England 2-1 Scotland - UEFA Women's Nations League match centre
- L. Bronze (39′)
- L. Hemp (45′)
- K. Hanson (47′)
Goals from Lucy Bronze and Lauren Hemp helped the Lionesses pick up their first win in the Nations League
Highlights: England 2-1 Scotland
See the best of the action from Sunderland as the Lionesses start their UEFA Nations League campaign with a win
England v Scotland
UEFA Women's Nations League
7.45pm BST, Friday 22 September 2023
Stadium of Light, Sunderland
Sarina Wiegman has confirmed Alessia Russo will miss Friday night’s England versus Scotland match at the sold-out Stadium of Light.
The Lionesses kick off their inaugural UEFA Nations League campaign against their neighbours on Friday, with six group games taking place between now and early December.
Only the top team in each of the four League A groups will progress to the finals in February.
The two successful semi-finalists will then secure a place at next year’s Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with the third-place play-off winners also claiming a spot should hosts France reach the Nations League final.
It has only been a month since England played in the FIFA Women’s World Cup final against Spain, meaning many of the players are still early into their pre-season training with their clubs, something Wiegman was asked about in her press conference on Thursday morning.
The England head coach said: “Everyone is fine and everyone was in training. Yes, it is hard [to pick our team] but we have had a couple of training sessions and conversations with the players so we know where they are [fitness wise] and it looks pretty good.”
We're live from St George's Park with Sarina Wiegman and @Mdawg1bright! 🎙
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) September 21, 2023
https://t.co/uzZ2Fi72O8
Most of the squad joined up on Sunday but earlier this week it was confirmed Arsenal striker Russo would not arrive in camp until Wednesday.
Wiegman explained: “Alessia is fine, she is good. But before camp, I had a conversation with her and I decided that she needed a bit more rest so she came in yesterday and she won’t be available for tomorrow – well she would be but we are preparing her for availability for Tuesday.”
She added: “We have conversations and we have a team programme which we modify individually, especially in this stage with the games coming up and the calendar having such a short turnaround.
“So we have conversations with the players, we monitor the players really well too and then you have a feeling.
“In the conversations, you become aware of things too and then I made the decision for her because I felt ‘um, this is not right and she really needs a couple of days’ rest’, which means she won’t be available for Scotland.
“You want to perform at the highest level and people have to be able to perform at the highest level but on the other hand, you have to do what is right and take care of the players too.”
Back together 🤗 pic.twitter.com/ymTePKn6OZ
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) September 20, 2023
England versus Scotland is the oldest rivalry in football and is a game the fans in particular look forward to.
The players are also well aware of each other, with nine of Scotland’s squad playing in England and Real Madrid’s Caroline Weir being a former team-mate with some of the Lionesses players both at a club and Team GB level.
And Millie Bright, who joined Wiegman for the press conference, said: “It is another game and another opponent who we want to dominate and we want to win the game. But like you said, the rivalry maybe makes it a little bit more fiery and it will be two opponents who want to win the game.”
She continued: “Firstly, it is a game we want to go out and win. Our mentality as players is to get back out there, to perform get a solid performance and get the win. That is where our heads are at.
“Knowing some of their players, both teams know each other extremely well so we expect it will be a very tough game and it will be two teams that are very well prepared. Hopefully it is an exciting one for the fans.”
On fire in the rain! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/iQaIOkl1V0
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) September 20, 2023
Scotland in profile
Nickname: The Tartan Army
Coach: Pedro Martinez Losa
Captain: Rachel Corsie
Match Facts
● England have won all 12 of their matches against Scotland on home soil, winning those games by an aggregate score of 44-2.
● Scotland have lost 23 of their 26 matches against England in all competitions (W2 D1), with their two wins coming in May 1977 (2-1) and March 2011 (2-0).
● England have only lost two of their 39 games under Sarina Wiegman (W30 D7), although one of those was against Spain in their last game in the World Cup final in Australia. The Lionesses haven’t lost consecutive games since April 2021.
● Scotland have won their last four matches – all in friendlies – winning those games while scoring ten goals and conceding only one. They last registered five wins in a row in October 2021.
● England’s only previous game at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light was a 1-0 win in November 2021 against Austria in a World Cup qualifier.
● Scotland’s 17-year-old forward Emma Watson has been involved in five goals in four appearances for the national team (three goals, two assists), averaging a goal or assist every 61 minutes.
● At the recent 2023 Women’s World Cup, England’s Alex Greenwood completed the most passes (542) and had the best passing accuracy of any player to attempt at least 250 at the tournament (89%), while she also made the most line-breaking passes (103).
● For England this calendar year, Lauren James has more goals and assists combined of any Lionesses player (four goals, four assists), with five of those coming against China PR in a 6-1 win at the Women’s World Cup (two goals, three assists).
Head to head
England's first meeting with Scotland came in November 1972, our first senior international game, when we win 3-2 in a friendly in Greenock.
Since then, we've played 26 games, winning 23 to Scotland's two, and then one draw.
Our last three games have all ended in wins for England, with details below.
