England have hallmarks of champions despite scrappy World Cup win over Haiti
Sarina Wiegman isn’t given to overblown shows of emotion.
But there was no disguising the relief etched all over her face as the Lionesses’ World Cup quest got off to a winning start. Anyone present at the Brisbane Stadium last night will have attested to the battle of attrition between these two sides as the European Champions were forced to draw on all their reserves of resilience to drag themselves over the line.
In the end, it took a twice-taken Georgia Stanway penalty on the half-hour to separate the two sides. But Haiti were fast, physical, quick and could, on another day, have earned at least a share of the spoils.
That they didn’t was down to some poor finishing - and a save by keeper Mary Earps in the final ten minutes that prevented what would have been, on paper, a major shock. However, it would have been difficult for anyone with the Three Lions on their chest to mount an argument that it was daylight robbery. It wouldn’t have been.
Wiegman said: “We were absolutely ready - but it was a hard game. Haiti played well. They were unpredictable, direct and very strong on the counter-attack.
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“They were really quick, athletic and we had to play quicker to stay out of duels with them. I think they are going to cause problems for the other two teams in our group.”
They caused plenty for the Lionesses, that’s for sure.
How much of that was self-inflicted was difficult to assess. Wiegman’s players have had just two matches - and one of those was behind closed doors - since the Women’s Super League came to an exciting end eight weeks ago.
They were ring-rusty. Skipper Millie Bright - who was playing her first match since injuring her knee in March - particularly so. Haitian striker Roselord Borgella screwed one chance wide before the drama involving Stanway unfolded.
Mary Earps was called into action against HaitiDefender Batcheba Louis was intent on stopping Lucy Bronze as a cross came over from the left. She inexplicably threw both her arms upwards and a VAR check showed the ball had brushed her fingers.
The penalty was awarded and then the fun started. England - who ultimately went out of the finals four years ago when Steph Houghton missed a spot-kick to equalise against the United States - were at it again.
Stanway struck the ball well to the keeper’s right - only for Kerly Theus to guess correctly and pull off what looked to be a brilliant save. Then, VAR again intervened. Of course it did.
They informed the Venezuelan match official Emikar Calderas that the keeper had moved off her line. Stanway put up her hand for a second time, stuck to her guns and saw the ball hit the net.
Half-time gave Wiegman a chance to re-group.
“We were slow to start,” she said, “we told the players we needed to speed up the game, to move the ball move quickly.
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“We got some rhythm in the second half and you could feel the second goal was coming but then they had a dangerous counter-attack and almost took us out.”
That was a reference to Mary Earps’ save in the last ten minutes. Haitian sub Roseline Elouissaint found space but found a keeper voted FIFA’s Best at her best. The Lionesses No.1 stuck out a foot and diverted the goal-bound shot to safety.
It had been tight. But the Lionesses had found that essential quality of all successful teams. It might not have been pretty but in the final reckoning, they found a way to win.
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