Roaring Triumph: England's Lionesses Overcome Setbacks to Dominate Women's World Cup Finals in Australia
England Women overcome injuries, internal disputes, and early struggles to impress in the Women's World Cup Despite setbacks like Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, and Fran Kirby's absence, as well as a bonus-payment issue with the FA, they reach the final after losing Keira Walsh and Lauren James during the tournament
England's journey to Euro 2022 triumph, although remarkable and unforgettable, stood out due to its uncommon tranquility.
The Lionesses received enthusiastic support from sold-out stadiums as they moved from one venue to another. They started strongly in the group stages, scoring 14 goals without conceding any. This allowed manager Sarina Wiegman to keep the same lineup for every match.
Now, one year later, the England manager may have considered seeking divine intervention due to the numerous problems that endangered her team's chances at this year's World Cup. These challenges included issues with player selection, tactics, and even political obstacles.
England's impressive accomplishment of reaching a second consecutive final under her guidance, with her own fourth as an international manager, is magnified by their challenges. The prospect of England's historic run becoming more arduous would be heightened if Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, or Fran Kirby were to be absent. However, achieving this feat without any of the three is an entirely different level of accomplishment.
The announcement in May not only robbed England of the strength-in-depth that was crucial to their Euro 2022 triumph, but also deprived the dressing room of its most experienced winners. At the time of the announcement, eight players from England's final World Cup squad had played 10 times or fewer for the Lionesses.
Moreover, the FA's unnecessary mishandling of the bonus payment dispute, which had been ongoing since before Christmas and was left unresolved until the eve of the tournament, added to the frustration.
The squad, who would have preferred to be focused on the tournament instead of confronting their own governing body, further increased their humiliation when they received an open letter. This letter, signed by the squad as a whole, voiced their mutual frustration about the prolonged absence of a solution.
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Before even addressing the on-field challenges, it is important to acknowledge the difficulties England faced leading up to this point. Given the lack of cohesion in their preparation, it was not surprising that they needed time to find their rhythm. However, their underwhelming victory against Haiti, the second-weakest team in the tournament, was definitely not the start that was anticipated by anyone.
"I believe it would be a mistake to underestimate any team in this competition," Alessia Russo remarked after England received a harsh reality check, which sparked the initial critiques of the Wiegman era.
Despite the absence of Keira Walsh, whose team-mates were clearly impacted mentally by her suspected ACL injury, they still managed to secure another victory by the same score-line against Denmark.
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Walsh was stretchered off during England's group-stage win over Denmark but avoided a tournament-ending injury
Although the scare turned out to be a false alarm, Walsh's injury necessitated a rearrangement of Wiegman's plans. This resulted in a departure from the system she had meticulously crafted during her two-year tenure. The initial success of the unexpected 3-5-2 formation in the commanding 6-1 triumph against China seemed like a stroke of brilliance, but it soon became apparent that it was merely a fleeting moment of promise. England encountered renewed difficulties in their last-16 triumph over Nigeria.
The Lionesses barely made it through, using up most of their luck in the penalty shoot-out win. Moreover, Lauren James' red card meant that England's standout player would miss the next two matches. It was a complete downpour of misfortune.
"We have encountered numerous setbacks, and this one was no exception," Wiegman stated. It was a sentiment shared by many. Would there be more obstacles to come? The mere thought of stepping onto the field at the imposing Stadium Australia, with its 75,000-seat capacity and facing a hostile crowd, was daunting for both the quarter-final triumph against Colombia and, naturally, Wednesday's 3-1 victory over the hosts.
Thankfully, against all odds, England has reached their peak at the most opportune moment. They delivered their finest performance, silencing the predominantly Australian supporters in the semi-final and etching their names in history along the way.
It would be an impressive feat in any year - Sunday being England's inaugural appearance in a World Cup final.
Achieving this amidst adversity speaks volumes about the Lionesses. Despite being considered the third-favorites for the tournament, they have overcome numerous challenges, making their accomplishment even more significant.
