England head coach Sarina Wiegman says that her side need to be on the front foot when they contest their group matches at the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.
The Lionesses have been grouped with Austria, Norway and Northern Ireland in the tournament draw which was held in Manchester earlier this evening.
England are the host nation of the upcoming UEFA Women’s EURO while they went into the draw as one of the top four seeds. Qualification for the knockouts as group winners is therefore the expectation for the Lionesses once the tournament gets underway.
When speaking to the media including FAWSL Full-Time after the draw, Wiegman said that England must look to dictate their group games from the first whistle whilst adding that the fact that the Lionesses will have played Austria and Northern Ireland recently is irrelevant.
“It could go two ways (being familiar with Austria and Northern Ireland),” Wiegman said. “We are the team which has to make the game because we are the higher ranked team or the higher developed team.
“Regardless of whether we have recently played them or haven’t played them, we have to make the game.”
Norway are the second-highest ranked side in Group A. The 1995 champions were woeful at the last UEFA Women’s EURO in 2017, exiting the competition at the group stage. Wiegman said that England will come up against a much more settled Norwegian side in the upcoming tournament.
She said “I know Norway very well, The Netherlands have played them so many times. We will follow them closely and prepare very well.
“It is always exciting to play Norway, the opening game for The Netherlands at the last EUROs was Norway in a group match.
“They are in a good space now. They have been working with the coach for a long time, they all know him well.
“I expect us to face a very good Norwegian team.”
England kick-off their home EUROs against Austria at Old Trafford on Wednesday 6 July 2022.
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