England vs Switzerland LIVE: Grace Clinton gives Lionesses slender win at Bramall Lane
England 1-0 Switzerland: Clinton’s strike ends Lionesses’ year on a high
England ended a ‘tough’ 2024 with a victory as they defeated Switzerland 1-0 at Bramall Lane in an international friendly.
Coming off the back of a 0-0 draw with Emma Hayes’ United States, Sarina Wiegman decided to switch things up and made 10 changes to the starting line-up and handing a debut to Laura Blindkilde Brown. Aggie Beever-Jones also made a first start for the Lionesses and was effective at the top of the pitch.
Elsewhere, Jess Park and Grace Clinton showed off their credential as they look for spots on the plane for next summer’s Euros. Park delivering a fine free kick and Clinton finishing off the move to score the only goal of the game.
In the second half, Switzerland bounced back and created plenty of chances to test Hannah Hampton in between the sticks but the goalkeeper was up to the task and kept a clean sheet. It was far from the dominant display of Wiegman’s early reign but the signs are strong that the new generation can live up to their experienced counterparts.
Relive the action from Wembley with our live blog below as England take on Switzerland:
England unbeaten at Bramall Lane
This will be England’s fourth game at Bramall Lane, winning each of the previous three by an aggregate score of 11-0; their most recent game at the Sheffield venue came in the semi-finals of Euro 2022, beating Sweden 4-0.
A bad omen for Switzerland
Switzerland have lost each of their three previous away games against England, losing 9-1 in April 1977, 1-0 in May 2000 and most recently 2-0 in September 2010.
Who has qualified and who is in the play-offs for Euro 2025?
Here are the teams that will be playing at next summer’s tournament and will be in the draw in two weeks time:
- Switzerland (hosts)
- Spain (group winners)
- Germany (group winners)
- France (group winners)
- Italy (group winners)
- Iceland (runners-up)
- Denmark (runners-up)
- England (runners-up)
- Netherlands (runners-up)
- Portugal or Czech Republic (play-offs)
- Scotland or Finland (play-offs)
- Ukraine or Belgium (play-offs)
- Wales or Republic of Ireland (play-offs)
- Poland or Austria (play-offs)
- Northern Ireland or Norway (play-offs)
- Serbia or Sweden (play-offs)
When is Euro 2025 draw? Qualified teams, pots and how to watch
England will be out to defend their European title as the draw for Euro 2025 is made ahead of the tournament in Switzerland next summer.
The Lionesses won their first major honour on home soil when Sarina Wiegman’s team defeated Germany at Wembley in July 2022.
The Euro 2025 draw will take place on Monday 16 December at 5pm BST (time still TBC) and the draw ceremony will be held in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The 16 teams will be drawn into four groups of four. There will be a livestream on the Uefa website.
England team changes
Jess Park is the only player to remain in the starting XI from the England team that lined up against the United States last weekend. Sarina Wiegman switches out 10 players with Hannah Hampton returning in goal.
England line-up
Here’s how England line-up against Switzerland tonight:
Hayes on returning to England as US coach
Emma Hayes left Chelsea in the summer to take up the position of head coach of the United States Women’s National Team. She returned to England last weekend for a clash with the Lionesses which ended in a goalless draw.
Hayes said: “I give everything I possibly can for a team that I really, really enjoy coaching, and I thrive, not just under pressure, but I like these opportunities, I like being in these situations. They bring out the best in me.
“You’ve got two top teams now, Sarina is an amazing coach, I thought it was a good tactical match-up, and I just enjoy coaching a high-level football match, to be honest with you. I don’t think too much about it.”
England vs Switzerland
England are unbeaten in 11 previous meetings with Switzerland (10 wins, one draw), with the Lionesses only facing Finland (played 13, won nine, drew four) and Northern Ireland (played 12, won 12) more often without ever losing in in their entire history.
Wiegman on USA draw
Sarina Wiegman brushed aside suggestions from some pundits that her side were content to settle for a draw when they took on the United States last weekend.
She said: “I think we were really defending as a team, very strong. We got momentum in the second half, we did better, and of course both teams went for the win.
“So many things happened in this game, also in front of the goal, so I don’t think it was boring.
“We wanted to go for the win, but it was such a high-intensity game, you have to deal with a very good opponent, so you can’t just say, ‘Now we’re going to go and score that goal’.
“We tried, of course, to do that. We didn’t slow down to keep it 0-0. I think that was just how the game went.”
Emma Hayes admits to anthem uncertainty after facing England
United States women’s head coach Emma Hayes admitted she initially grappled with how best to behave during ‘God Save The King’ ahead of her side’s goalless draw with England in their Wembley friendly.
The billing of London-born former Chelsea boss Hayes against England’s Dutch manager Sarina Wiegman – arguably the best two bosses in the women’s game – had generated more buzz in the build-up than the players on the pitch, despite it being a rare encounter between the two top-ranked sides in the world.
Emma Hayes admits to anthem uncertainty after facing England
England and the USA drew 0-0 in their international friendly at Wembley
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