England vs Netherlands LIVE: Result and reaction as Lionesses produce stunning Wembley comeback
England 3-2 Netherlands: Ella Toone scored a stoppage-time winner after the Lionesses were two goals down at half time
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England kept their bid to secure Olympics qualification for Great Britain alive in dramatic fashion as Ella Toone’s stoppage-time goal completed a fightback from two goals down to beat the Netherlands 3-2 at Wembley.
Needing a win to remain in contention to finish top in Nations League Group A1, the final position required for them to have a chance of obtaining a place for GB at next summer’s Games in Paris, the Lionesses were on course for a third defeat in the pool as Lineth Beerensteyn notched a first-half brace for the Dutch.
But Sarina Wiegman’s side battled back with two goals in quick succession from Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp around the hour mark, before substitute Toone capped the turnaround in the first minute of time added on to bring a huge roar from the 71,632 crowd in attendance.
It leaves England in second place, level on points with the Netherlands and one in front of Belgium, ahead of concluding their group matches by playing Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday. Belgium drew 1-1 with Scotland in Friday’s other Group A1 contest.
Follow all the live action in the blog below and here are the England vs Netherlands latest odds.
England vs Netherlands
The teams are having their pre-match huddles and the game is about to kick off.
England vs Netherlands
We are now just minutes away from kick off
England vs Netherlands
The teams are coming out of the tunnel and it is almost time for the national anthems.
England vs Netherlands
Ahead of kick off Wembley has gone dark for a laser and strobe light performance for the flags to be walked out.
England vs Netherlands
Lauren Hemp will win her 50th England cap tonight and says there “is no better place than Wembley” to mark the milestone.
The winger said: “It’s pretty surreal. Every cap is special to me but obviously to make 50 would be incredible. If you had told me when I was younger that at the age of 23 I would have 50 caps, I wouldn’t have believed you.
“It will be an amazing occasion for me to be able to do that but we’ll have to wait and see. Looking back at every one of the big games I’ve had, a lot of them have come at Wembley.
“The Euros final stands out to me, the Finalissima game against Brazil which we won and got another trophy - and then beating the USA as well.
“There’s a lot at stake. We know as a group what’s expected of us. When it comes to it and when we’re put under pressure, a lot of the time, we do the job. Hopefully we’ll be able to do that tomorrow.”
England vs Netherlands
There are a number of defenders in the England squad with only a few caps between them, and when asked about a lack of experience at the back, Sarina Wiegman said: “With the World Cup, you played the team you think are going to win, and then you change to win the game.
“That has also been the case in the Nations League, so we didn’t have that many opportunities at international level to try out things. Of course we do that in training sessions, and we see the players in the Women’s Super League. I think if it’s needed, they’re ready, and they know what is being asked of them. I hope in the future of course they get the opportunity to play.
“Last year around this time we had friendlies, we played lots of players. We are not in that situation right now. “
England vs Netherlands
England manager Sarina Wiegman speaking to ITV, ahead of the match: “I hope so. We’ve had a good week so far. We have to show up and we’re ready to go.”
On the decision to drop Alessia Russo to bench: “We want to attack and of course Lessi is an attacker too but I’ve chosen the players best in form. It was had a hard decision but these are the three we are starting with.”
On Lauren James: “She’s in good form. I hope what she has shown in the past weeks she’s going to show for us too.”
On the absence of Millie Bright: “It is a miss. We had to move on straight away. Alex [Greenwood] has a a lot of experience and Jess [Carter] has played a lot, as a starter and someone who has come on. She has experience for us and experience for Chelsea.”
On Beth Mead: “Upfront we had many choices to make. The competition is high. Beth has done really well for Arsenal. We made a choice quickly but she’s ready to go.”
England vs Netherlands
Sarina Wiegman is confident England are ready for the task ahead of them as they prepare for Friday’s must-win Nations League clash with the Netherlands at Wembley.
The Lionesses are third in Group A1 after four games, having been beaten 2-1 in September by the Dutch and 3-2 last month by Belgium, who they trail by three and one point respectively.
Failure to beat the Netherlands in their penultimate group fixture will end their hopes of the first-placed finish they require to have a chance of securing a Paris 2024 Olympics qualifying spot for Great Britain, and boss Wiegman told a press conference: “I think the team is ready.
“We’re really excited to play at Wembley tomorrow. I think the camp so far from Monday to now has gone really well.
“We’re very clear on how we want to play and what we want to do; I see good things on and off pitch, and that gives me confidence that we’re really ready for tomorrow, and of course we all know what we have to do.”
England vs Netherlands
Beth Mead spoke to the press for the first time since her return to England duty:
Beth Mead says she is rediscovering the joy of football after a year shaped by loss and grief. The last time Mead played at Wembley, her mother, June, was still alive to see it. Wembley was the scene of Mead’s greatest triumph, when England won the Euros and she finished as the tournament’s top scorer and best player. What followed was the toughest year of her life, as she ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament and then lost her mum after a long battle with ovarian cancer.
But on Friday, Mead has the chance to return to Wembley and make her first appearance for the Lionesses in 385 days. It is another significant milestone, both in the resumption of her career as a footballer, and in her grieving process. While she has required emotional resilience, Mead is proud of her journey and believes her mum would be too. “Growing up I would say I was mentally quite weak,” Mead says. “I’d like to think the things I’ve dealt with have made me a stronger and better person.”
Beth Mead: ‘The things I’ve dealt with have made me a stronger person’
Mead is back in the England squad after the hardest year of her life – losing her mum to cancer and missing out on the World Cup due to injury
England vs Netherlands: Team news!
Interesting team news from Sarina Wiegman, with both Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly on the bench for the Lionesses and no recognised striker.
Lauren Hemp, Lauren James and Chloe Kelly will form the front-three, with Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter forming the centre-back back in Millie Bright’s absence.
Beth Mead returns to the Lionesses bench, with Russo and Daly there as well.
The Netherlands are as expected and look strong.
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