England forward Bethany England has called for stakeholders to invest in the next generation of Lionesses to ensure her side’s historic World Cup run does not amount to a one-off.
Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the Sydney final meant England’s women under Sarina Wiegman came just short of bringing a World Cup trophy home for the first time since Sir Alf Ramsey and his men were crowned world champions in 1966.
Second was still a best-ever result for the Lionesses in a global showpiece, beating the bronze medal from eight years ago in Canada, and Spurs striker England is determined for the moment to live on as part of a lasting legacy.
She agreed knowing this summer’s campaign would still inspire millions of young people was a “huge comfort”, adding: “Everyone wanted us to win, we wanted us to win and we didn’t, but hopefully we’ve still been able to show that we can do it, we can get there.
“Hopefully this opportunity will come round again but I think for everyone that we have inspired, everyone that’s stuck with us along the way, everyone that’s supported us, I can’t be more thankful for them.
“Hopefully again, more funding, everything gets pumped into grassroots because the talent’s there, you’ve got to go and find it and I think for us we’ve shown that we can compete at major tournaments and get all the way so the more we can help the younger generations for the future the better.”
The 29-year-old was part of the squad that last summer lifted the Euro 2022 trophy at Wembley, a first major tournament triumph for the Lionesses, though England did not feature in a single minute of the competition.
She was more involved in the World Cup, playing 56 minutes as a substitute across five of the Lionesses’ seven matches.
In January, England took a big risk when she left Chelsea after seven years to join Tottenham, where she hoped to get more playing time and impress back-to-back European championship-winning boss Wiegman enough to earn a ticket to Australia.
Like the rest of her team-mates, England, who ended the season with the third-most goals in the Women’s Super League, admits “it’s sad” not to have gone all the way in the World Cup, but added: “A lot of emotions. We’ve come so far, we’ve been together now nine weeks on the road and I think everyone can hold their heads high. We gave everything.
“Unfortunately, we fell at the last hurdle but ultimately I think everyone should be more than proud of what they have achieved. We’ve made history already. Hopefully we’ve continued to inspire the nation.”
Days after England and her team-mates secured their European title last summer, the Lionesses wrote a letter to then-Conservative leadership candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak demanding an equal PE provision for girls and boys after learning that, according to Football Association (FA) data, only 63 per cent of schools offered girls’ football in lessons.
Their campaign paid off on International Women’s Day in March, when the government announced that girls would be granted equal access to all school sport as part of a package of measures backed by over £600 million in funding over the following two academic years.
Nearly six months after that pledge, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, speaking in Sydney, told the PA news agency the government is optimistic that a universal offering would be achieved by the end of that period.
She said: “We made a massive investment and commitment in making sure that young girls in school can play the games that they want to, just like the boys.
“We will be monitoring how schools are taking that up, because we really want to ensure that there is equality for boys and girls in school, whether they want to play football or cricket or any other sport.
“I’m confident that we will achieve our target because it is really important that we get more girls involved in sport.”
The Prime Minister and FA president Prince William were criticised for not travelling to Sydney to watch Sunday’s unprecedented encounter, with some arguing the pair would have definitely made the journey if Gareth Southgate’s men were to find themselves in a World Cup final.
The Prime Minister, Prince of Wales and King Charles sent remote messages of support, and Frazer was insistent that Sunak “feels very passionately about the women’s game.”
Whether that enthusiasm will ultimately translate into additional earmarked government funding and investment at the end of the initial two-year commitment remains less clear, with Frazer adding: “What the Lionesses have done is set in train a massive legacy where we’ve seen significant investment going already.
“But of course further investment is considered at appropriate points in the spending review cycles.”
Charlotte FC v New England Revolution: Smith demands attacking improvements
Dean Smith knows Charlotte FC must start producing in the final third if they are to cling onto an MLS Cup Playoff spot, starting with Saturday's meeting with the New England Revolution.
Charlotte sit seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, boasting a five-point cushion to those outside the playoff places, but they have struggled since the Leagues Cup break.
Wednesday's 2-0 defeat at Orlando City was their third loss in succession, and they have only scored twice in four games since returning to MLS play, leaving Smith frustrated.
"At the moment we're having to work really hard to stay in a game, because we're not creating enough big chances, we're not scoring enough goals full stop," Smith said.
"So I was really frustrated. As I say, that's something that's probably crept in over the last four games since we came back from the break.
"We've only scored two goals in the last four games since the Leagues Cup and I feel some of the players are struggling to find their form and their confidence at the moment.
"At this point of the season, that little bit of a lack of concentration has been disappointing."
New England, meanwhile, threw away a 2-0 lead in their 2-2 midweek draw with CF Montreal, a result that leaves them five points adrift of the playoff picture at the foot of the Eastern Conference.
"It's another disappointing result. That's six points we've dropped in our last three home games," Porter said. "We could have been in a much different situation.
"We've got to pick ourselves back up and continue to look at the good, but as I told the guys, I'm tired of seeing them fall off in the second halves."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Charlotte FC – Patrick Agyemang
With the hosts struggling for goals, they may need Agyemang to step up. He started on the bench last time out and has appeared as a substitute eight times this season, yet his seven goals are still more than any of his team-mates.
New England Revolution – Carles Gil
Gil laid on an assist as the Revs drew with Montreal last time out, his 10th in 22 appearances this season – more than any other Revs player.
