Louise Taylor's match report
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And so England’s 2019 World Cup campaign comes to a painful end. Sweden once again put them to the sword - that’s 15 wins in 26 meetings now - though England will point to a contentious VAR decision that they’ll argue cost them bronze and also, perhaps, Ellen White the golden boot. But you can see how it was given handball. Louise Taylor was at the Stade de Nice to see hopes of bronze slip away. Her report is below. All that’s left is to offer congratulations to Sweden and commiserations to England, and to thank you for reading this MBM. To Lyon, then, for tomorrow’s final!
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Post-match postbag.
“Definitely a game of two halves with Sweden absorbing a lot of pressure in the second half. Unfortunately for England all that possession only provided four shots on target out of 13 attempts. Comparatively, Sweden had eight on target out of nine. And despite the best efforts from some on social media, that shot to shots on target ratio cannot be blamed on the referee” - Clare Lawrence
“Ellen White’s ‘goal’ was not clearly hand ball: VAR wasn’t able to show it from the only angle that might prove it. On that basis it should never have been referred. Once it was, the referee had absolutely no evidence to change her original decision. That said, England were clueless on how to break down a tight defence” - Martin York
“Once again, England were punished for another slow start. Game effort in their comeback attempt but all for nought” - Mary Waltz
A downbeat Phil Neville speaks. “I think maybe there was a carry-on from the semi-final, that emotion. The two goals probably sparked us into a bit of life, and after that, I don’t think I’ve seen us play better. Their courage to keep going forward, their energy at the end ... most teams would have been on their knees. They gave everything. We gave it our best shot, we fell short, and next time we have to be better. It is really difficult to get yourself up for third-place games. Well done Sweden, but it’s a nonsense game. We came at this tournament to win it, not to finish fourth. The players have delivered everything I wanted, but we’ve got 15, 20 percent to go. That’s sport. Many a champion has had to suffer before they get what they deserve. But I’m immensely proud. We dissect, we debrief and get back on the horse again. Thank you for your support.”
Fran Kirby looks beyond gutted. She was excellent today. But it was an off-day for most of her team-mates. They all gather in a circle, as Phil Neville addresses his dejected troops. He’ll be pointing out that, while defeat stings right now, they’ll soon look back on this campaign with pride. It wasn’t the epochal victory they so desperately desired ... but fourth place at a World Cup is never to be sniffed at. They’re a fine side. It’s just that the USA, the Netherlands and Sweden are that little bit better.
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FULL TIME: England 1-2 Sweden
And that’s it! Sweden end the 2019 World Cup in third place, with the bronze medal. England pushed them hard in that second half, but the Swedes were the better side overall. Phil Neville’s disappointed side fall to the turf as one, as do Sweden, in a massive celebratory pile-on.
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90 min +4: Moore is booked for bringing down Blackstenius, breaking clear on the halfway line. It should probably be a red card, and the ref does initially brandish it, but then changes her mind. No point. Look at the time. Yellow.
90 min +3: Daly crosses into the Swedish box from the right. For once Lindahl can’t claim. The ball drops to Greenwood, who can’t control. The ball sails into the crowd behind. Greenwood drops her head, dejected. That could have been England’s last chance, albeit a very difficult one.
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90 min +1: Carney has a look from 25 yards. Easy for Lindahl. Sweden flood up the other end, where Zigiotti really should score. She’s free just inside the box, but slips, then gathers herself, and shoots straight at Telford. Mighty fine save, but she should never have been allowed to make it.
90 min: A sensational clearance! This has to be seen to be believed! A corner for England on the right leads to a second. And from that, Bronze pearls a shot from the penalty shot goalwards. It’s beaten Lindahl and it’s travelling. But Fischer is on the line, and she stands firm to head the ball straight back upfield. That was outstanding. There will be four additional minutes.
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88 min: England are taking risks now, piling everyone forward. That leaves space for Jakobsson, who should tear clear down the inside right but is visibly tiring and sends a weak shot straight at Telford.
87 min: Moore threads a through ball down the left to nobody. Lindahl claims. The clock ticks on.
86 min: Bronze, out on the right, sends a dangerous cross towards the far post. Taylor’s waiting for it, but Lindahl catches spectacularly. That’s immense keeping in the circumstances. What a claim!
84 min: Bronze makes another pointless foul, dragging down Hurtig, who had no escape route near her own left-hand corner flag. Free kick. Lindahl is booked for taking her own sweet time over it.
