Latest news with #Lioness
North Wales Chronicle
a day ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Sarina Wiegman still weighing up options before naming England's Euros squad
Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones certainly made a case for inclusion on Friday night, when she became just the second Lioness to score a hat-trick at Wembley in England's 6-0 Nations League dismantling of Portugal. Wiegman agreed she and her team needed to consider a number of factors – including fitness and relationships – when choosing which 23 players would defend England's title in Switzerland. Time to relive all six goals! 😍 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) May 30, 2025 'Of course you want these connections,' said Wiegman. 'Some players play more together than others. You have your opponents and of course, we still have players that are building too, so can they go to the level they had before they had injuries? 'I don't know yet. We're still trying out things and finding the balance.' England must beat World Cup holders Spain in their final Nations League group-stage meeting on Tuesday to clinch top of their group and advance to the autumn knockouts, which will determine the 2025 winners. It is also a final opportunity for players who might feel they are on the fringe to fight for their spot in Switzerland. Clinching at least second spot in Group Three through the Portugal triumph means England avoid a more complicated play-off situation and secure a more-favourable qualifying pathway for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. Long-term injured trio Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp all returned to the pitch against Portugal, the latter starting and looking in form on Friday night. 'They've worked so hard to get where they are right now and that's what they showed,' added Wiegman. 'If you haven't put all the work in it to this point, then you cannot have a good performance, so I'm really happy with that. 'Of course we need to keep building, the Euros are really coming close and at the same time, we want to perform in the Nations League, so we are trying to find that balance.' One of the biggest questions ahead of Thursday's announcement is whether or not Chelsea forward Lauren James – who scored three goals and added three assists at the 2023 World Cup – will have recovered enough from the hamstring injury she sustained in April. Arsenal striker Alessia Russo was forced to sit out Friday night's encounter with a calf issue, but Wiegman said before the contest that she hoped the Women's Super League joint-Golden Boot winner would be available to face Spain. 'We have so many options up front in the squad right now,' Wiegman added. 'And what we also hope for is that LJ (James) is coming back too. 'She's already up and doing good, so trying to build her too, seeing what the competition of course will be. 'I hope every striker will be fit that we have now in the squad and LJ added to that, it's going to be really hard for me to make decisions for the Euros squad.'
Rhyl Journal
a day ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Sarina Wiegman still weighing up options before naming England's Euros squad
Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones certainly made a case for inclusion on Friday night, when she became just the second Lioness to score a hat-trick at Wembley in England's 6-0 Nations League dismantling of Portugal. Wiegman agreed she and her team needed to consider a number of factors – including fitness and relationships – when choosing which 23 players would defend England's title in Switzerland. Time to relive all six goals! 😍 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) May 30, 2025 'Of course you want these connections,' said Wiegman. 'Some players play more together than others. You have your opponents and of course, we still have players that are building too, so can they go to the level they had before they had injuries? 'I don't know yet. We're still trying out things and finding the balance.' England must beat World Cup holders Spain in their final Nations League group-stage meeting on Tuesday to clinch top of their group and advance to the autumn knockouts, which will determine the 2025 winners. It is also a final opportunity for players who might feel they are on the fringe to fight for their spot in Switzerland. Clinching at least second spot in Group Three through the Portugal triumph means England avoid a more complicated play-off situation and secure a more-favourable qualifying pathway for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. Long-term injured trio Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp all returned to the pitch against Portugal, the latter starting and looking in form on Friday night. 'They've worked so hard to get where they are right now and that's what they showed,' added Wiegman. 'If you haven't put all the work in it to this point, then you cannot have a good performance, so I'm really happy with that. 'Of course we need to keep building, the Euros are really coming close and at the same time, we want to perform in the Nations League, so we are trying to find that balance.' One of the biggest questions ahead of Thursday's announcement is whether or not Chelsea forward Lauren James – who scored three goals and added three assists at the 2023 World Cup – will have recovered enough from the hamstring injury she sustained in April. Arsenal striker Alessia Russo was forced to sit out Friday night's encounter with a calf issue, but Wiegman said before the contest that she hoped the Women's Super League joint-Golden Boot winner would be available to face Spain. 'We have so many options up front in the squad right now,' Wiegman added. 'And what we also hope for is that LJ (James) is coming back too. 'She's already up and doing good, so trying to build her too, seeing what the competition of course will be. 'I hope every striker will be fit that we have now in the squad and LJ added to that, it's going to be really hard for me to make decisions for the Euros squad.'
