England v South Africa
Women's International
7.45pm BST, Tuesday 29 October 2024
CBS Arena, Coventry

Sarina Wiegman and Georgia Stanway faced the press ahead of Tuesday evening’s game with South Africa at the CBS Arean.

The pair discussed what they are expecting from their opponents, how they can improve on Friday’s 4-3 defeat to Germany and their long-term aims and ambitions.

Here is what they had to say in full.

Wiegman on Friday’s game at Wembley:

We gave the ball away too often and that resulted in too many turnovers. The trigger moments in our press also need to be worked on. We have four friendly games this year, we got lots of information from the first one and we will go out to try and win again tomorrow. You will see some changes to the team tomorrow.

On what she expects from South Africa:

We are expecting a very physical team, athletic team. They are unpredictable and have a lot of speed. We wanted to have different styles of play against us and we are later on our journey so can we play our game and stay out of those duels?

On England’s defensive record:

Looking at the bigger picture, we are playing better opponents in the Nations League and in these matches so, while we don’t want to concede goals, it can happen. We have to question how we’re keeping the ball, how we’re pressing, and make sure we get our tactics right.

On expectation levels:

We are so visible and expectations are really high. We have to deal with that and we are in in our environment every day, we know what we want to do and how we want to do it. We need to analyse what went well, what we need to improve, and that’s what we do every day. There might be criticism from the outside, and that’s alright, but I think sometimes the criticism is too much on the result. We need the bigger picture. We work out where we are at overall.

On her playing style:

We want to develop so it’s not so static. We want to be using several shapes at once, that’s what the top teams do. We need to be connected and aligned in and out of possession. We want to be unpredictable too, so we can create chances and score goals.

We're LIVE from Coventry as Sarina Wiegman and Georgia Stanway preview tomorrow’s game against South Africa @Coventry_City stadium. https://t.co/TK6xsLjOyc

— Lionesses (@Lionesses) October 28, 2024

On long-term aims:

On July 2 we need to be ready. We have five camps and we want to develop to that stage. Off the pitch and on the pitch, we want to gain information and connect with each other. From game to game we can adapt and learn, we tweak for each opponent, and we aim to bring it all together next summer.

Stanway on the Germany defeat:

Germany are a top side. They were difficult to prepare for because they could throw anything at us. We didn’t know their shape or formation because they have a new coach and after 30 minutes we found our feet. On the whole it’s a massive learning opportunity and I feel like we helped them by giving the ball away. That affects our defensive shape so we can’t start the game by taking too many risks.

Stanway on expectations:

It’s inevitable we can’t always win because other teams reinvent themselves, they get better. So we have to change our tactics and improve and move away again. We have to make little tweaks to get that one up.

Stanway on the young talent in the system:

It’s really exciting. I’m away from the domestic game in Germany so it’s great it’s on the Lionesses channels and I can see the talent. It’s amazing the Under-17s have made the World Cup semi-final. It’s the best thing in the world to play in those moments, your family are there, and you feel like a Lioness. Those experiences are massive and us creating a massive talent pool is big for us moving forward.

Stanway on the South Africa game:

I’m excited for the game. We know how they play and we want to finish the camp on a high. We don’t want to lose but we could afford to lose on Friday. These matches are for learning and the main thing is we’re not sitting here in 10 months saying the same things.

South Africa in profile

Match stats

● This will be England’s third ever meeting with South Africa after 6-0 and 1-0 wins under Hope Powell in the 2009 and 2010 Cyprus Cup respectively.

● South Africa have won just one of their last 16 games against European opposition in all competitions (D3 L12), a 3-2 win over Italy in August 2023.

● England are unbeaten in their last four games against African opposition in all competitions (W3 D1), most recently drawing 0-0 with Nigeria at the 2023 World Cup before winning 4-2 on penalties.

● England have won 19 of their last 21 games when hosting an opponent for the very first time (D1 L1), scoring 96 goals and conceding just four times across those matches – the only loss in that period came against New Zealand in June 2019 (0-1).

● England are winless in their last two games in all competitions (D1 L1), only once under Sarina Wiegman have they failed to win three successive games under, doing so in July 2023.

● This be England’s second ever game in Coventry, previously beating Italy 2-1 in February 2023 in the Arnold Clark Cup thanks to a Rachel Daly brace.

● England have won only one of their last four home matches in all competitions (D1 L2), conceding eight goals in those games; it’s as many goals as they had conceded in their previous ten such games.

● Georgia Stanway, who netted two of England’s three goals in their 3-4 defeat to Germany on Friday, has scored four goals in her last four games for the Lionesses, as many as in her previous 26 international appearances.

● Leah Williamson is set to make her 50th appearance for England should she feature against South Africa, six years and 143 days after making her debut against Russia in June 2018.

● Beth Mead has been involved in 13 goals in 15 home internationals under Sarina Wiegman (eight goals, five assists), either scoring (one) or assisting (two) in each of her last three such games.

