Mark Sampson’s bold ambitions of European domination were reduced to tatters as, inspired by Danielle van de Donk’s outstanding midfield performance, Holland left his Lionesses uncharacteristically cowed and thoroughly chastened.
Well before the final whistle, the England coach’s tight white shirt had been torn,
Barry Larkin Youth Jersey perhaps emblematically, during a particularly vexing technical area moment. As Sampson stewed over some controversial refereeing decisions, the Oranje ended an evening on which their nation finally seemed to have fallen in love with women’s football, having deservedly earned a place in Sunday’s final against Denmark.
It left Sampson talking of his “disappointment,” of the “devastation in the dressing room” and “tears among the staff”. For all his annoyance about specific incidents, the young Welshman was in impressively magnanimous mode.
“We always knew it was going to be difficult,”
http://www.authenticcincinnatireds.com/Billy-Hamilton-Jersey he said. “Congratulations to Holland they deserve their place in the final. I wish them all the best. Their supporters made it a wonderful night for women’s football.”
Even so the hosts’ triumph was surely facilitated partly by the loss of England’s Jill Scott to suspension. The former junior cross-country champions covers a lot of miles, invariably box to box, and, as feared, her athletic dynamism proved much missed.
Scott’s place went to the veteran Fara Williams who adopted the deepest sitting holding role alongside Jade Moore in a 4-2-3-1 formation seemingly
Bo Jackson Authentic Jersey designed to frustrate Holland before aiming to overwhelm Sarina Wiegman’s side on the counterattack. Unfortunately Sampson’s midfield struggled to cope with the excellent Van de Donk, who eclipsed her Arsenal team-mate Williams.
Beforehand Wiegman had labelled England a long-ball team and, for lengthy stretches, they looked two-dimensional at best as they strove to contain a front three featuring Lieke Martens, Barcelona’s new £180,000-a-year left winger. As the message emblazoned on one Dutch banner, put it: “Who needs Neymar when you’ve got Martens.”
She was up against a formidable opponent in Lucy Bronze and initially found getting behind England’s right-back tricky. With Wiegman’s defence holding similarly firm, Sampson’s leading striker, Jodie Taylor lacked early chances to challenge her Arsenal team-mate and good friend, Holland’s goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal.
It was turning into a cagey, physical game but then England suffered a concentration lapse. With Demi Stokes minding Holland’s menacing right winger, Shanice van der Sanden, Ellen White failed to close down Jackie Groenen, who used the resultant space to swing in a cross towards Vivianne Miedema at the far post.
Miedema, newly signed by Arsenal from Bayern Munich, had no hesitation in heading beyond the England goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain.
http://www.authentickansascityroyals.com/Brandon-Moss-Jersey The ball’s unerring trajectory left Millie Bright, hoping to clear off the line, merely helping usher it on its journey to the bottom corner. It was only the second goal the Lionesses had conceded during Euro 2017 and the first time they had fallen behind.
Already a sea of orange, FC Twente’s home had turned into a wall of sound as many of the 27,000-plus crowd celebrated. A test of England’s much vaunted mental resilience beckoned and they appeared to rally. From a corner Moore unleashed a header which looked to be going wide until Sherida Spitse hacked it onto a post from where, to wholesale Dutch relief, it rebounded to safety.
England then demanded a penalty – with some justification – when Desiree van Lunteren appeared to elbow White as they competed for Bronze’s cross but Stéphanie Frappart, the French referee, was not buying it and Sampson ripped his shirt. “There was contact,” he said. “We didn’t get the decisions but I’m incredibly proud of my players.”