83 min: Moore has another crack from distance. It’s no good. England make their last switch, throwing on Daly in place of McManus.
81 min: Carney drives down the left, released by Greenwood. She fizzes a low cross towards White and Taylor, who are right next to each other. But the ball breaks to neither of them. White tries to spin and shoot from the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, but can only scoop the ball out of play for a goal kick.
79 min: Fischer dawdles on the ball and is robbed by Taylor, who races off down the left. The ball’s swung to the far post, and Eriksson isn’t quite sure how to deal with the situation. She’s very fortunate to be shoved pointlessly in the back by Bronze, as she was shanking the ball out for a corner. Instead, it’s a free kick, and a chance for Sweden to run down the clock a little.
78 min: England ping it around the middle of the park to little effect. Sterile domination.
76 min: Glas swerves with great panache, in from the right, and very nearly works the space for a shot from the edge of the box. England hold firm.
74 min: Here comes Karen Carney, for the 144th and final time. She takes the place of Parris.
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73 min: Scott isn’t too far from releasing White down the middle, but there’s a little too much juice on the pass. Lindahl gathers.
72 min: It’s all become a little bitty. Sweden will be more than happy with this state of affairs, the clock very much their friend right now.
70 min: Ilestedt comes on for Bjorn.
68 min: Bjorn is down getting a little treatment.
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66 min: Bronze is brushed off the ball in midfield and suddenly Sweden are three on three. Bjorn drives forward and lays off to Zigiotti, whose low shot is smothered by Telford.
64 min: A long pass down the inside-right channel nearly finds Taylor, but the ever-adventurous Lindahl comes out of her box to chest clear.
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63 min: Kirby slips out of a tight spot out on the left and rolls a pass down the wing for Taylor, who skedaddles clear, enters the box, and curls a shot off the bottom of the right-hand post and out for a goal kick. She was well offside, though. Sweden had stopped, and the lino had put her flag up. But what excellent set-up play by Kirby, who slithered away from a couple of challenges with elegant ease.
62 min: ... Houghton heads harmlessly over the bar when meeting the ball at the near post. That was a decent opportunity, she’ll be disappointed not to have done better.
61 min: Greenwood swings in a cross from the left. Sembrant half-clears under pressure from White. Bronze picks up possession on the right, and forces a corner, England’s second of the match. And from that ...
59 min: England continue to probe, to ask questions. The ever-excellent Scott plays a cute reverse pass from a tight position out left to release Greenwood along the byline. Greenwood can’t get a meaningful shot away, and Lindahl is once again on the spot to mop up.
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58 min: Kirby has been England’s best player so far. She dribbles with purpose down the right and sends a cross-cum-shot towards the near post. Lindahl does well to gather under pressure in a crowded area.
57 min: Kirby, playmaking from a deep pocket, spins and nearly releases White down the left. Glas does very well to put a stop to her gallop. Scott then has a clack from distance; Fischer blocks. This isn’t quite the rollercoaster of the first half, but it’s still open and entertaining. And on that topic, here’s the latest missive from this MBM’s co-author Mary Waltz: “What a tonic these women are giving us, to give us respite from the sludge of the real world for at least 90 minutes. I for one am grateful.”
56 min: So having said that, it’s a free kick for the Swedes out on the right. They load the England box. Sembrant nudges Houghton in the back and it’s a pressure-releasing free kick. But Sweden are quickly coming back at England, Jakobsson taking on Greenwood yet again. This time, however, Greenwood stands strong and brushes her opponent into touch. Goal kick. Fine defending.
54 min: England have looked the sharper side since the restart. All hail the magical powers of Phil’s Special Half-Time Box. I wonder if this music plays when you open it?
52 min: Scott caresses a fine pass down the left and nearly releases Taylor. Lindahl comes racing from her box to intercept ... then misses. Fortunately for the keeper, hysterically sliding across the turf, a surprised Taylor can’t control and Fischer is able to guide the ball away from danger.
50 min: Moore has a blast from distance. It’s always heading left of the target, but that was flying.
49 min: England make their first sub. Taylor comes on for Mead.
47 min: A nice end-to-end start to this second half. Both teams going for it. Nobody thinking about extra time. Just before the restart, Phil Neville told the BBC that his team have “put that first 20 minutes in a box in the dressing room”. He’s going to make a fine motivational speaker one day.