England Squad News

Ticket Information

 

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How to watch or stream

The England team to face South Africa in Coventry has been named by head coach Sarina Wiegman, as the Lionesses look to return to winning ways.

There's a number of changes to the lineup too, with Mary Earps back in the team along with starting roles for the likes of Esme Morgan, Grace Clinton, Chloe Kelly, Maya Le Tissier, Jess Park and Jess Naz.

England: 1 Mary Earps, 2 Maya Le Tissier,3 Esme Morgan, 4 Georgia Stanway, 5 Leah Williamson (C), 6 Alex Greenwood, 7 Chloe Kelly, 8 Georgia Stanway, 9 Jessica Naz, 10 Jess Park, 11 Beth Mead

Substitutes: 12 Lucy Bronze, 13 Hannah Hampton, 14 Keira Walsh, 15 Millie Bright, 16 Fran Kirby, 17 Aggie Beever-Jones, 18 Lauren Hemp, 19 Alessia Russo, 20 Ella Toone, 21 Anna Moorhouse, 22 Jess Carter, 23 Lucy Parker.

England returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over South Africa at the Coventry Building Society Arena in their second game of the October international window.

First-half goals from captain Leah Williamson, marking her 50th England appearance, and in-form Grace Clinton put the hosts on course for victory.

The visitors halved the deficit through Thembi Kgatlana early in the second half but Sarina Wiegman’s side held on for a confidence-boosting win.

Wiegman rang the changes from the team beaten 4-3 by Germany four nights earlier, making eight alterations for what was the third meeting between the nations and the first since a Cyprus Cup encounter in 2010.

The hosts began in a positive manner and were rewarded with the opening goal after just 12 minutes.

England kept the ball in play from a corner and when Jessica Naz, on her first senior start, cut a pass back for skipper Williamson, she swept past Kaylin Swart from close range.

Moments later, Wiegman’s side survived a major scare with Hilda Magaia unable to capitalise on a gilt-edged chance following a defensive mix-up.

But the Lionesses regained control and doubled their lead with 22 minutes on the clock when club colleagues combined as Manchester United’s Maya Le Tissier, playing at right-back, found Clinton in the area and she nodded home from a superb clipped cross.

Banyana Banyana went on to carve out a number of good chances, with Magaia unable to connect with Thembi Kgatlana’s floated ball and the latter twice unable to hit the target from promising positions.

But after a scrappy start to the second half, South Africa got the goal that their play deserved as Kgatlana pounced, racing through on goal and slotting home to halve the deficit.

Chloe Kelly led the England response as her powerful drive from the edge of the area clipped the crossbar on the hour mark.

Wiegman brought a number of senior players off the bench and into the fray midway through the second half as South Africa continued to threaten. The dangerous Kgatlana had a goal disallowed for offside on 73 minutes and shortly afterwards, broke through and forced Earps into a good save.

Ella Toone also drew a sharp stop from Andile Dlamini with a powerful first-time effort as England dominated the latter stages, without adding to their tally.

England: 1 Mary Earps (Paris Saint-Germain), 2 Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), 3 Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), 4 Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), 5 Leah Williamson (Arsenal) (c), 6 Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), 7 Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), 8 Grace Clinton (Manchester United), 9 Jessica Naz (Tottenham Hotspur), 10 Jess Park (Manchester City), 11 Beth Mead (Arsenal)

Substitutes: 19 Alessia Russo (Arsenal) for Naz 61’, 12 Lucy Bronze (Chelsea) for Morgan 61’, 20 Ella Toone (Manchester United) for Clinton 62’, 16 Fran Kirby (Brighton) for Park 62’, 15 Millie Bright (Chelsea) for Williamson 73’, 18 Lauren Hemp (Manchester City) for Mead 73’

Subs not used: 13 Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), 14 Keira Walsh (Barcelona), 17 Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea), 21 Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride), 22 Jess Carter (NJ/NY Gotham), 23 Lucy Parker (Aston Villa)

Goals: Williamson 12’, Clinton 23’

Head coach: Sarina Wiegman

South Africa: 1 Kaylin Swart, 2 Lebohang Ramelepe, 13 Bambanani Mbane, 17 Tiisetso Makhubela, 7 Karabo Dhlamini, 10 Linda Motlhalo, 22 Amogelang Motau, 6 Noxolo Cesane, 12 Sinoxolo Cesane, 8 Hilda Magaia, 11 Thembi Kgatlana

Substitutes: 16 Andile Dlamini for Swart 46’, 19 Kholosa Biyana for Cesane 46’, 18 Sibulele Holweni for Motau 77’

Subs not used: 23 Nthabiseng Majiya, 20 Nicole Michael, 4 Lonathemba Mhlongo, 21 Dineo Magagula, 3 Nondumiso Manengela, 9 Sphumelele Shamase, 14 Nonhlanhla Mthandi, 15 Thubelihle Shamase

Goals: Kgatlana 55’

Coach: Desiree Ellis