United States is tackled by Kyra Carusa of Ireland
Reuters
2 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Women's Euro 2025 team profiles
June 26 (Reuters) - The Women's European Championship starts in Switzerland on July 2 where England will aim to retain their title. Here we profile the 16 teams hoping to get their hands on the trophy. Belgium The Red Flames proved they could compete with the best when they upset England 3-2 in a Nations League game in April, thanks to two goals and an assist from Tessa Wullaert. The 32-year-old Inter Milan forward, who has 92 goals in 144 appearances for Belgium, leads a team gunning for at least a second consecutive quarter-final appearance at the Euros. World champions Spain are the favourites to win their group, but Belgium should be in the thick of the battle for second place with Italy and Portugal. Denmark The Danes will once again look to Pernille Harder as their talisman in a group where they will face Germany, Sweden and Poland, and though they have plenty of solid players, none has the star power of their 32-year-old record goalscorer. Harder's finishing is superb, but so too is her playmaking, causing a headache for coaching staff tasked with getting the best out of both her and the players around her. The surprise inclusion of 37-year-old striker Nadia Nadim by coach Andree Jeglertz has raised plenty of eyebrows in Danish football, and after a humiliating 6-1 friendly defeat to Sweden in early June, the Danes have a lot to improve upon before the tournament. England The defending champions head to Switzerland after a rocky few weeks that saw defender and co-captain Millie Bright withdraw her name from contention to focus on her mental and physical health and goalkeeper Mary Earps announce her shock international retirement after losing her starting role to Hannah Hampton. The Lionesses, who have also had a rough patch of results with just three wins to show for their last six matches, were drawn into a tough group with France, the Netherlands and Wales. But Sarina Wiegman's squad is a solid mix of veterans and youth, with 13 members of the victorious 2022 Euro team plus several promising young players such as Aggie Beever-Jones and Michelle Agyemang. And England have shown they can step up on the big occasions, finishing runners-up to Spain at the 2023 World Cup. Finland Finland's fortunes will depend on the fitness of forward Jutta Rantala, who has been troubled by a knee injury for much of the season leading up to the Euros, where they will face Norway, Iceland and hosts Switzerland in Group A. The knee injury suffered by Leicester City striker Rantala is one of many knocks suffered by the Finns in recent months, but their defensive solidity and ability to attack down the wings will make them a threat in the group. France Les Bleues manager Laurent Bonadei raised some eyebrows when he left longtime captain Wendie Renard and all-time leading goalscorer Eugenie Le Sommer off his Euros squad signalling a changing of the guard. He said "As Einstein said: 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.'" Forward Kadidiatou Diani is the most experienced player in their absence for a French team aiming to get past the quarter-final stage, having been eliminated in the last eight at last year's Olympics and the 2023 World Cup. They reached the semi-finals at the 2022 Euros where they were ousted by Germany. France head to Switzerland on a run of seven consecutive wins. Germany The Germans once ruled European women's football, winning the European title eight times -- including West Germany's victory in 1989 -- and reaching the final nine times. After a shock group-stage exit at the 2023 Women's World Cup they are showing they are once again a team to beat, going undefeated in the Nations League this year. Christian Wueck's squad will be out for revenge after a narrow 2-1 loss to England in the 2022 Euros final, when veteran Alexandra Popp missed the match after suffering a muscle injury during the warmup. Germany will play their first major tournament since Popp, who bagged 67 goals in her 14 years with the national team, announced her international retirement in September. Bayern Munich forward Lea Schuller, who has 52 goals in 75 games, is the likely heir to the leadership role. Iceland Ranked among the outsiders by many bookmakers ahead of the tournament, Iceland head to Switzerland with a tough, competent side that needs to show it can score goals when it matters most. Marshalled by Glodis Viggosdottir, the Icelandic defence is usually rock-solid but their inability to take chances, especially against the top-ranked nations, has proved costly in the past. They will look to forward Karolina Vilhjalmsdottir to continue the good form that saw her net four goals in six games in their recent Nations League campaign. Italy The Azzurri arrive at Euro 2025 knowing that consistency will be key if they are to make a mark on the tournament, where bookmakers are grouping them among the potential dark horses alongside the likes of hosts Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. Runners-up in 1993 and 1997, Italy haven't made it out of the group stage at the last two Euros, but a draw with Spain and a win over Germany in two friendlies late in 2024 showed that the Italians are more than capable of holding their own against the top teams. The problem coach Andrea Soncin faces is keeping his team on its toes. A solid 1-0 win over Wales got their Nations League campaign off to a good start earlier this year, but they were then beaten by Denmark and Sweden before securing two wins and a draw in their last three games to finish second. The fact that Italy's top flight is now a full-time professional league has given the national team a boost, and Soncin's side will look to pounce on any mistakes made by their group