And we’re off again! Sweden have made a second change. Kosovare Asllani, who took that knock late on against the Netherlands, is replaced by 21-year-old striker Julia Zigiotti.
Half-time entertainment.
HALF TIME: England 1-2 Sweden
And there’s the half-time whistle. England could easily be losing heavily, they could easily be level, they could easily be winning. One of those matches. It’s been magnificent entertainment. More soon!
45 min +6: Parris races at the Swedish back line. She slips the ball down the inside-right channel for White, who is one on one with Lindahl! White pokes unconvincingly towards the bottom right; the keeper sticks out a leg and hacks clear. England so close to going in on terms!
45 min +4: Houghton attempts to chest the ball back to Telford, who doesn’t come to claim. Blackstenius nips in between and wedges an instinctive effort over the keeper ... and just over the bar. There’s a VAR check for a potential penalty, the ball having brushed Houghton’s shoulder, but that would have been beyond ridiculous. We play on.
45 min +3: Bronze and Parris combine well down the right, the latter reaching the byline and clipping a cross into the centre. Lindahl claims easily enough.
45 min +2: Mead gets a little treatment after coming off second best in a 50-50 challenge with Sembrant. An opportunity for the players to take on some more water. It’s blistering hot in Nice.
45 min: There will be five additional minutes of this first half.
44 min: Moore has a frustrated kick at Asllani, and is fairly fortunate not to go into the referee’s notebook. It is a free kick, though, and one which results in Jakobsson sending a tame effort towards Telford from distance.
43 min: Jakobsson has Greenwood on toast. She swans past her on the right again, only to send her cross out of play for a goal kick. England have worked their way back into this match, but they still need to sort this out.
42 min: But England are awarded a free kick out on the left. However it ends in farce. Mead takes a cheeky one, before the whistle is blown. The ball sails harmlessly through to Lindahl, as everyone else was waiting on the referee to restart the game. The referee simply waves play on. Very strange.
40 min: Kirby cuts in from the left and rakes a lovely crossfield ball towards Parris, who kills the ball stone dead and fizzes a low cross into the mixer. Kirby, now in the box, claims she’s been shoved in the back by Jakobsson, but neither the ref nor VAR are interested.
39 min: Asllani belts a clearance straight down the park. Blackstenius, who has been quiet by her own standards, nearly powers her way past McManus, but the stand-in central defender does extremely well to stand her ground and see off the striker. “Harsh VAR ruling,” argues Mary Waltz. “Bite the bullet and keep the pressure on, attack, attack, attack!”
37 min: Scott swings a free kick into the Swedish box from the left. Lindahl claims easily enough. Small mercies for England: at least they have some momentum now, and have given Sweden something to think about.
NO GOAL! England 1-2 Sweden
35 min: But it’s been disallowed. When White span around Sembrant down the inside-left channel, the ball reared up on her right arm. And so for the second match in a row, White has a goal ruled out by VAR. White is incensed, saying she couldn’t do anything about it. But that’s the call.
GOAL! England 2-2 Sweden (White 33)
And in a flash, England are level! Mead crosses from a deep position on the left. White brings the ball down, back to goal, spins Sembrant and prods past Lindahl and into the net!
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GOAL! England 1-2 Sweden (Kirby 31)
Here’s that inspiration! Scott draws a couple of players in the midfield and slips Kirby away down the right. Kirby’s been in a no-nonsense mood from the get-go, and here she drives towards the Swedish box, cuts in from the right, and sends a precision curler across Lindahl and into the bottom left. What a finish!
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30 min: A long ball that White can’t get her head on. England need some inspiration here.
28 min: A tearful Rolfo is replaced by Hurtig. Then England should really reduce the deficit, Parris entering the box from the right in a lot of space. She should shoot, but lays off to Kirby on her left. Kirby should have a go as well, but shuttles the ball further left to Mead, who shanks a shot across the face of goal. Fischer blocks and Lindahl claims, and the flag goes up for offside anyway. England over-elaborated there. They should be back in it.
26 min: The players get moving again. Sweden are down to ten women, with Rolfo off the field receiving treatment.
25 min: A cooling break. Time to take some water on board. And perhaps to have a bit of a tactical rethink. England are getting ripped apart here.
24 min: England try to strike back quickly. Kirby goes on another power run down the middle of the park, then Bronze has a shot from distance that’s heading into the bottom corner before it’s tipped around the post by Lindahl. The corner comes to nothing.
