Sarina Wiegman says England’s penalties win against Brazil showed they “can do it” after extensive preparations finally came to fruition in their first shoot-out victory.
The Lionesses won 4-2 on spot-kicks in the inaugural Women’s Finalissima at Wembley, having drawn 1-1 over 90 minutes, and extended their unbeaten run under Wiegman to 30 games.
After her Euro 2022-winning goal, Chloe Kelly stepped up once again to see England to victory.
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Image: England Women lift the Finalissima trophy after beating Brazil Women at Wembley
The team had undergone in-depth penalty preparations during Euro 2022 in anticipation of a shoot-out but never had to use it.
Wiegman said of the penalty victory: “Experiences always help. You recognise situations, how you feel when you make that walk in front of 83,000 people screaming.
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“It really helps and shows that we can do it and that we know what job we have to do when going into penalties.
“Last year we had some hard moments and the team really showed we can do it, but we hadn’t had a shoot-out yet in an environment like this. Of course, you practice it and try to get as close as possible to a real game, but it can’t get more real than this. Every experience will help you to move forward.”
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Chloe Kelly reveals the Lionesses had to ‘trust in the process’ when they faced a shoot-out against Brazil and secured the Finalissima victory with a 4-2 on penalties
England had lost their first two shoot-outs – at the Euros in 1984 and the 2011 World Cup – prior to Thursday’s game against Brazil, but stepped up when it mattered in front of a big Wembley crowd.
She added to Sky Sports News: “We said ‘we have to do a job here’ and we were prepared. Before the Euros, we trained it a lot, we knew the plans. Now, we had to execute it.
“We had a circle and talked about the sequence we were going to take them and the players did really good and Mary (Earps) did well as well.
“It shows the team has resilience, we know the next step and we can’t change what happens anymore so you have to move on. And they did that brilliantly.”
Toone: Penalty miss won’t happen again
Image: England's Ella Toone celebrates after scoring against Brazil in the Women's Finalissima at Wembley
Ella Toone was the only England player to miss her spot-kick, but did score the opening goal in the first half that looked to be the winner until the 93rd minute.
The Man Utd forward expressed her disappointment at the miss, but praised club and country team-mate Mary Earps for her support in the aftermath.
She told Sky Sports News: “That’s football, I’m disappointed, I’m not going to lie. I’ve got very hard standards of myself and obviously, I don’t want to miss a penalty, but thanks to Mary (Earps) for getting me out of it. I’ll work on that, I’ll go back into training, I’ll put that right and it won’t happen again.
Image: England react during penalty shootout against Brazil in the Women's Finalissima
“Mary has very high standards herself, the first thing she said to us was, ‘I’m sorry’ but that’s Mary, she managed to put that right in the shoot-out and pulled me out of the first as well.
“Penalty shoot-outs always happen in tournaments and we’ve prepared ourselves the best way we can tonight by doing it in front of all of those fans at Wembley. We’ll watch it back and see how we can improve next time.
“It was a difficult test, we dominated the first half and second half we came out fighting. They put us under pressure, we were unlucky to concede really late on but then we’ve re-focused ourselves and managed to come out on top.”
Explained: Why England’s penalty win is so important
Image: Mary Earps celebrates after England won on penalties against Brazil in the Finalissima
Sky Sports’ Charlotte Marsh at Wembley:
“England have not gone 30 matches unbeaten under Wiegman without facing a few battles. They have won big knockout games and even major tournaments in extra-time, coping with the pressure in the must-win moments.
“But they were yet to win a game on penalties – ever. They lost 4-3 in both of their previous shoot-outs against Sweden at Euro 1984 and France at the 2011 World Cup.
“Of course, none of the current Lionesses squad would have been involved in either of those previous matches, but the spectre of penalty shoot-out failure often hangs over every England squad. It’s a cruelty that has befallen the men’s team in particular time and again.
“But this women’s team is special, bred to win and fear nothing. They practised spot-kicks extensively during Euro 2022, although never had to use them.
“The timing and victory in the Finalissima will be vital for their World Cup preparations.
“April’s two games are the final matches before Wiegman chooses her World Cup squad, with the tournament three and half months away. It is perfectly reasonable to assume penalties will happen in the knockout rounds, and England now have competitive, high-pressure shoot-out experience under their belts.
“Within that too, they have also fought back under adversity. Mary Earps’ late spill could have knocked the goalkeeper’s confidence ahead of a shoot-out, but she made a fine save from Tamires. Ella Toone too will learn from her own penalty miss.
“Winning on penalties also breeds even more confidence – the Lionesses know they can maintain composure and concentration in the tensest of environments and come out victorious on the other side.
“It is another first for this group, but one of their most important so far, and a further example of Wiegman’s winning mentality permeating into every possible situation.
“That mindset and experience will be so important heading into the summer. This is still a very young squad in terms of international football, but these building blocks will only continue to spearhead them towards success.”
White: Another great challenge passed by this team
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Faye White says the last-minute drama against Brazil that saw England win the Finalissima in a shoot-out was a ‘great test’ for the upcoming World Cup
Former England captain Faye White on Sky Sports News:
“What a test that is. When they look back that is perfect preparation. Obviously, you want them to win the game outright but to have that pressure, it means a lot for these players.
“I was expecting Leah Williamson to be one of the penalty takers, but when you look through the names we are blessed with some good penalty takers.”
Asked how much confidence this will give England, White added: “It’s huge for them. Every hurdle that’s been put up in front of this team they are coping, they’re adjusting.
“In the second period, a different Brazil came out and they took a while to get used to that but if you’d just gone through in the World Cup on penalties that would give you massive confidence.
“To have that preparation and that memory in their bank going into a World Cup, saying ‘We did that at Wembley in front of 83,000 against a good Brazilian team’.
“You always as a player refer back to those good positive moments in your career to give you that belief that you can go again and go into the next challenge.
“It’s another great challenge which has been passed by this team.”
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