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Sarina Wiegman still weighing up options before naming England's Euros squad
England boss Sarina Wiegman revealed she was still tinkering with options ahead of naming her squad for this summer's Euros on Thursday. Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones certainly made a case for inclusion on Friday night, when she became just the second Lioness to score a hat-trick at Wembley in England's 6-0 Nations League dismantling of Portugal. Wiegman agreed she and her team needed to consider a number of factors – including fitness and relationships – when choosing which 23 players would defend England's title in Switzerland. Time to relive all six goals! 😍 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) May 30, 2025 'Of course you want these connections,' said Wiegman. 'Some players play more together than others. You have your opponents and of course, we still have players that are building too, so can they go to the level they had before they had injuries? 'I don't know yet. We're still trying out things and finding the balance.' England must beat World Cup holders Spain in their final Nations League group-stage meeting on Tuesday to clinch top of their group and advance to the autumn knockouts, which will determine the 2025 winners. It is also a final opportunity for players who might feel they are on the fringe to fight for their spot in Switzerland. Clinching at least second spot in Group Three through the Portugal triumph means England avoid a more complicated play-off situation and secure a more-favourable qualifying pathway for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. Long-term injured trio Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp all returned to the pitch against Portugal, the latter starting and looking in form on Friday night. 'They've worked so hard to get where they are right now and that's what they showed,' added Wiegman. 'If you haven't put all the work in it to this point, then you cannot have a good performance, so I'm really happy with that. 'Of course we need to keep building, the Euros are really coming close and at the same time, we want to perform in the Nations League, so we are trying to find that balance.' One of the biggest questions ahead of Thursday's announcement is whether or not Chelsea forward Lauren James – who scored three goals and added three assists at the 2023 World Cup – will have recovered enough from the hamstring injury she sustained in April. Arsenal striker Alessia Russo was forced to sit out Friday night's encounter with a calf issue, but Wiegman said before the contest that she hoped the Women's Super League joint-Golden Boot winner would be available to face Spain. 'We have so many options up front in the squad right now,' Wiegman added. 'And what we also hope for is that LJ (James) is coming back too. 'She's already up and doing good, so trying to build her too, seeing what the competition of course will be. 'I hope every striker will be fit that we have now in the squad and LJ added to that, it's going to be really hard for me to make decisions for the Euros squad.'
South Wales Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Aggie Beever-Jones nets hat-trick as England thrash Portugal in Nations League
The Chelsea forward led the line in place of the injured Alessia Russo, and fired the hosts in front in the third minute before club-mate Lucy Bronze nodded in a second less than two minutes later. Beever-Jones struck twice more either side of Beth Mead's 29th-minute goal to hand England a 5-0 lead in the 33rd minute, and substitute Chloe Kelly added a sixth after the break. It's a hat-trick at @wembleystadium for @AggieBjones! 🤩 — Lionesses (@Lionesses) May 30, 2025 The 21-year-old Beever-Jones is just the second Lioness to score a hat-trick at Wembley and third woman on record to have done so, after Mead and Italy's Carolina Morace. England's triumph ensures they are still in contention to advance to the autumn Nations League finals, but will need to beat group leaders Spain on Tuesday night to finish top of their group. News of Euro 2022-winning goalkeeper Mary Earps' retirement from international football just a few days earlier had dominated the Lionesses discourse leading up to the encounter, arguably the first in which Chelsea's Hannah Hampton was – unequivocally – England's number one. Lauren Hemp, who has returned to Sarina Wiegman's squad after recovering from a long-term knee injury, started an England contest for the first time since October 2024, while Arsenal striker Russo was missing, for at least this contest, with a calf issue. Beever-Jones got started early, taking full advantage after Andreia Norton was caught out under pressure, darting around a couple of red shirts before finding the