GOAL! England 0-2 Sweden (Jakobsson 22)
They’ll have to get going up front now, because they’re two behind. Jakobsson has been running riot down the right, but here she pops up on the left, taking up a cut-back from Blackstenius near the corner flag. Jakobsson strides into the area, and curves a glorious shot across Telford and into the bottom right! That was simply unstoppable, one of those finishes that has you up out of your seat, shouting in awe. A peach of a finish.
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21 min: A little bit of space for Parris out on the right. She rolls a diagonal pass into the Swedish box in the hope of finding White, cutting in from the other side. But Lindahl is all over it. England are doing very little in attack.
19 min: Now Sweden have a free kick out on the left. England can calm things down when Asllani hangs the set piece too high, an easy pick for Telford. On the touchline, Phil Neville has the good grace to look highly concerned.
18 min: Sweden are in total control here. The ball keeps coming back at England, usually down the right. Jakobsson once again tears into space and whips a vicious cross towards Asllani, who would surely have battered home from ten yards had Bronze not nipped in to flick the ball away from danger. That’s fine defending. But it’s last-ditch defending, and England are struggling here.
17 min: The corner’s hoicked into the mixer and causes all manner of panic in the England six-yard box. The referee blows for a foul on Telford, much to England’s relief.
16 min: England are so fortunate it’s still just 1-0. A simple long pass down the right sends Jakobsson free. She drifts into the box and pearls a shot towards the bottom right. The ball cannons off the base of the post, onto the back of Telford, diving despairingly, and nearly ricochets into the net. Inches wide. A corner.
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14 min: Eriksson nearly concedes a corner with a ludicrously overhit backpass, but Lindahl does extremely well to scamper after it and stop the ball dead on the line, before launching a quick counter attack. Jakobsson nearly gets past Greenwood, who is being repeatedly targeted by the Swedes down this right flank. Not this time. But every time Sweden go down that side, they look very dangerous.
13 min: That was dreadful defending. Houghton was on the touchline gesticulating, arms out wide, asking why she couldn’t run back on. But she’d have not made it back to her position in time anyway, so the point is moot.
GOAL! England 0-1 Sweden (Asllani 11)
Rolfo crosses from the left. There’s a big Houghton-shaped gap in the centre of the England defence. Greenwood tries to thump clear, but only succeeds in cushioning the ball down for Asllani, who under no pressure whatsoever, whacks a shot into the bottom right from ten yards.
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10 min: Houghton is down receiving attention. She’s holding her right ear, perhaps having taken a whack on the noggin. A frown, a tablet and a swig of some blue isotonic beverage. She trots off and waits to be allowed back on. And while she waits ...
8 min: Asllani, thankfully fully recovered after that worrying knock towards the end of the semi-final against the Netherlands, feeds Rolfo down the left. Rolfo reaches the byline and whips in a low cross that Houghton does well to nick clear.
6 min: A nice open feel to this match. England are indeed set out in a 4-3-3.
4 min: Telford faffs around with the ball at her feet, and is very nearly closed down by a rampaging Blackstenius. A crisp turn in the six-yard box gets the keeper out of trouble, but that was so, so close to an embarrassing mistake. Playing out from the back isn’t as easy as Japan made it look.
3 min: From the corner, England stream upfield on the break. Kirby flies off on another lightning run, this time down the inside-left channel, and slips the ball wide for Mead, who looks to recreate England’s goal against the USA by whipping a cross in for White. But Lindahl is down to smother before the ball can get through to England’s six-goal sensation.
2 min: Sweden come straight back at England, though, Jakobsson driving down the right wing and nearly getting the better of Greenwood. She shoots from a tight angle, but Greenwood sticks to her guns and extends a leg, deflecting the striker over for a corner.
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And we’re off! Straight from kick-off, Kirby runs directly at Sweden down the middle of the park. For a second things look like opening up, the Swedes slightly shocked at the brazen ambition of the dribble. But eventually Kirby’s shepherded towards the right flank and the gambit comes to nothing. Some start to this match, though!
The teams are out! Anthems are played and respected - Ann Widdecombe would be appalled - then hands are clasped in friendship and coins are tossed. We’ll be off before you know it! “Please tell me that England will correct that brain cramp and return to a 4-3-3 and let Bronze and Parris roar down the right flank,” writes Mary Waltz. Yes, our Phil has been guilty of overthinking things at times during this tournament, but you’ll be pleased to hear he’s gone back to basics and done exactly what you’re after. Unless he’s devised some new do-si-do spin on Total Football which will have changed the sport for ever more by 4.03pm, no going back ... I suppose we shouldn’t assume anything.