Scotland 1-2 England
9 June 2019,
Nice, France
Goals from Nikita Parris and Ellen White sealed a win for the Lionesses in the 2019 World Cup, as Phil Neville's began their group stage in the south of France.
England 6-0 Scotland
19 July 2017
Utrecht, Netherlands
A Jodie Taylor hat-trick saw the Lionesses start their EURO campaign with a bang, as Mark Sampson's squad
Scotland 4-4 England
8 March 2014
Larnaca, Cyprus
A thrilling draw at the 2014 Cyprus Cup saw the teams tied thanks to goals from Ellen White, Toni Duggan, Rachel Williams and Kelly Smith.
Highlights: England 4-4 Scotland
A look at our meeting with Scotland at the Cyprus Cup in 2014
England Squad News
Ticket Information
Find out more on how to purchase tickets for this game.
How to watch or stream
This game will be broadcast in the UK on ITV.
England boss Sarina Wiegman has named her team to take on the Scots in the opening UEFA Women's Nations League.
The Lionesses are running out in front of a sold-out Stadium of Light in Sunderland and will line up as follows
England: 1 Mary Earps, 2 Lucy Bronze, 3 Jess Carter, 4 Katie Zelem, 5 Alex Greenwood, 6 Millie Bright (c), 7 Chloe Kelly, 8 Georgia Stanway, 9 Rachel Daly, 10 Lauren James, 11 Lauren Hemp
Substitutes: 12 Jordan Nobbs, 13 Hannah Hampton, 14 Ella Toone, 15 Esme Morgan, 16 Niamh Charles, 17 Laura Coombs, 18 Lucy Parker, 19 Jess Park, 20 Maya Le Tissier, 21 Ellie Roebuck, 22 Katie Robinson, 23 Lucy Staniforth
Here's how your #Lionesses start tonight against Scotland! 🤝#UWNL pic.twitter.com/2f3zLofSde
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) September 22, 2023
The hosts made a fast start in Sunderland but it took until the 39th minute for Bronze’s header to break the deadlock. Hemp quickly doubled the lead but Kirsty Hanson hit back on the stroke of half-time to make it 2-1.
England held on in a nervy second half to claim an important three points in Group A and start their Nations League campaign on a high.
Following a tribute to Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack, who sadly passed away earlier in the week, the Lionesses got the game underway.
Georgia Stanway tried her luck from range when she directed a controlled volley on target but the power was not enough to seriously trouble Lee Alexander.
After a flurry of England chances, Mary Earps was called upon to pull off a stellar save in the 21st minute after a thumping effort on goal from Caroline Weir.
Daly thought she had opened the scoring in the 24th minute after heading home at the near post from a corner, but offside obstruction from Chloe Kelly in the box meant the goal did not stand.
England were then caught unawares when Hanson flew down the left-hand side and whipped the ball in low but Martha Thomas could not meet the cross.
Hemp put England two up six minutes later after Daly dispossessed Nicola Docherty on the wing and whipped in a pacy ball which the Manchester City ace met with a bullet header.
But Scotland disrupted the party atmosphere when they pulled one back in first half stoppage time through Hanson, who poked her shot home via the post.
Following a breathless opening 45 minutes, the second half got off to a quieter start though Hemp and James both fired warning shots wide of the target.
Scotland gained some composure as the game and threatened an equaliser, Millie Bright steering away a dangerous ball from Claire Emslie.
England continued to create chances of their own, with substitute Ella Toone’s neat backheel finding Bronze. The goalscorer raced to the byline and whipped in a ball to James, who could only flick a shot over the crossbar.
Hanson put English hearts in mouths when she hit the crossbar after Earps pushed out a Scotland cross from the right while the Lionesses stopper then had to be alert to collect Christy Grimshaw’s low drive.
James was denied a goal in injury time when she was harshly flagged for offside after a pacy run on the left but England did enough to earn all three points.
Substitutes: 14. Ella Toone for Kelly 59’
Substitutes not used: 13. Hannah Hampton, 21. Ellie Roebuck, 12. Jordan Nobbs, , 15. Esme Morgan, 16. Niamh Charles, 17. Laura Coombs, 18. Lucy Parker, 19. Jessica Park, 20. Maya Le Tissier, 22. Katie Robinson, 23. Lucy Staniforth
Goals: Bronze 39’, Hemp 45’
Scotland: 1. Lee Alexander; 2. Nicola Docherty, 4. Rachel Corsie ©, 5. Sophie Howard, 14. Rachel McLauchlan; 8. Sam Kerr, 22. Christy Grimshaw; 10. Kirsty Hanson, 9. Caroline Weir 20. Martha Thomas, 18. Claire Emslie
Substitutes: 11. Lisa Evans for Emslie 83’, 13. Amy Gallacher for Thomas 82’, 7. Fiona Brown for McLauchlan, 19. Lauren Davidson for Hanson 90’
Substitutes not used: 12. Jenna Fife, 21. Eartha Cumings, 3. Emma Mitchell, 6. Kirsty Maclean, , 15. Kelly Clark, 16. Amy Rodgers, 23. Jamie-Lee Napier
Goals: Hanson 45+2’
