Wiegman: 'That is something we really have to get out of our game'

Sarina Wiegman acknowledged England had themselves to blame for their 3-2 defeat to Belgium.

The Lionesses came from behind to take the lead in Leuven thanks to goals from Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby, who was making her first England start in more than a year due to injury.

But when the Lionesses gave the ball away during an attack just before half-time, Belgium counter-attacked to equalise through Tessa Wullaert and the captain then grabbed the winner from the penalty spot with five minutes remaining.

When asked how England lost the game, Wiegman replied: "They scored three goals and we scored two, that's the simple answer,” before expanding, “This was a game where we should have been tighter on the ball, I think we didn't raise the tempo.

“We did create lots of chances, and we still dominated the game totally but at moments we lost the ball and we knew they were dangerous.

“We knew they were good on the counter-attack and they had several moments like that and had some good chances, so it was us that made life hard.

“They played tough and were very compact and as soon as they won the ball they tried to play the counter-attack and that was something we really have to get out of our game.

“We created lots of chances but have to do better in the final third.”

The first half was delayed by almost a quarter of an hour when a clash of heads saw Alex Greenwood leave the field on a stretcher.

Wiegman was unable to give a full update on the defender in her TV interview immediately after the match but did provide some positive news.

She said: "I haven't talked to the medical staff yet. She's alright and is walking around but she had to go off.”

Tonight’s 3-2 defeat now sees England three points behind the Netherlands and one below Belgium in their Nations League group, with only the top team progressing to the finals.

Olympic qualification is on the line as only the two teams who reach next year’s Nations League final (and the third-place team should France occupy one of those spots) securing a place at Paris 2024.

It means England face two huge games before the year is out, as they welcome the Netherlands to Wembley Stadium connected by EE on Friday 1 December and then travel to Hampden Park to take on Scotland on Tuesday 5 December.

When it was put to Wiegman that England have a lot of work to do to win the group now, she replied: "Absolutely, absolutely. We are aware of that.

“First of all, we have to win by more than one goal against the Netherlands at Wembley and then we have to win the other game too because Belgium are in a very good place.

“We know we have work to do and we always have work to do, but we have put ourselves in a hard position."