Phil Neville speaks. “We’ve had to freshen up in certain areas. Certain players have earned the right to play. In the last couple of days, the players have been my motivation. They’ve motivated me because they’ve played in this game before, four years ago. They’ve been giving me messages on how important it is to go home with a medal. Karen Carney has been one of the best, one of the pioneers, and she will 100 percent get on the field today. So too will Jodie Taylor, she’s been immense in this campaign. The problem Jodie has had is Ellen White, who has been phenomenal. So they will definitely get on the field. A medal will mean we’ve got something to show for the last 51 days we’ve been away. Something Sue Campbell [the FA’s director of women’s football] said to me last night, is that even though it’s a bronze, in certain colour of light it still looks like gold. So I’m going to get a light at home that makes my bronze medal, hopefully, look like gold! We want to go home with another victory, and keep that feeling of winning.”
It’s been a fantastic World Cup, so there’s a celebratory mood in the Stade de Nice. Preach on, sister.
Shirtwatch. Both teams will wear their first-choice gear this afternoon. England’s Karen Carney will pull this elegant design on for the very last time ...
... while the Swedes run out in this fashionable asymmetric affair.
It’s nice in Nice. The mercury is nudging 30 degrees centigrade. It’s partly cloudy, perfect conditions for swing bowling. There might also be a few clouds of hot steam parping out of the ears of several English and Swedish supporters, given the oaf in charge of the big screens at the Stade de Nice has just transmitted highlights of both semi-finals. We were aware, you know.
England make four changes to their starting line-up. Millie Bright is suspended after seeing red in the semi-final against the USA, so is replaced in central defence by Abbie McManus. Alex Greenwood returns at left-back in place of Demi Stokes, while in midfield Fran Kirby and Jade Moore replace Rachel Daly and Keira Walsh.
Sweden make two changes to their semi-final XI. Fridolina Rolfo returns from suspension, replacing Lina Hurtig up front, while Nathalie Bjorn comes in for Elin Rubensson on the right side of midfield.
The teams
England: Telford, Bronze, Houghton, McManus, Greenwood, Kirby, Scott, Moore, Parris, White, Mead. Subs: Bardsley, Walsh, Taylor, Duggan, Stokes, Williamson, Daly, Stanway, Carney, Staniforth, Earps.
Sweden: Lindahl, Glas, Fischer, Sembrant, Eriksson, Bjorn, Asllani, Seger, Jakobsson, Blackstenius, Rolfo.
Subs: Faik, Andersson, Janogy, Hurtig, Ilestedt, Roddar, Zigiotti Olme, Anvegard, Larsson, Schough, Rubensson, Musovic.
Referee: Anastasia Pustovoytova (Russia).
Preamble
It’s been a heartbreaking week for these two fine teams. England’s chance of appearing in their first World Cup final was snuffed out by the reigning champions USA on Tuesday evening; Sweden’s hopes of making it to their second went south when the Netherlands pipped them during extra time 24 hours later. And so both sides were fated to contest the one match in which no footballer ever wants to play: the third-place play-off.
Still, it would be nice to win, and take the edge off. Third place, the bronze-medal position, isn’t so bad when the sting of coming so close to glory subsides. And both countries have managed it before. The Swedes finished third in the very first World Cup, back in 1991, thrashing Germany 4-0; they did it again in 2011, besting France 2-1. And England finished third last time round, beating Germany 1-0 in Canada four years ago.
But here’s some new ground: this is the first time England and Sweden have met at a World Cup. The teams have met on 25 other occasions, England winning just three matches. Sweden have 14 wins in the bag, the latest an easy 2-0 friendly victory in Rotherham last year. It’s fair to say they’ve got the upper hand in this particular head-to-head.
Still, both teams have lit up France this summer, so both will fancy their chances of a bittersweet valedictory win this afternoon in Nice. There’s also the sideshow of Karen Carney’s 144th and final cap for England, and Ellen White’s bid to pip Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe to the golden boot. (They’re currently on six, six and five goals respectively.) So this promises to be a cracker. Especially as the third-place play-off averages 2.71 goals per game. It’s on!
Kick off: 4pm BST, 5pm at the Stade de Nice.
