As one of seven teams to have qualified for all nine Women’s World Cups, Nigeria will not regard themselves as underdogs against England on Monday. But I hope – and expect – Wiegman will stick with a system that uses all the best attributes of England’s players. They next face a Nigeria team possessing top-class forwards in Racing Louisville’s Uchenna Kanu and, particularly, Barcelona’s trophy‑laden Asisat Oshoala. That said, Katie Zelem, Walsh’s replacement against China, played smartly and sensibly, cleverly backing up and protecting James in a way that reflects their former relationship as Manchester United teammates. The solution is to ensure England’s press is well executed and sufficiently on the front foot to pin Alozie and Plumptre into corners, potentially nullifying their threat.

Source: The Guardian August 05, 2023 20:25 UTC