Home nations progress in Euro 2025 qualifierspublished at 22:13 Greenwich Mean Time 29 October 2024
It's been a successful night of Euro 2025 qualifying for the home nations. Here are all the reports from this evening's action:
Thanks for ing us this evening as England see out victory against South Africa.
The Women's Super League returns on Sunday, 3 November.
See you then!
It's been a successful night of Euro 2025 qualifying for the home nations. Here are all the reports from this evening's action:
FT: England 2-1 South Africa
England
England boss Sarina Wiegman speaking to ITV: "I thought after the first half it would be more straightforward. We played well in the first half, we had some stronger moments. We were a little too sloppy but we created some chances from corners. We scored a very good goal. Second half we got there but we were a little sloppy. They were smart on the counter-attack and it was hard for us."
On being counter-attacked: "We need to keep trying, keep playing football, keep playing forwards. Just feeling at the moment in transition, they really jumped on us. Just talk about it and move forward."
On Williamson goal: "That was nice, really nice. We'd been practicing the corner. That was really nice for her."
On Naz and Clinton: "It's what you want to see. It's different when you start than when you come on to the pitch. Jess stretched the pitch in behind. Grace started well. She was in the pockets and she was there to head in the cross."
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At what point does Sarina Wiegman start coming under pressure? Since we lost in the final to Spain we have looked half the team we were beforehand. It's simply not good enough for England at the moment.
Anon
I wish Sarina could give the younger players a chance to prove themselves rather than relying on the experienced ones, who still aren’t providing the goods. Grace Clinton deserved the full 90mins and was the best player on the pitch before taking her off.
Anon
FT: England 2-1 South Africa
England
England manager Sarina Wiegman says several times that England were "sloppy".
Full quotes to come.
FT: England 2-1 South Africa
A reminder that England take on Emma Hayes' USA on 30 November at Wembley in their next game.
Undoubtedly the Lionesses toughest test against the Olympic champions in this run of international fixtures.
Work to do before then?
FT: England 2-1 South Africa
Ian Wright says on ITV's punditry that England "got away with one" at times against South Africa's Thembi Kgatlana, who had plenty of chances to equalise having pulled the goal back 10 minutes into the second half.
FT: England 2-1 South Africa
England
England midfielder Grace Clinton speaking to ITV: "It was a tough game, South Africa are a great team. We expected them to be tough and we dealt with their individual qualities."
On own performance and goal: "It is a good night for me. I'm nice and confident and I'm happy to be there. She [Maya Le Tissier] actually looked up for me and everything. The ball was amazing, it was hard not to finish."
On team performance: "I think they're a really tough opposition. Their pace is crazy. We'll go back and review the game together but it's positive."
On goals: "Everyone wants to play for England, for their country. I want to keep confident and keep getting goals."
On starting at Euro 2025 being a target: "Yes, definitely."
Wales 2-0 Slovakia (agg: 3-2)
Drama! Wales have done it! They're through to the play-off finals of Euro 2025 qualifying after a 112th-minute Ceri Holland goal. Incredible stuff.
Northern Ireland, like Scotland, have booked their spot in the finals too. What a night for the home nations.
No late drama in Coventry but...
FT: England 2-1 South Africa
Credit to South Africa. They played really well in the second half and could've had more goals.
England ultimately paid for their mistakes but they didn't create a great deal in that second half. Grace Clinton was a bright spark as was Jess Park.
Sarina Wiegman has a lot to ponder.
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It's depressing how little we've done to address that glaring lack of pace at the back, which is hardly new. Shall we try Williamson and Bright in the middle? Or Williamson and Greenwood? Maybe Greenwood and Bright? Oy.
Rich
FT: England 2-1 South Africa
Rachel Brown-Finnis
Ex-England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live Extra
It's not the best performance England have ever conjured up. They dealt with the South Africa attacks and finished strong. It was waves of good stuff. Plenty for the staff and the players to get their teeth into.
The match with USA next month will be a far tougher test than against or South Africa.
England 2-1 South Africa
Fran Kirby breaks free of her marker in the final seconds but it's smothered by two defenders.
That will be the last action of the half.
