Heartache for fallen Lionesses as Sarina Wiegman admits Spain the better side in World Cup final
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
England goalkeeper Mary Earps looks dejected after losing the World Cup final to Spain on Sunday.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
SYDNEY – From getting Nike to reverse their initial decision to not sell her jersey to saving a penalty kick in the Women’s World Cup final to winning the Golden Glove award for her performances in the showpiece tournament, it would seem England goalkeeper Mary Earps can be satisfied with her work in the past month. Only that she is not.
Arguably the best custodian in the world, Earps has huge ambitions, and winning the World Cup is one of them. However, a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Spain to finish runners-up in Australia and New Zealand is of scant consolation.
Olga Carmona scored the only goal as Spain kept the European champions at bay and could have won by a bigger margin had Earps not saved Jennifer Hermoso’s second-half penalty.
“In a couple of weeks, when the emotion has settled down, we will probably be able to look back and feel proud. It is no small feat to get to a World Cup final,” the 30-year-old Manchester United goalkeeper told BBC Radio.
“But we are very competitive people. We came here to win the game and get a gold medal, not a silver one.”
Also cut from the same cloth is coach Sarina Wiegman, who has now won two European Championship titles and finished second in the World Cup with the Netherlands and England.
The Lionesses’ second defeat in 39 matches since Wiegman took over as coach denied them the chance to add a maiden world title to the European Championship crown they won in 2022. However, the 53-year-old Dutch tactician was gracious in defeat.
“Overall, Spain were just a little better than we were today. They had a great tournament, so congrats to Spain,” said Wiegman, who also lost a World Cup final, to the United States, when in charge of the Netherlands in 2019.
“Everyone has seen an incredible game, a very open game. Two teams that want to play football.”
Wiegman was forced to reshuffle before the tournament when captain Leah Williamson and Beth Mead were both ruled out by cruciate knee ligament injuries. She then lost Lauren James for two games after the attacker received a red card in the round of 16 against Nigeria.
Wiegman praised her players for adapting to so many setbacks, but said it did not dull the pain of falling at the final hurdle.
“Of course, it feels really bad now. You go to the final, you want to give everything to win the final, then you lose it,” she added.
“That happens in sport. What we have done, how we have shown ourselves as a team, how we want to play, overcoming so many challenges, I feel we can be very proud of ourselves.”
England captain Millie Bright said the Lionesses were left heartbroken after bouncing back from a slow start to the tournament to reach the final for the first time.
“We’re heartbroken. We gave everything, unfortunately we just weren’t there today,” said the Chelsea defender.
“The girls are unbelievable. We had a lot of critics at the start of the tournament. A few lost belief in us, but we never stopped believing in ourselves. We had full belief, but sometimes football goes for you, sometimes it goes against you.
“We’ve played in a World Cup final. In a few weeks, we’ll appreciate this day and coming second, but it’s hard to take because we’re winners, we want to win.”
Spain are the fifth team to lift the World Cup since the tournament began in 1991, joining outgoing champions the US, Germany, Norway and Japan. AFP, REUTERS
