England v Latvia: Sarina Wiegman wants Lionesses to ‘carry on scoring’ at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium

England manager Sarina Wiegman has stressed she wants to see another “ruthless” performance from her side when they play Latvia in tonight’s World Cup qualifier in Doncaster.
England's Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo and Jill Scott participate in a training session at Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium ahead of Tuesday night's World Cup qualifier against Latvia. Picture: Lynne Cameron/The FA/Getty ImagesEngland's Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo and Jill Scott participate in a training session at Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium ahead of Tuesday night's World Cup qualifier against Latvia. Picture: Lynne Cameron/The FA/Getty Images
England's Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo and Jill Scott participate in a training session at Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium ahead of Tuesday night's World Cup qualifier against Latvia. Picture: Lynne Cameron/The FA/Getty Images

The Lionesses won 10-0 when the teams met in their initial Group D encounter in Riga last month.

When asked at her pre-match press conference about things the team could work on with regard to this match, Wiegman said: “Just get our game to the next level again. So speed up the game, have high ball tempo but being patient, have runs behind the defence – we’re just putting emphasis on those things all the time. And then in the final third, stay aggressive, keep scanning and composed, and of course, ruthless, to get the ball in the net.

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“Things like that, and then the team has to collaborate really well, so stay connected and co-operate well so we can create many, many chances and score these goals.”

England coach Sarina Wiegman looks on during a training session at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster Picture: Lynne Cameron/The FA/Getty ImagesEngland coach Sarina Wiegman looks on during a training session at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster Picture: Lynne Cameron/The FA/Getty Images
England coach Sarina Wiegman looks on during a training session at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster Picture: Lynne Cameron/The FA/Getty Images

England continued their 100 per cent start in Group D – in which they had scored 32 goals without reply across their four previous games – by beating Austria 1-0 in Sunderland on Saturday.

The match at the Stadium of Light saw Ellen White mark her 100th England cap by scoring the winner, leaving her just one goal behind Kelly Smith’s Lionesses record of 46.

On the prospect of Manchester City’s White equalling or breaking the record, Wiegman said: “Of course, that’s an amazing moment, as it was when she played her 100th cap.

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“She has shown so much consistency, the way she lives football, that’s the only way you can do things like this. It would be really nice if she scores a record goal, but we just have to score goals – it doesn’t really matter who scores the goals, as long as we score a lot of them.

ON THE BRINK: England’s Ellen White, right, with Jill Scott needs one goal to equal Kelly Smith’s record of 46 and she could do so against Latvia at Doncaster tonight. Picture: Lynee Cameron/Getty ImagesON THE BRINK: England’s Ellen White, right, with Jill Scott needs one goal to equal Kelly Smith’s record of 46 and she could do so against Latvia at Doncaster tonight. Picture: Lynee Cameron/Getty Images
ON THE BRINK: England’s Ellen White, right, with Jill Scott needs one goal to equal Kelly Smith’s record of 46 and she could do so against Latvia at Doncaster tonight. Picture: Lynee Cameron/Getty Images

“In this Latvia game, obviously we want to score lots of goals, and we’ll see what happens during the game.”

White’s fellow forward Nikita Parris, who came on in the second half on Saturday, will not be involved, having left the squad in order to get some rest.

Parris played for Great Britain at the Tokyo Olympics during the summer, in which she also moved from Lyon to Arsenal.

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Wiegman said: “There’s not a big problem, she’s okay. Nikita has had so much load during the last two years, from Lyon to England she hardly had any rest.

“During the week we had some chats with her, also with the medical staff, and after the game we decided, together with her, it was good for her to have a few days off. Our squad is fit, everyone can play, so it was an option to give her some days off.”

England had been due to train at Newcastle’s academy but that was cancelled because of a frozen pitch.

Wiegman said: “We are looking at another scenario, because we really want to train.

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“We’re going to do everything to get a pitch, and if not we’ll find other solutions to get some load in the players’ legs to be ready.”

The fixture at the Keepmoat Stadium will represent a return for the former Doncaster Belles players in England’s squad, which includes defender Millie Bright, who is leading in the absence of Leah Williamson and Steph Houghton.

Whitby winger Beth Mead was among the ex-Sunderland players involved in Saturday’s game, and she said: “It was my first time playing there (at the stadium).

“I got to play in front of my family, which is the first time in two years.

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“I got a great reception from people I’ve probably not see for a long time, people I played with a long time ago.

“It was an amazing feeling for me and I have already said to the girls when they go back to Doncaster to just take it all in and enjoy every moment while they are out there.”

Manager Gemma Grainger expects to discover how far Wales have progressed against France tonight.

Wales are unbeaten in 2023 Women’s World Cup qualification, having taken 13 points from five games.

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But their biggest test awaits them in Guingamp as Group I leaders France, ranked fifth in the world, defend their 100 per cent qualifying record.

“We are the underdog and I’m sure the expectation outside the group is pretty low,” said Grainger, the former England age-grade head coach who was appointed Wales chief in March.

“But our expectation is high in terms of the performance that we want to put on.”

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