England were brought back to earth with a small, if likely inconsequential, bump in the first match of their Homecoming Series as a 2-1 defeat by Brazil at the Etihad Stadium exposed the Lionesses’ defensive fragility. Brazil’s first-half goals were a reflection of England’s struggles with dealing with direct, transitional forward play as well as a consequence of their instability at the back and the fact they are missing key players.
England’s weakness in defence is nothing new – it has been evident on a relatively consistent basis over the last couple of years regardless of the personnel available. They have recorded one clean sheet in their last seven games, relying on their resilience, never-say-die attitude and wealth of attacking players. Unfortunately for them on this occasion, the last part was lacking despite the significant pressure the forward line applied once their opponents were reduced to 10 players, thanks to Angelina’s 21st-minute red card.