bottom left after a deflection off of a Portugal player. Bronze then quickly made it two, an opportunity facilitated by Hemp's cross and Mead getting a touch before the ball pinged off a Portuguese foot and into the air for the Chelsea right-back to nod home. It was all England – save a Norton header which clipped Hampton's right post – before Bronze turned provider with a pinpoint cross to set up Beever-Jones, whose header caught the underside of the crossbar as she made it 3-0 in the 26th minute. Mead extended England's advantage just before the half hour, latching onto Jess Park's through ball and – after cleverly nutmegging Amado – fluidly finished past Ines Pereira's outstretched leg. This is what is means ❤️ — Lionesses (@Lionesses) May 30, 2025 Beever-Jones then completed her hat-trick, this time released with a lovely long ball from captain Leah Williamson, and – utterly unfazed as a sea of red closed in – made it 5-0 in the 33rd minute. England boss Wiegman called on three second-half substitutes just before the hour, one of them Kelly, the newly-crowned Champions League winner with Arsenal. The Manchester City loanee – whose contract expires in June – replaced Hemp in the 58th minute and got on the scoresheet four minutes later, nodding in a delivery from fellow Gunner Mead. Alex Greenwood nearly made it seven, clipping the crossbar from a free-kick, before Pereira denied Mead from doing the same with a diving stop late in the half.
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Saturday's briefing: Beever-Jones nets England treble as Liverpool bid for Wirtz
Liverpool have made an improved offer for Bayer Leverkusen striker Florian Wirtz as they attempt to beat Bayern Munich and Manchester City to his signature. For Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim, the focus is retaining the services of skipper Bruno Fernandes. Three-sy does it Aggie Beever-Jones (right) scored a first-half treble against Portugal (Adam Davy/PA) Beever-Jones marked her first Wembley start for England with a hat-trick in a 6-0 Nations League rout of Portugal. The 21-year-old Chelsea striker became just the third woman – and second Lioness after Beth Mead – to score three times at headquarters, where Lucy Bronze, Mead and substitute Chloe Kelly were also on target. Beever-Jones said: 'I'm delighted. I don't even know any of the records and whatever, but I think someone just said it was Beth, so to be alongside her is something really, really incredible. 'It's my first time playing at Wembley for England and I don't think it could actually get much better than that. 'It was incredible. Wembley's always been a special place. Obviously, we won the FA Cup here not so long ago with Chelsea, I saw the girls win the Euros here – for me it's such a historic place.' Going with the Flo Liverpool have tabled an improved offer for Bayer Leverkusen's Germany international Florian Wirtz (Bradley Collyer/PA) Liverpool have made an improved offer totalling £109million for Bayer Leverkusen forward Wirtz, the PA news agency understands. The Reds' second bid for the Germany International – which includes add-ons – would make him the most expensive signing in the club's history if it was accepted by Leverkusen. Wirtz was a star performer in the Bundesliga club's domestic league and cup triumph in the 2023-24 season and also shone for Germany at last summer's Euros. Should he stay or should he go? Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is hopeful that skipper Bruno Fernandes (pictured) wants to stay at Old Trafford (Martin Rickett/PA) Amorim thinks skipper Fernandes wants to stay at Manchester United amid interest from free-spending Saudi side Al-Hilal. Fernandes, 30, admitted after the Europa League final defeat by Tottenham loss that United could end up cashing in on him with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal reportedly willing to triple his salary and pay the Premier League club up to £100million. Asked after his side's 3-1 friendly win over Hong Kong if whether that might have been Fernandes' last appearance for the club, head coach Amorim said: 'I don't think so. 'I don't know for sure, nobody knows, but I don't think so. I think he wants to stay. He needs to be in the best league in the world.' What's on today? All eyes will be on Munich's Allianz Arena on Saturday evening as Paris St Germain attempt to finally get their hands on the Champions League trophy. However, standing in the way of the French double winners are three-times European champions Inter Milan, who are desperate to soothe their pain at surrendering the Serie title to Napoli. Inter were beaten in the 2023 final by Manchester City in Istanbul, three years after PSG went down to Bayern Munich in Lisbon, but one of them will emerge victorious this time around.
