The gap between expectations and reality can be wide, and a tense chess match between England and the United States didn’t exactly provide action to match the narrative of the clash of the titans that had been established before the game.
In front of 78,346 fans eager to see who would leave the show amicably in better shape – the European champions led by Sarina Wigman or the Olympic gold medalists led by London-born Emma Hayes – the answer was neither .
“It was a very tense game. Of course, we know that the U.S. is very dynamic, explosive and wants to go forward,” Wiegman said. “We defended very strongly as a team and found solutions to overload them out wide.”
Hayes said: “You have two top teams. Sarina is a great coach. It was a good tactical match. I just enjoy coaching, I live football games to be honest with you.”
Hayes was upbeat before the game, saying: “Life is so short, I want to have a good time.”
Football did not deliver the good vibes the excited crowd had hoped for. After lasers, fireworks, smoke and thunderous music, it was all a bit flat, a complicated strategic battle instead of a stormtrooper.
The away team was comparatively the more organized and effective side when they had the ball in the first half, and their press stifled England when they were off it, limiting them to two touches in the area in the first half to the USA’s 15 in England. But Wiegmann’s country was not particularly poor either.
Jess Naz, making her third appearance for the Lionesses, was excellent in front of Lucy Bronze on the right, tracking back to cover when the Chelsea full-back would go on a marauding run and trouble the USA at the back, although the quality from the final ball slipped away.
As the action on the pitch lacked bite, attention was easily drawn to the touchline, where arguably the two best managers in women’s football worked, gesticulating periodically, Hayes sometimes pausing with his arms folded, Wigman clutching them behind his back.
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There was a bit more energy after the restart, the crowd more vocal, wanting the game to go on a knife edge to turn one way or the other. Within four minutes the net was blown, USA captain Lindsay Horan headed in from close range but the flag was raised for offside. Hayes pumped his fist in the air in joy before quickly doing it again in frustration.
England were also brighter, had more control and patience in possession. It was reflected in the stats, with the Lionesses going from two possessions to 10 over the next 20 minutes. “We want to go for the win. They wanted to win, too,” Wiegman said.
It was almost disaster for the home side just after the hour mark when Alex Greenwood was adjudged to have held the ball in the box when Yazmeen Ryan’s shot was blocked. But replays showed the ball had clearly come off the Manchester City defender’s chest and the video assistant referee intervened. Lina Lehtovaara reversed her decision after seeing the pitchside monitor.
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The introduction of Corbin Albert in place of Alyssa Thompson sparked the loudest reaction from the crowd in the opening 73 minutes, boos for the player who was forced to apologize for posting homophobic content on social media in March.
“Of course I understand the boos and everyone is entitled to an opinion on that without a doubt,” Hayes said. “It is not my job to participate in the debate. I am a football coach. My job is to build a football team. I sat down with her, had a few conversations with her about and around these things to make sure the self-development part was there.”
Tests arrived for England in the form of Fran Kirby and Euro match-winner Chloe Kelly, but the home side struggled to find gaps in the visiting back line, led by outstanding centre-half Naomi Girma.
The US looked more likely to take the lead in the closing stages, but a stalemate was a fair result. Against the best opposition, Hayes and Wigman will have learned a lot and there is work to be done. For Wiegman, that will need to happen quickly, with the Nations League in the new year and England’s European title defense in the summer.