rivals as they seek to make the quarter-finals for the first time since 2013. The Netherlands Euro preparations have been anything but ideal for the Oranje after it was announced that the Dutch federation would not extend manager Andries Jonker's contract after the tournament. He will be replaced by Wiegman's former assistant Arjan Veurink. The Netherlands won the 2017 Euro tournament, but to have a chance of repeating the feat this year they must first get out of a tough group that also includes England, France and Wales. There is also concern about the fitness of all-time leading scorer Vivianne Miedema who has missed considerable time for both club and country with knee injuries the past few seasons. Norway The last Euros in England saw the Norwegians slump to one of their worst defeats as they were hammered 8-0 by the hosts en route to an underwhelming group-stage exit, and though they will be hoping to bounce back in Switzerland, they will face a tough task. In captain Ada Hegerberg, Caroline Graham Hansen and Guro Reiten, the Norwegians boast some of the world's best attacking players, but a leaky defence has proved their Achilles heel for the last few years. The lack of naturally left-footed defenders contributed to their last-16 exit at the last World Cup, and the omission of left back Julie Blakstad, who was outstanding for Swedish side Hammarby in their recent Champions League campaign, was a surprise. If coach Gemma Grainger can find a way to solidify the left side of defence and get the most out of the injury-plagued Hegerberg, the Norwegians should have enough weapons in attack and midfield to make an impact. Poland Debutants Poland come into the Euros without the burden of great expectations, but with one of the game's great goal-scorers in Ewa Pajor. With 47 goals in 46 games across all competitions for Barcelona this past season, the 28-year-old attacker is by far the best-known name in the Polish squad, and she represents the best hope they have of causing an upset against Germany, Sweden and Denmark in Group C. Portugal The Portuguese are hoping to advance to the knockout stage for the first time in a major tournament, but have been hit by injuries with Gotham FC forward Jessica Silva missing several weeks earlier this year with a damaged retina and Barcelona's Kika Nazareth recovering from ankle surgery she had in March. Portugal were trounced in their last four Nations League matches by an aggregate score of 20-3 and will find it tough to get out of a group that includes favourites Spain plus Belgium and Italy. Spain The world and Nations League champions head to Switzerland as favourites to win the competition, with bookmakers placing them ahead of England, France and Germany as the most likely victors. Orchestrated by Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati, Spain's possession-based style is made possible by a squad bristling with technically gifted and tactically intelligent footballers in every position, but though they have often been superb since beating England to win the 2023 World Cup final, results over the last year have shown that they can be beaten. After a disappointing Olympic tournament in Paris last year that saw them lose to Germany and Brazil, former player and current coach Montse Tome has faced questions about her tactical choices and coaching, and a 1-0 defeat by England in the recent Nations League campaign did little to assuage that criticism. On paper, Spain are the best team in the tournament, but Portugal, Belgium and Italy will all be keen to put a spanner in the works when they meet in the group stage. Sweden Despite increased competition in the women's game, the Swedes have managed to hang on to their status as one of the top teams, and they will be hoping to give coach Peter Gerhardsson and some of the more senior players a fitting send-off in Switzerland. Gerhardsson will step down after the tournament and though few of his squad have said they will retire, it is packed with experienced players over the age of 30. Two Olympic silver medals in the last decade show that the Swedes can still hold their own with the world's best, but there will be no room for complacency in a tricky group with Germany, Denmark and Poland. Striker Stina Blackstenius comes into the tournament on the back of netting the winning goal for Arsenal in the Champions League final against Barcelona and the Swedes will need similar heroics if they are to go all the way at the Euros. Switzerland Pia Sundhage's squad have not won in their last eight games, a streak that stretches back eight months, but the tournament hosts are hoping the home crowd can help carry them past the group stage for the first time at a European championship. Their run to the round-of-16 at the 2023 World Cup is a reason for optimism, plus a favourable draw has them in a group with Iceland, Norway and Finland, with Iceland being the highest-ranked team at 14th in the world. Lia Walti, who helped Arsenal to their recent Champions League success, is Switzerland's maestro in the midfield. Wales Rhian Wilkinson's underdog team, the lowest ranked at the Euros, qualified for their first major tournament with a thrilling win over Ireland in December, and their squad was announced from the summit of Snowdon, the country's highest peak -- a nod to scaling mountains just to qualify for the championship. A couple of recent draws with Sweden have given the Dragons a confidence boost, but they face a formidable group with holders England, France and the Netherlands, and would need some remarkable performances to advance to the knockouts. The Dragons hope their Euros campaign becomes a launch pad for girls football in Wales much like it was for England in 2022, and their tournament slogan is: "For us. For them. For her."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Euro 2025: Belgium team guide – a threatening set piece but exposed defensively
