Women's World Cup: England without Walsh still 'strong enough', says Wiegman

England person mislaid conscionable 1 crippled successful 34 matches nether manager Sarina Wiegman

Manager Sarina Wiegman pledged England are "strong enough" to navigate their mode done the Women's World Cup without midfielder Keira Walsh.

Wiegman would not corroborate if Walsh volition play again successful the tourney arsenic England prepared to look China successful their last Group D lucifer connected Tuesday.

"We person a beardown capable team. We cognize she's not available," said Wiegman.

"We had a radical of 23 truthful present we person a radical of 22 [for the China game]. We person our solutions and we'll amusement that tomorrow. We're present to determination on.

"It's portion of athletics and it's not nice, but you person to accommodate to the caller concern and find a way."

The Lionesses volition tackle China astatine the 13,557-capacity Hindmarsh Stadium successful Adelaide (12:00 BST) knowing a constituent oregon amended volition spot them advancement arsenic Group D winners.

England bushed Haiti and Denmark 1-0 successful their archetypal 2 matches, portion China, 2nd successful the group, person the aforesaid points, extremity quality and fig of goals scored arsenic third-placed Denmark.

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England's resilience is 'special'

Rachel Daly was the WSL's apical scorer successful the 2022-23 play but played astatine left-back against Denmark, which she besides did astatine Euro 2022

Monday marked a twelvemonth to the time since England won their archetypal women's large trophy, triumphing astatine Euro 2022 connected location soil, but lone six of the unchanged starting XI successful that tourney are disposable astatine present.

Injuries to cardinal players including skipper Leah Williamson, apical scorer Beth Mead, playmaker Fran Kirby and instrumental midfielder Walsh, arsenic good arsenic striker Ellen White's retirement, person analyzable England's situation of winning a archetypal Women's World Cup.

They person inactive mislaid conscionable erstwhile successful 34 matches nether manager Wiegman but were tested successful their victories against lower-ranked Haiti and Denmark.

However, Rachel Daly says the squad's resilience is "special". The 31-year-old Aston Villa subordinate typifies it, having been selected arsenic a striker but lined up astatine left-back past clip out, acceptable to enactment successful a displacement successful either role.

"There's going to beryllium ups and downs. There's going beryllium pugnacious moments - that's the quality of a World Cup tournament," said Daly.

"Teams astir america are getting amended and better. It's large for the crippled to spot different teams rising and doing truthful well.

"We've played 2 truly hard opponents truthful we're going to get tested. That's however we woody with it - with the resilience."

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'England inactive 1 of the champion teams successful Europe'

China bushed Haiti contempt playing for much than an hr with lone 10 players aft Zhang Rui was sent off

China indispensable bushed England and anticipation that Denmark, who they were beaten 1-0 by, bash not amended their effect successful the different Group D lucifer against Haiti (12:00 BST kick-off) to marque the past 16.

Manager Shui Qingxia says the lucifer is "critical" and China volition bash "all they can" to bushed England and boost their chances of qualifying.

"From the Euros until now, the [England] squad is alternatively stable. They are arsenic arsenic bully successful onslaught arsenic they are successful defence," said Shui.

"After the Euros they person had much young players connected board, but they are inactive 1 of the champion teams successful Europe."

With Walsh missing, Shui said China "might look astatine antithetic scenarios", though they volition beryllium without a cardinal midfielder themselves successful Zhang Rui, who was sent disconnected successful the 1-0 win implicit Haiti for a unsafe precocious tackle.

"She said what she did has brought immoderate occupation to the team, but I cognize this subordinate good and she wouldn't prosecute successful thing malicious," said Shui.

"She is 1 of the halfway players. Her lack is going to person a immense impact. We volition person to alteration our tactics with a caller subordinate but the squad [will] inactive find a way."

Brown-Finnis' prediction

Former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis is predicting the result of each 64 games successful Australia and New Zealand:

This has been the radical of 1-0 wins truthful acold - each 4 results person ended up with that scoreline truthful I americium backing that inclination to continue.

England lone request 1 constituent to marque it retired of Group D but I deliberation they volition get each three, and past who joins them could travel down to just play points, and beryllium decided by the fig of yellowish cards each squad has received.

We privation the Lionesses to enactment wide of each of that, and I americium assured they volition get the occupation done.

China are susceptible of making things hard for England, however, and seeing them toil with 10 men to bushed Haiti successful their past lucifer was precise impressive.