England 0-0 Portugal - Women's International match centre
- Tatiana Pinto (80′)
- Diana Gomes (93′)
Highlights: England 0-0 Portugal
See the best of the action from Stadium MK, as the Lionesses play out a draw in their final World Cup warm-up
The Lionesses were held at home by a resilient Portuguese team in Milton Keynes, as they continue preparations for the World Cup
England v Portugal
Women's International Match
3.15pm BST, Saturday 1 July 2023
Live on ITV
StadiumMK, Milton Keynes
What was said
Sarina Wiegman and @StanwayGeorgia join us live now from SGP! 🏴 https://t.co/yrnOSkFViS
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) June 30, 2023
Opta Stats
- England are unbeaten against Portugal in all competitions (P9 W7 D2), only facing Finland (13), Northern Ireland (12) and Switzerland (11) more often in their history without ever losing.
- This will be the first meeting between the Lionesses and Portugal since October 2019 in a friendly (a 1-0 win for England in Portugal) and the first time the two sides have met on English soil since February 2002 in a World Cup qualifier (a 3-0 win for England). Indeed, England have won all three of their home games against Portugal by an aggregate scoreline of 8-0.
- The Lionesses suffered their first defeat under Sarina Wiegman last time out against Australia (0-2). The last time they lost back-to-back games was in their final two matches before the Dutchwomen took charge in April 2021, under Hege Riise. Indeed, England have gone two games without a win (D1 L1) having failed to win only two of their previous 21 (W19 D2).
- This will be England’s final game before the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The Lionesses have lost their last game before each of the five World Cups they have qualified for (1995, 2007, 2011, 2015 & 2019), while only heading into the 1995 edition have they lost two on the bounce prior to their World Cup opener.
- Having won eight consecutive games between September 2022 – February 2023, Portugal have since gone winless in their last two, losing to Japan (2-1) and drawing with Wales (1-1) last time out.
- England have won their last three games played on a Saturday without conceding a single goal, having lost four such matches on the bounce prior to this run.
- No player has played more minutes (360), been involved in more goals (3), or provided as many assists (2) as Lucy Bronze for the Lionesses in 2023, while only Ella Toone (12) has created more chances for England than Bronze (10) in this calendar year.
- Rachel Daly has been involved in six goals across her last five starts for England (5 goals, 1 assist), netting in each of her last three starts (4 goals).
Portugal in profile
Nickname: A Selecção das Quinas
Coach: Francisco Neto
Captain: Dolores Silva
Highlights: Portugal 0-1 England
See the best of the action from England's last game with Portugal back in 2019
England Squad News
Ticket Information
Tickets for this game are now sold out. Members of My England Football also receive priority access for home tickets.
How to watch or stream
This game will be shown live on ITV in the UK.
Sarina Wiegman has named her team to face Portugal in what will be their last full game before they head to Australia for this summer's World Cup.
The Lionesses will be led out by Mary Earps, while there's also a 50th cap for Georgia Stanway in the game at StadiumMK in Milton Keynes.
England: 1 Mary Earps (c), 2 Lucy Bronze, 4 Keira Walsh, 5 Alex Greenwood, 7 Lauren James, 8 Georgia Stanway, 9 Rachel Daly, 10 Ella Toone, 11 Lauren Hemp, 15 Esme Morgan, 16 Jess Carter
Substitutes: 3 Niamh Charles, 13 Hannah Hampton, 14 Lotte Wubben-Moy, 17 Laura Coombs, 18 Chloe Kelly, 19 Bethany England, 20 Katie Zelem, 21 Ellie Roebuck, 22 Katie Robinson, 23 Alessia Russo, 24 Maya Le Tissier, 25 Lucy Staniforth
England’s send-off to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup ended in a 0-0 draw as Portugal kept out the European champions at Stadium MK.
In a game more about developing connections than getting a result, the Lionesses dominated possession but were unable to cut through a well-drilled Portuguese defence.
Sarina Wiegman rang the changes at half time, with her side continuing to produce chances without finding the back of the net.
The Lionesses now head Down Under to continue their preparations for the World Cup before facing Haiti in their Group D opener in Brisbane on 22 July.
In a dominant first half, Lauren Hemp and Rachel Daly were a probing combination, with Hemp twice setting up Daly in the fifth minute
First, Daly forced Inês Pereira into a scrambling save from a header before Hemp sent in another cross which the forward directed at the goalkeeper.
England were then forced to withstand a period of Portugal pressure as Tatiana Pinto caused concerns at the edge of the Lionesses’ box before the new-look defence cleared the trouble.
On the half-hour mark, Hemp turned on the pace to chase down a good ball from Alex Greenwood, forcing Diana Gomes to send her cross into the box behind for a corner.
As the game entered the final minutes of the half, it was Georgia Stanway’s turn to set up Daly, sending a lovely looping ball into the forward’s path, but Daly couldn't find a teammate in the box.
Portugal survived one final time as Stanway came closest to the opener with the final touch of the half, sending a fine cross from Hemp onto the crossbar.
And in the opening exchanges of the second half, Stanway was involved again as her perfectly-weighted corner kick found Hemp in space, but the winger could only direct the ball over the bar.
After moving into a central position, James continued to look strong in possession, sending a cross out wide to Kelly whose angled shot from the edge of the box drew a save from Pereira.
James then set up Russo, who rounded the keeper only to see her attempt saved on the line with Ana Borges’ sliding stop sending the ball behind for a corner.
The resulting set piece saw the post rattled again as Stanway’s corner found a jumping Lucy Bronze, who directed the ball onto the post much to the relief of a stranded Pereira.
With 13 minutes remaining, again Kelly whipped in a fine cross to Russo, who, under intense pressure from the Portuguese defence, shot wide.
England were inventive as time started to run out, substitute Laura Coombs, who was searching for her first Lionesses goal, did well to force a save from Pereira while on the ground.
There was time for one last chance for England, with James putting in a cross over the top to Russo with Diana Gomes producing an excellent deflection to ensure a draw between the two sides with the Lionesses able to take plenty of heart and learnings to Australia.
Substitutes: 3 Niamh Charles for Greenwood 46’, 18 Chloe Kelly for Toone 46’, 23 Alessia Russo for Daly 46’, 17 Laura Coombs for Stanway 65’, 20 Katie Zelem for Walsh 65’, 22 Katie Robinson for Hemp 81’
Substitutes not used: 21 Ellie Roebuck, 13 Hannah Hampton; 14 Lotte Wubben-Moy, 19 Bethany England, 24 Maya Le Tissier, 25 Lucy Staniforth
Head coach: Sarina Wiegman
Portugal: 1 Inês Pereira; 2 Catarina Amado, 15 Carole Costa 19 Diana Gomes, 9 Ana Borges; 14 Dolores Silva (captain), 8 Andreia Norton, 11 Tatiana Pinto; 20 Kika Nazareth; 10 Jéssica Silva, 16 Diana Silva
Substitutes: 21 Ana Capeta for Nazareth 50’, 6 Andreia Jacinto for Dolores Silva 62’, 22 Telma Encarnação for Diana Silva 62’, 18 Carolina Mendes for Norton 81’, 3 Lúcia Alves for Amado 81’
Substitutes not used: 12 Patricia Morais, 22 Rute Costa, 4 Silvia Rebelo, 5 Joana Marchão, 7 Ana Rute, 13 Fátima Pinto, 17 Ana Seica
Bookings: 11 Pinto 80’, 19 Gomes 90+3’
Head coach: Francisco Neto
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