Not pretty at times but England get the job done.
England 2-1 South Africa
England win a free-kick late on. Alex Greenwood sends it in but it's cleared away. Seconds on the clock.
England 2-1 South Africa
Yet more questions after this performance, England fans?
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The lack of pace and mobility in this current England side, especially at the back, has been made glaringly obvious in both the last two games... doesn't bode well for the games that matter to come!
Anon
England 2-1 South Africa
Rachel Brown-Finnis
Ex-England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live Extra
I think most people's thinking is the starting XI against is her strongest XI. Maya Le Tissier has been good, pretty solid. The distribution of Jess Carter is a level above from the full-back role.
England 2-1 South Africa
We'll have five minutes added on at the end of the 90 minutes. Five minutes for England to find another. Or for South Africa to find an equaliser.
England 2-1 South Africa
Rachel Brown-Finnis
Ex-England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live Extra
England starting to feed off the energy from the crowd. The players are giving the fans more to sing about.
Leah Williamson was making her 50th appearance for England
England captain Leah Williamson scored but also made an error that led to a South Africa goal in a friendly victory in Coventry.
It was an important win for England, who were beaten 4-3 by on Friday, but defensive errors remained.
Williamson, who only returned from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in January, has struggled for form this season and was under scrutiny.
She was one of three players who kept her place in Sarina Wiegman's side, and gave the perfect response when she opened the scoring in the first half.
But it was a mixed evening for the Lionesses' captain as it was her loose to midfielder Georgia Stanway which set up Thembi Kgatlana's goal in the second half for South Africa.
It was a moment that made England's night a little less comfortable, having gone 2-0 up when Grace Clinton headed in Maya le Tissier's cross.
However, Wiegman's much-changed side showed plenty of creativity and confidence going forward, despite ongoing difficulties at the back.
Tottenham's Jess Naz - making her first England start - got an assist, while Manchester City's Jess Park was busy and assured.
Chloe Kelly, struggling for game time at City this season, showed her desire to regain her place in the starting XI and hit the crossbar in the second half.
On the whole it was a disted performance given all the changes, but will give Wiegman food for thought, and highlighted further that England must improve defensively before next summer's Euro 2025 tournament in Switzerland.
England 2-1 South Africa: I think we still have more questions - Wiegman
Wiegman has faced questions over her team selection in recent weeks with Williamson at the centre, given the impressive form of Manchester City's Alex Greenwood – an obvious replacement.
Greenwood was brought into the side to play alongside Williamson but it did little to improve England's defensive performance as individual errors were consistent and almost costly.
Stanway's slow response to Williamson's did not help, and the Bayern Munich midfielder had earlier been involved in a mix-up with Esme Morgan that gifted Hildah Magaia an opportunity she could not take in the first half.
Wiegman made numerous changes throughout the second half, bringing on experienced defenders Lucy Bronze and Millie Bright but South Africa continued to cause concern.
Bronze was caught out with a ball over the top but was fortunate Kgatlana was offside, just before Bronze had to intervene to block another goalbound strike by the South Africa forward.
England’s defensive performance against was heavily criticised, and this display in Coventry did little to convince they had learned from their errors.
But it was also a night which showed promise for the future as plenty of England’s youngsters grabbed their opportunity to impress, and continue to put pressure on Wiegman's regular starters.
Clinton, who linked up with Manchester United captain Le Tissier to double England's lead in the first half, impressed yet again, while Park and Naz looked comfortable on the international stage.
While England still have plenty of work to do on the road to the defence of their European title, this showed there is an array of talent at Wiegman's disposal - the puzzle remains putting it all together.
Bigger tests are still to come in November with a Wembley showdown against Olympic champions the United States – managed by former Chelsea boss Emma Hayes – before another friendly with Switzerland to end the year.
‘I’ve always been a hugger’ - Man United's Clinton and Le Tissier answer fan questions
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport s.
Manager: Sarina Wiegman
Formation: 4 - 1 - 4 - 1
Manager: Desiree Ellis
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Sarina Wiegman
Formation: 4 - 1 - 4 - 1
Manager: Desiree Ellis
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
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