An insight into the Lionesses win against Spain

Nikita Parris celebrating with Lucy Bronze. Photo: The Lionesses

Why were England successful?

Despite missing usual starters such as Beth Mead, Lauren Hemp or Georgia Stanway, the Lionesses had a solid performance keeping a clean sheet against the worlds’ best.

Although England had moments of brilliance up front, it could be argued that their defence and goalkeeping won them the game.

Millie Bright and Niamh Charles, a Chelsea partnership, both won back possession on countless occasions, leaving everything on the pitch and blocking many shots in and around the box.

Another reason for England's success was Hannah Hampton's presence in goal; her ability to stop shots at any angle from some of the best players in women’s football kept the home side's hopes alive.

Post match, Leah Williamson, Captain of England, spoke to the media informing them “To come out and get 3 points at Wembley, it’s a good feeling”. It will be interesting to see if this momentum continues into the next England Camp and how Sarina Weigman may incorporate some promising young players on the bench who haven’t had many minutes.

Where did Spain miss out?

Although the final result saw them losing 1-0, the Spanish were relentless on the press and showed an immediate response after England’s goal.

On the night, they presented resilience and some impressive sequences of play but were never quite able to execute the final ball correctly in front of goal.

They lacked decisive urgency and fell short when they struggled to break down England's back line, despite the quality in their squad.

Cata Coll, when asked by Spanish media after the game what Spain missed, she stated that she thought “we just need to improve on our faults that can’t happen and to keep improving”.

Fresh Faces and Experience

This rivalry between World Cup winners Spain, and European champions, England, saw players of all ages competing against one another.

Grace Clinton and Salma Paralluelo were a couple of many young players on the pitch at just 21 years old. Nevertheless, they put up an admirable fight in their individual battles and held their own in the midfield and up front.

Contrastingly, Lucy Bronze at 33 years old brought experience and dynamics to this ever changing England side. Having played against Spain on multiple occasions and at Barcelona with many of the Spanish players, the trusted right back was an essential part of breaking the travelling side down.

The brilliance of Lauren James

At just 23, the young star thrived under intense conditions and stepped up to the magnitude of the event. Around the 20 minute mark, she brought a new found spark to the game and played a major part in enforcing the momentum shift in England's favour.

James held the ball tight to her feet as if it were a magnet, weaving her way through a strong Spanish side, with confidence in her ability and technicality. Her unpredictable style of play makes her an exciting presence to watch, for both club and country. She will undoubtedly be a significant asset to the team when the Lionesses travel to Switzerland for the 2025 Women’s Euros.

Spain’s stand out

The Barcelona midfielder, Aitana Bonmati, proved exactly why she is a Ballon D'or winner, in a phenomenal performance under the Wembley lights on Wednesday night.

The renowned Spanish star has it all; speed, strength and skill being just a few of her attributes. Her self belief that she can take on any player makes her a dominant force who is incredibly difficult to stop.

Her explosive speed allowed the Spaniard to become a driving force, comfortably losing her markers and finding space to exploit all over the pitch. Additionally, she stood out for her remarkable reaction time and awareness which she demonstrated repetitively, meaning she was able to escape tight areas tactically.

The Game changing moment

A brilliant turn in the final third from Alessia Russo allowed her to get a shot off,  but it ultimately took multiple deflections before finding the feet of the young Manchester City star, Jess Park.

Under pressure, she was able to volley the ball home much to the joy of the loyal Lionesses fans. This pivotal moment provided a sense of relief for the reigning European champions and seemed deserving after an impressive spell of attacking and team play.