MATCH PREDICTION – CHARLOTTE FC WIN
Charlotte are winless in their last six regular-season matches, registering three straight draws then being defeated in each of their last three, having won four of their previous six before this run began.
New England have not fared much better of late, though, going four league games without a win (two draws, two defeats) and only winning one of their last nine (three draws, five losses).
No team in the Eastern Conference has lost more away games than the Revs' nine this term, so this match could come at a good time for Charlotte.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Charlotte FC – 51.5%
New England Revolution – 23.8%
Draw – 24.7%
Defending champs Clarendon College move to three from three with 6-0 win over Thompson Town
Clarendon College continued their quest to defend their ISSA/DaCosta Cup title with a 6-0 victory over Thompson Town High at Foga Road High on Wednesday.
Justin Hayles and Keanu Jennings both scored doubles to help the defending champs move to a perfect nine points from as many games to lead Zone H.
Denbigh High moved up into second place in Zone H after their 5-1 win over Edwin Allen High at Edwin Allen.
Three other schools also got their third win as Ocho Rios High, William Knibb Memorial and Manchester High secured victories over Aabuthnott Gallimore, Discovery Bay High and deCarteret College, respectively.
Ocho Rios High improved their advantage in Zone K after a 4-0 win over Aabuthnott Gallimore High with Tyrese Brown scoring a hat trick and Ryan Francis getting the other.
Ocho Rios High are now on nine points after a third straight win, four more than second place Ferncourt High.
William Knibb Memorial managed a 1-0 win over Discovery Bay High for their third win in Zone D while Michael Reid and Javis Lloyd scored for Manchester High in their 2-1 win over deCarteret College.
Tyrese Gowe and Raheem Harris both scored doubles to lead Dinthill Technical to a 6-0 win over Charlemont High as Gaybriel Anderson and Giovanni Afflick also got one goal each.
This was the second win for Dinthill Technical who now lead Zone J on goal difference over McGrath High.
At Jarrett Park, St James High rallied twice to earn an exciting 3-3 draw against Green Pond High in Zone A.
Green Pond got off to a fast start and were leading 2-0 with goals from Garth-Dane Bromwell in the seventh minute and Jerome Whynn in the 16th minute.
St James hit back with goals from Kevar Stewart in the 36th minute and Rory Smith in the 43rd minute as they were tied at 2-2 at half time.
Bromwell restored Green Pond High’s lead in the 46th minute but St James salvaged a point when Tariq Kerr scored in the 77th minute.
Garvey Maceo rebounded from their loss to Glenmuir High on Saturday with a 12-1 beating of Porus High with Omarion O’Brian and Rajay McLaughlin both leading the way with hat tricks while Maliek Robinson scored a brace.
Other results
Maggoty High 2-0 Lacovia High
Mile Gully High 0-2 Alphansus Davis High
Holmwood Technical 3-1 Knox College
Claude McKay High 0-3 Lennon High
Yallahs High 0-2 Morant Bay High
Robert Lightbourne High 1-3 Paul Bogle High
Seaforth High 0-4 Happy Grove High
Titchfield High 2-1 St. Mary High
Horace Clarke High 1-4 Port Antonio High
Tough going: Ja's Frazsiers Whip mauled 7-1 by Mexico's Tigres UANL in Women's Champions Cup
Jamaica’s Frazsiers Whip suffered a third-consecutive loss in the Concacaf Women’s Champions Cup as they were hammered 7-1 by Mexican counterparts Tigres UANL Femenil in another lopsided Group A affair at the National Stadium on Wednesday.
Ana Dias (sixth), Ana Seica (14th), Thembi Kgatlana (23rd), Alison Gonzalez (60th), Belen Cruz (62nd), and a brace from Stephany Mayor (81st and 90+8) completed the rout for Tigres UANL.
Davia Richards (55th) got Frazsiers Whip’s first goal of the tournament which served as a consolation for the St Catherine outfit.
The win propelled Tigres UANL to the top of the group on six points, while Frazsiers Whip remain rooted at the foot of the five-team table without a point. NY/NJ Gotham (three points), Alajuelense (three points) and CF Monterrey (three points) are the other teams in the group.
It was always expected to be another tough encounter for Frazsiers Whip and they found themselves behind when Dias fired home a firm right-footer from dead centre of the box.
Seica doubled the lead for the six-time Liga MX Femenil Champions when she rose above defenders to head past Italya Robinson in goal for Frazsiers Whip from a corner kick.
Davia Richards celebrates her team's first goal of the tournament.
Before the Frazsiers Whip could catch their breath, they found themselves further behind, as Kgatlana found space inside the 18-yard box to drive home a right-footed effort to put Tigres UANL 3-0 up at the break.
Needing a goal to lift their spirits, Frazsiers Whip got just that from Richards, who fired home, from an angle, 10 minutes into the resumption to give the Jamaican fans something to celebrate.
However, it was back to regular proceedings for Tigres UANL five minutes later when Gonzalez converted from the penalty spot after being felled inside the red zone.
Cruz then added a fifth two minutes past the hour mark as she slotted home from a weighted Dias cross.
It was then time for the Stephany Mayor show as the former Mexican captain got in on the act with a well-taken effort on the volley that gave Robinson no chance at a save.
Mayor then completed her brace and her team’s win with another tidy right-footed finish in time added.
Tigres UANL will next host Costa Rican champions LD Alajuelense on October 2 in Mexico, while Frazsiers Whip will welcome NWSL champions NJ/NY Gotham on the same day, at the National Stadium.
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