The Belgian women's national team, nicknamed the Red Flames, are currently ranked 19th in the world despite never having qualified for a World Cup. Taking a look at their slow but steady ascent at European Championships — qualifying for their first continental tournament in 2017 and again in 2022 — combined with a few of their recent standout performances against competitive sides, offers a glimpse at their potential. They are likely to battle with Italy and Portugal for second place in Group B after Spain, which will be tantalizing considering the drive and inconsistency that binds those three teams. Who is the manager? In January, the Belgian FA parted ways with Ives Serneels, who had served as head coach of the program for 14 years. In his place, they hired 48-year-old Icelandic coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir to manage the team. She has enjoyed success at club level (she led Valur in Iceland to four national titles and a cup victory) and has experience on the international stage, too, serving as the assistant coach of the Iceland women's national team and head coach of its under-21 side. Advertisement 'Our goal is to climb the FIFA rankings and establish ourselves on the world stage,' Royal Belgian FA CEO Peter Willems said of her hire. 'Gunnarsdottir's impressive track record and international experience makes her the ideal person to take the Red Flames to the next level.' How do they play? Against stronger opponents, Belgium plays in a more conservative low block, crowding their own penalty box to poke balls free from prowling attackers or squeeze out deflections. They seek joy in their width offensively, looking to their wingers to drive the ball down the touchline and whip in crosses. They've been a growing threat on set pieces; in 2023 they beat England 3-2, opening up their scoring tally with a direct free kick from Laura De Neve (who did not make this roster), and in April this year recorded the same scoreline against the same opponent that featured a lethal header finish off a free kick from forward Tessa Wullaert. Who are their three most influential players? Belgium's highest-scoring player in the history of the women's team, Wullaert, will enter the Euros with Belgium as their most valuable player. Her eye for goal, combined with her experience playing at high levels — the 32-year-old also has the second-highest number of caps in team history — doubles Wullaert's value on the pitch. She appears in form right now too, having recently scored against England and Portugal in the UEFA Nations League. Advertisement Ideally, her attacking threat is elevated by the sharp vision of Tine De Caigny, who at 28, has earned 106 caps for Belgium and scored 42 goals. In addition to the potential for goals, De Caigny also brings a wealth of experience to Belgium's midfield with her aggression inside penalty boxes. Belgium's backline will likely be anchored by 20-year-old Amber Tysiak, who slides between center back and right fullback for the Red Flames. Her pace will be advantageous from both positions as Belgium attempts to deal with Spain's speedy ball movement. Despite her young age, Tysiak also offers veteran-level experience in continental tournaments, having competed in the 2022 European Championship with Belgium as well. What is their biggest strength? Belgium's attack — and the tenacity that powers it — remains its greatest threat to opposing teams. Stronger sides aren't likely to sit back against the Red Flames, although their sneaky shock of a 3-2 victory over England in April means they won't be taken for granted either. They are particularly strong on set pieces; whether Wullaert is placing a free kick into dangerous areas inside the box, or Hannah Eurlings poaches and converts a deflection off a corner kick, Belgium are constantly ready to take advantage of any sense of underestimation and catch anyone off guard. What weakness might other teams be able to exploit? Belgium tend to be clumsy at the back, prone to swiping for balls late, sometimes in areas that result in them conceding a penalty or free kick in a dangerous area of the pitch. What is their strongest starting XI? How have they performed over the past 12 months? Belgium has been fairly inconsistent in the last year, a quirk that was most noticeably on display in their two Nations League results against England and Spain, whom they played twice each. Advertisement Their results against the No 2-ranked Spain were a narrow 3-2 defeat, followed by a 5-1 thumping, while the final scores of the meetings with England were a narrow 3-2 victory and a 5-0 defeat. These Red Flames are at their best when they aren't contained and can play freely, licking the heels of their opponents with enough pressure to make them cough up a ball for them to pounce on and either initiate a counterattack or shoot. What are they expected to achieve at these Euros? Belgium reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 Euros, narrowly losing out to Sweden 1-0. By that logic and from a further-away vantage point, it's reasonable to expect them to reach at least that stage again this year. Up close, they are yet to provide evidence of their growth in the last three years commensurate with other countries, that is compelling enough to fully affirm that expectation; Italy and Portugal have been chomping at the bit to upset and send statements about their potential, too. Belgium's primary target for this tournament should be to prove they are moving in a promising direction as a team, and that their younger players can build upon this experience for future competitions. Did you know? In the 2023 World Cup qualifiers, Belgium beat Armenia 19-0. They scored their first goal in the third minute, and their last in the 93rd. Wullaert scored five goals, and two other players, De Caigny and Amber Tysiak, each scored hat tricks. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Belgium, UK Women's Football, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Euro 2025: Belgium team guide – a threatening set piece but exposed defensively
