A huge clash will unfold at Brighton where hosts England fight against craving Spain in the quarterfinal stage of Women’s Euro 2022.
The Lionesses came out of the group stage unscratched and with a hundred per cent winning record to show while Spain needed a late breakthrough from Marta to be absolutely sure of their place in the last eight
ENG vs SPA Match Details
Date: Wednesday, 20th July 2022/ Thursday, 21st July 2022
Time: 20:00 (BST)/ 00:30 (IST)
Venue: AMEX Stadium, Brighton
ENG vs SPA Match Preview
Very few nations could have replicated the dominance shown by England in the group stages. They brought a record number of crowds to the stadium to watch them play and scored the most goals for a team so far in the tournament through their merciless attack with a waterproof defence that didn’t allow a single one to ripple their net. For sure, Group A was easy pickings for the Lionesses due to the opposition they faced but their football was authoritative, convincing and mesmerizing. The 8-0 record thrashing of Norway in the second group stage game, going on top only to smack Northern Ireland with five goals next, showed just what these players are capable of doing to any team in the Euros. England have a flurry of stars in the squad including a diligent depth and a previous winner in manager Sarina Weigman. The player of the tournament award could easily go to Beth Mead whose unmatchable 5 goals and two assists have added more to the just favourites tag on her team. England are a team to beat in this contest and for others an avoidable one but Spain couldn’t as they face them in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The key thing for England will be to keep their defence intact as both sides like to have more of the ball knowing that will frustrate La Roja without a cutting edge. The hosts will get their enormous support behind them once again and they need to keep their positive football going. Spain are a tough opposition regardless of their goal-scoring issues but the Lionesses cannot afford them to be a banana skin after such an enthralling period in the record-breaking group stage of the competition.
England’s composure in whatever task they want to accomplish is bad news for this Spanish side still battling the loss of their key players due to injuries. With no Alexia Putellas or Jennifer Hermoso to rescue them in difficult moments, La Roja had to work hard to get through a group tipped to be the hardest one in the competition. Despite scoring early, Finland possessed not too much threat to Jorge Vilda’s team running out 4-1 winners. The scare occurred in the next game as Spain failed to curve open a disciplined Germany defence having all the possession of the ball in a disheartening 2-0 loss. Although they only needed a draw in the final group game against Denmark, the winning header came as late as the 90th minute after wrestling some concerning counters from the opposition which could have changed the outcome of the game. Finishing second behind Germany as a result, Spain locked themselves up with England in another humungous task to overcome if they are to see their name in the last four. Jorge Vilda knows his team is clear underdogs in this clash. Finding a clinical edge to their attack is an issue but now there is additional stress the defence have to take against England’s starting front four who, in contradiction, have combined for nine goals out of 14 goals scored in the group stages. The Lionesses won’t worry to give Spain more of the possession knowing their vulnerability to counters, now from a scoring frontline. However, not being in the spotlight too much could work in their favour as La Roja are desperate to sink the titanic in their own waters. This can be a cracking match and maybe the best game of the lot in the quarterfinals.
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ENG: WWWWW
ESP: DWWLW
ENG vs SPA Team News
As been the theme of every game so far, manager Sarina Weigman will name an unchanged starting lineup for the quarterfinal clash. Goalkeeper Mary Earps haven’t conceded a goal so far in the tournament and hoping to stay like that with the help of the dependable duo of Millie Bright and Lean Williamson. The partnership of Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway has been head and shoulder above everyone in the middle of the park, allowing the front four to perform their duties. Not only scoring goals but all of them have been pressing monsters suffocating any room for opposition to thrive. Arsenal’s Beth Mead has been the standout player but Fran Kirby with her link-up role, Lauren Hemp with her directness and the ever-present Ellen White with her press and physicality deserves credit equally.
The selection from Jorge Vilda has not been so straightforward for Spain. Especially the frontline has seen a series of changes in each game in the group stages. However, Lucia Garcia remained constant but she is likely to be dropped for this pivotal clash after not performing to the level in a makeshift center-forward position from her preferred left-wing position. She is not to be blamed though as Spain struggled with an out-and-out goal scorer or a focal point in the attack. Garcia does have a goal in the tournament but it won’t be a surprise if still-to-score Esther Gonzalez leads the line this time. Winger Mariona Caldentey seems to be the one threatening the defence with her position also being tossed between the wings and as an unorthodox midfielder but she should settle on the left of the front three if Vilda relies on the 4-3-3 formation. Scorer of the crucial goal from last game, Marta Cardona could be used from the start. Spain will wish Aitana Bonmarti to continue her impressive spell after earning two player of the match awards for La Roja’s progression from the group stage.
ENG vs SPA Expected Lineups
ENG: Mary Earps; Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright, Leah Williamson, Rachel Daly; Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway; Beth Mead, Fran Kirby, Lauren Hemp; Ellen White,
ESP: Sandra Panos; Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Mapi Leon, Leila Ouahabi; Aitana Bonmati, Irene Guerrero, Patricia Guijarro; Mariona Caldentey, Esther González, Marta Cardona
ENG vs SPA Head to Head
England lined up with Spain most recently in February of this year in a friendly. The game ended in a 0-0 stalemate with the Lionesses failing to win or score a goal in the last two meetings. La Roja won this encounter in the SheBelieves Cup with their injured Alexia Putellas scoring the decider in the 1-0 win following a three-game losing streak against England. The Lionesses also faced Spain in the group stages of the last Euro in 2017 which they won 2-0 with Putellas and Hermoso playing for the opposition.
ENG vs SPA Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Earps (8.5)
DEF: Bronze (9), Paredes (9), Leon (9), Daly (8.5)
MID: Bonmati (9), Stanway (8.5), Caldentey (9.5)
FW: Kirby (9), Mead (10), Hemp (9.5)
Captain: Beth Mead (England)
Vice-captain: Fran Kirby (England)
Mary Earps kept three cleans in the group stages and is only the second goalkeeper in this Euros to do so.
Aitana Bonmati earned two players of the match award including a goal in the first game. Her teammate Mariona Caldentey has two goal contributions and created the tournament-best 12 chances.
Fran Kirby has contributed to three assists, more than anyone else, including two in the record win against Norway and a goal in the last game and created four big chances more than any other player in the tournament.
Undoubtedly the player of the tournament is Beth Mead as she leads the scoring chart with five and contributed to seven of the 14 goals England scored. She also scored a hat trick against Norway.
