IT STILL WON’T COME HOME
Semi-final defeats are painful ...but the agony of this loss was something else as the Lionesses fell short in Sydney
AND we thought losing in a semi-final hurt. Turns out, it doesn’t even touch the sides.
Twice in the past eight years, the Lionesses fell short and there was a promise to go one better.
They delivered.
But they actually needed to take two steps further forward. That proved beyond them and a date with destiny ended in tears.
Lots of ’em. At the final blast of referee Tori Penso’s whistle, it was a desperate sight.
Lucy Bronze simply fell where she stood. Hands to her face, lying downwards in Spain’s penalty area.
Alessia Russo wrapped herself around a clearly upset Lauren Hemp.
Five minutes later, Arsenal striker Russo’s face was red and blotchy too. Television pictures broadcasting her upset around the globe. The visible hurt of a broken dream, laid bare for millions.
Skipper Millie Bright (consoling Hemp, below) – usually a pillar of granite – couldn’t help herself. Mary Earps was on her haunches at the edge of her penalty area. Defender Alex Greenwood wandered around in a daze.
If this is defeat in a World Cup final, you can keep it. In the cold light of day, however, finding one more way to win proved beyond the Lionesses for whom this modus operandi has been their stock-in-trade throughout.
They met their match in a Spain side that has succeeded despite, not because of, their divisive coach Jorge Vilda (right) who somehow survived a player revolt to take the ultimate prize in the women’s game.
Contrast that with Sarina Wiegman. She has nurtured a tight-knit group who, despite the retirements of significant players and injuries to key performers, has steered her group to this final.
But players really matter. And La Roja have a set who are schooled in the best traditions of a pass-andmove culture. Essentially, this was lost in the opening 45 minutes.
Wiegman’s system – three at the back – didn’t look comfortable. There were overloads everywhere.
The only positive to emerge was that Spain were only a goal in front by the interval.
In fairness, Hemp did rattle the crossbar early on with a sidefoot after being set up by Rachel Daly. Another chance was comfortably collected by keeper Cata Coll. Tired players make mistakes and it was difficult to shake the feeling that this was one game too far. Lucy Bronze (with Bethany England, below) erred by stepping inside off the right flank and ran into a group of red shirts. Teresa Abelleira stroked the ball into the space she had vacated. Mariona Caldentey waited for the overlap. Olga Carmona powered beyond her, leaving Russo in her wake before shooting across keeper Earps just inside her left-hand post.
It was a delicious finish. It could have been worse, too. Salma Paralluelo, the 19-year-old who ended up winning young player of the tournament (right), turned a shot into the foot of a post.
Wiegman responded by making two changes and returning to her favoured 4-3-3 system. Suddenly the space closed up. England were in the game.
They were almost out of it, just after the hour. Caldentey miscontrolled just inside England’s penalty area. But it brushed against Keira Walsh’s hand. A penalty was an inevitability. What isn’t, these days, is anyone scoring against Earps. She guessed correctly, saving Jennifer Hermoso’s spot-kick. It should have signalled a shift in momentum.
It didn’t. Lauren James tried her luck from an acute angle with 20 minutes to go.
The Lionesses huffed and puffed but a repeat of their late leveller against the same opponents 12 months ago in the Euros didn’t materialise.
England’s lengthy wait for success on the global stage goes on. Football still hasn’t come home.
And, if truth be told, it sadly didn’t deserve to here.