Nothing boring about the football played at Wembley Stadium on Friday night as England played to a 4-3 finish, falling to Germany, with 2025 European Championship preparations on their minds.
The two teams scored five goals collectively in the opening 35 minutes for a wide-open first half before things settled down at the break. Germany stunned England early with three goals in the first 30 minutes, including two from Giulia Gwinn, whose fourth-minute penalty quieted the Wembley home crowd. Georgia Stanway answered with a double of her own in three minutes.
Things calmed in the second half with both sides splitting opportunities. But it was Sara Dabritz’s penalty in the 72nd minute that ultimately secured the victory for Germany, forcing Sarina Wiegman’s side to concede four goals for the first time in her tenure. England defender Lucy Bronze got one back before full time when Germany goalkeeper Ann-Karin Berger spilled an England free kick, but it wasn’t enough to overcome.
Wiegman provided a shock of her own before the match, opting for Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton over long-time No. 1 Mary Earps to mixed results.
Charlotte Harpur and Megan Feringa were at Wembley to analyse the main talking points.
How was Germany able to get through England’s defence?
Wiegman’s preferred centre-back partnership was under the spotlight heading into Friday night. And her selection of Leah Williamson and Millie Bright — neither of whom has returned to the performance heights since returning from respective injuries over the last year — meant all eyes were on whether the 2022 European Championship-winning duo could rediscover their previous chemistry.
With less than three minutes gone, the prospect looked grim. Germany’s Giovanna Hoffman intercepted a sloppy back pass from Williamson inside England’s half, and seconds later a slow-moving Bright conceded a penalty that Gwinn converted.
The sequence was the precursor of a disjointed defensive performance from England, who conceded four goals for the first time under Wiegman’s management. After their early goal, Germany targeted the space vacated by England’s full-backs Bronze and Jess Carter when in possession, and the pace of Linda Dallmann, Hoffmann and Gwinn left the scattered backline exposed.
Gwinn’s second goal epitomised this best, England’s back four were pulled almost entirely to the left side of their defensive third as Germany surged forward, leaving the 25-year-old unattended to fashion a brilliant finish past Hampton.
Defensive vulnerability has been a growing issue for England in the past year. If they are to mount a successful European title defence, teasing out these increasing inconsistencies will need to be a priority.
— Megan Feringa
Stanway scored twice in three minutes to give England a chance. (Crystal Pix, Getty Images)
Who was key to England’s attack?
When the chips were down and England were staring a 3-0 defeat in the face, the Lionesses needed a foothold in the game. Up stepped Stanway after England were awarded a controversial penalty for a handball.
Stanway told The Athletic earlier this year she focuses on execution and cancelling out the noise and activity around her when she steps to the spot. Indeed in the past, she has practised at her club Bayern Munich with crowd noise blasted out from speakers.
The 25-year-old kept her untarnished record intact, slotting the ball home to get England back in the game. She has never missed any of her nine penalties throughout her England career.
Three minutes later Stanway was on the scoresheet again, finishing off a very neat move involving Keira Walsh and Alessia Russo who found Beth Mead out wide and Stanway was in the perfect position to hammer the ball home.
Stanway is in great form for her German domestic club but Germany’s national team won the midfield battles on Friday. At times, Walsh and Stanway struggled to control the midfield as Germany blew England away with their pace, ball carriers and direct style of play.
— Charlotte Harpur
Hampton started for England to mixed results. (Stephanie Meek, Getty Images)
How did Hannah Hampton do as the starting goalkeeper?
After a two-year absence from the England setup, Sarina Wiegman gave Earps a chance, calling her up to the new Lionesses’ boss first squad in September 2021.
Earps went on to start every game at the 2022 European Championship and 2023 World Cup and has never let Wiegman down. Her communication and defensive organisation is highly valued.
But since moving from Manchester United to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, Earps’ form has been patchy, registering just one clean sheet. It takes time to adapt to a new team, manager, culture and language and that change has been reflected in her performances
On Friday, Wiegman opted to play Hannah Hampton who has cemented her position as Chelsea’s No 1, having moved from Aston Villa in the summer of 2023. Hampton started against her predecessor, former Chelsea No. 1 Berger in the opposite goal.
Hampton could do little about Gwinn’s well-taken penalty in the fourth minute or the arrowed dart seven minutes later, but she should have done better against Klara Buhl’s effort which wriggled underneath her. She also spilled her catch for the cross which led to Germany’s penalty in the 71st minute which put them 4-2 up.
The quick footwork and finger-tip save onto the crossbar to deny Linda Dllmann’s audacious 35-yard lob, a crucial stop to prevent Jule Brand and another save to flick Felicitas Rauch’s effort over the bar to keep England in it clearly shows the talent Wiegman sees. Her distribution is a huge asset that allows her team to beat opponents’ press. She released Lauren Hemp and Bronze out wide with diagonal balls and allowed Walsh to turn with a simple central ball from the back.
One would expect Earps to play in England’s next match on Tuesday but there is a notable difference in the magnitude of the two friendlies: Euro finalists Germany at Wembley in front of a 47,167-strong crowd compared to the inferior opposition of South Africa at Coventry. A reshuffling of the pack is on the cards but has Hampton done enough to convince Wiegman?
— Feringa
What does this result mean for England?
A rematch of the Euro 2022 final is arguably the perfect opportunity to take stock ahead of next summer’s finals, and for Wiegman, this was a performance she cannot ignore.
England have been far from their best since reaching the 2023 World Cup final. They disappointingly missed out on qualifying for the Olympics on behalf of Team GB and stumbled through Euro 2025 qualifying, finishing second behind France. Stagnation was the word of the hour to describe this period.
However, many of these problem areas, key areas of concern for Wiegman over the past year — specifically defensive frailties — were exploited by Germany. This raises the question of how, and more pressingly when, they will be addressed.
The tenacity demonstrated to claw back two goals before half-time after going 3-0 down and ultimately drawing themselves within one goal with just nine minutes of regular time remaining is undeniably a positive.
However, the quality needed to complete the comeback was for want despite the laudable effort shown in the final 10 minutes. England were largely indebted to moments of brilliance from Russo, Lauren Hemp, Mead and Stanway to bail out poorer performances elsewhere.
For Wiegman, this is not a call to panic but rather, a call to adjust.
— Harpur
What next for England?
Tuesday, October 29: South Africa (H; Coventry Building Society Arena), friendly, 7.45pm UK, 3.45pm ET
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(Top photo: Marc Atkins / Getty Images)