The Belgian women's national team, nicknamed the Red Flames, are currently ranked 19th in the world despite never having qualified for a World Cup. Taking a look at their slow but steady ascent at European Championships — qualifying for their first continental tournament in 2017 and again in 2022 — combined with a few of their recent standout performances against competitive sides, offers a glimpse at their potential. They are likely to battle with Italy and Portugal for second place in Group B after Spain, which will be tantalizing considering the drive and inconsistency that binds those three teams. In January, the Belgian FA parted ways with Ives Serneels, who had served as head coach of the program for 14 years. In his place, they hired 48-year-old Icelandic coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir to manage the team. She has enjoyed success at club level (she led Valur in Iceland to four national titles and a cup victory) and has experience on the international stage, too, serving as the assistant coach of the Iceland women's national team and head coach of its under-21 side. 'Our goal is to climb the FIFA rankings and establish ourselves on the world stage,' Royal Belgian FA CEO Peter Willems said of her hire. 'Gunnarsdottir's impressive track record and international experience makes her the ideal person to take the Red Flames to the next level.' Against stronger opponents, Belgium plays in a more conservative low block, crowding their own penalty box to poke balls free from prowling attackers or squeeze out deflections. They seek joy in their width offensively, looking to their wingers to drive the ball down the touchline and whip in crosses. Advertisement They've been a growing threat on set pieces; in 2023 they beat England 3-2, opening up their scoring tally with a direct free kick from Laura De Neve (who did not make this roster), and in April this year recorded the same scoreline against the same opponent that featured a lethal header finish off a free kick from forward Tessa Wullaert. Belgium's highest-scoring player in the history of the women's team, Wullaert, will enter the Euros with Belgium as their most valuable player. Her eye for goal, combined with her experience playing at high levels — the 32-year-old also has the second-highest number of caps in team history — doubles Wullaert's value on the pitch. She appears in form right now too, having recently scored against England and Portugal in the UEFA Nations League. Ideally, her attacking threat is elevated by the sharp vision of Tine De Caigny, who at 28, has earned 106 caps for Belgium and scored 42 goals. In addition to the potential for goals, De Caigny also brings a wealth of experience to Belgium's midfield with her aggression inside penalty boxes. Belgium's backline will likely be anchored by 20-year-old Amber Tysiak, who slides between center back and right fullback for the Red Flames. Her pace will be advantageous from both positions as Belgium attempts to deal with Spain's speedy ball movement. Despite her young age, Tysiak also offers veteran-level experience in continental tournaments, having competed in the 2022 European Championship with Belgium as well. Belgium's attack — and the tenacity that powers it — remains its greatest threat to opposing teams. Stronger sides aren't likely to sit back against the Red Flames, although their sneaky shock of a 3-2 victory over England in April means they won't be taken for granted either. They are particularly strong on set pieces; whether Wullaert is placing a free kick into dangerous areas inside the box, or Hannah Eurlings poaches and converts a deflection off a corner kick, Belgium are constantly ready to take advantage of any sense of underestimation and catch anyone off guard. Belgium tend to be clumsy at the back, prone to swiping for balls late, sometimes in areas that result in them conceding a penalty or free kick in a dangerous area of the pitch. Belgium has been fairly inconsistent in the last year, a quirk that was most noticeably on display in their two Nations League results against England and Spain, whom they played twice each. Their results against the No 2-ranked Spain were a narrow 3-2 defeat, followed by a 5-1 thumping, while the final scores of the meetings with England were a narrow 3-2 victory and a 5-0 defeat. These Red Flames are at their best when they aren't contained and can play freely, licking the heels of their opponents with enough pressure to make them cough up a ball for them to pounce on and either initiate a counterattack or shoot. Belgium reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 Euros, narrowly losing out to Sweden 1-0. By that logic and from a further-away vantage point, it's reasonable to expect them to reach at least that stage again this year. Up close, they are yet to provide evidence of their growth in the last three years commensurate with other countries, that is compelling enough to fully affirm that expectation; Italy and Portugal have been chomping at the bit to upset and send statements about their potential, too. Belgium's primary target for this tournament should be to prove they are moving in a promising direction as a team, and that their younger players can build upon this experience for future competitions. In the 2023 World Cup qualifiers, Belgium beat Armenia 19-0. They scored their first goal in the third minute, and their last in the 93rd. Wullaert scored five goals, and two other players, De Caigny and Amber Tysiak, each scored hat tricks.
