The USA and England have met 15 times spanning back to 1985 and what was the third match for the USA. Fast forward to the modern era, and the last four meetings between the two have resulted in 1-0 games with three wins for the USA and one for England.
Here are five things to know about the Lionesses:
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Karen Bardsley (Manchester City), 21-Mary Earps (Wolfsburg, GER), 13-Carly Telford (Chelsea)
DEFENDERS (8): 14-Gemma Bonner (Manchester City), 2-Lucy Bronze (Olympique Lyon, FRA), 17-Rachel Daly (Houston Dash, USA), 3-Alex Greenwood (Manchester United), 5-Steph Houghton (Manchester City), 6-Abbie McManus (Manchester City), 12-Demi Stokes (Manchester City), 15-Leah Williamson (Arsenal)
MIDFIELDERS (7): 20-Karen Carney (Chelsea), 8-Isobel Christiansen (Lyon), 10-Fran Kirby (Chelsea), 23-Lucy Staniforth (Birmingham City), 19-Georgia Stanway (Manchester City), 4-Keira Walsh (Manchester City)
FORWARDS (5): 11-Toni Duggan (Barcelona, ESP), 22-Beth Mead (Arsenal), 7-Nikita Parris (Manchester City), 9-Jodie Taylor (Reign FC, USA), 18-Ellen White (Birmingham City), 16-Chioma Ubogagu (Orlando Pride, USA)
England set some high expectations when it finished third at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, beating Germany 1-0 AET in the consolation match. England finished second behind France in Group F, but then beat Norway 2-1 in the Round of 16, host Canada 2-1 in the quarterfinal, and then barely lost to Japan, 2-1, in the semifinal after an unfortunate late own goal. England returns for its fourth SheBelieves Cup, having been in each of the previous three editions. Its biggest win was the 4-1 defeat of France in 2018.
England sits in first place in the 2019 SheBelieves Cup after a 2-1 victory against Brazil in the first match of the tournament. Ellen White is England’s top scorer in the competition with four goals (1 v USA in 2017, 2 v Germany in 2018 and 1 vs. Brazil in 2019). Six players have scored for England at the SheBelieves Cup: Toni Duggan, Jordan Nobbs, Ellen White, Fran Kirby, Jodie Taylor, Jill Scott and Beth Meade. England finished second in last year’s SheBelieves Cup after easing to a 4-1 win over France, Phil Neville’s first match as head coach, and drawing 2-2 with Germany before slipping to a 1-0 loss vs. the USA.
The 2018 SheBelieves Cup marked the debut of England head coach Phil Neville, the former Manchester United and Everton star and England National Team defender. Neville played more than 500 games over 20 years in the Premier League, a little more than half for Manchester United and the rest for Everton. He earned almost 60 caps for England from 1996-07. He previously coached the men’s professional sides at Manchester United and Valencia. Since the 2018 SheBelieves Cup, England has gone 7-1-2 with the only loss coming to the USA’s Group F opponent Sweden, a 2-0 setback in November in Rotherham.
England brought some newer players, but still has 15 players from last year’s She Believes Cup on its roster. He’s also included 10 players from England’s third-place team at the 2015 FIFA WWC in Canada. England has some extremely experienced players and is one of the most veteran teams in the world. Goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, who grew up in Orange County, Calif., played club for the SoCal Blues and attended Cal State Fullerton, has 74 caps. Usual captain and central defender Steph Houghton has 101 caps with 11 goals while winger Karen Carney is on 136 caps with 31 goals, which is the most international scores on the squad. England has a deep and dangerous forward line, with Ellen White (76 caps/27 goals), Toni Duggan (67/22), Jodie Taylor (39/17) and Nikita Paris (29/10). The defensive also includes former UNC Tar Heel Lucy Bronze, who has 64 caps and seven goals.
When England return home after the SBC, they will continue their build-up for the 2019 Women’s World Cup with the “Road to France Series” which comprises two games in early April, against Canada at the Academy Stadium (April 5) and Spain at the County Ground (April 9), and then matches against Denmark at Banks’s Stadium (May 25) before the visit of New Zealand (June 1) to the Amex Stadium in Brighton just before the World Cup begins.
Here are five things to know about the Lionesses:
England Women’s National Team Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Karen Bardsley (Manchester City), 21-Mary Earps (Wolfsburg, GER), 13-Carly Telford (Chelsea)
DEFENDERS (8): 14-Gemma Bonner (Manchester City), 2-Lucy Bronze (Olympique Lyon, FRA), 17-Rachel Daly (Houston Dash, USA), 3-Alex Greenwood (Manchester United), 5-Steph Houghton (Manchester City), 6-Abbie McManus (Manchester City), 12-Demi Stokes (Manchester City), 15-Leah Williamson (Arsenal)
MIDFIELDERS (7): 20-Karen Carney (Chelsea), 8-Isobel Christiansen (Lyon), 10-Fran Kirby (Chelsea), 23-Lucy Staniforth (Birmingham City), 19-Georgia Stanway (Manchester City), 4-Keira Walsh (Manchester City)
FORWARDS (5): 11-Toni Duggan (Barcelona, ESP), 22-Beth Mead (Arsenal), 7-Nikita Parris (Manchester City), 9-Jodie Taylor (Reign FC, USA), 18-Ellen White (Birmingham City), 16-Chioma Ubogagu (Orlando Pride, USA)
England Rising
England set some high expectations when it finished third at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, beating Germany 1-0 AET in the consolation match. England finished second behind France in Group F, but then beat Norway 2-1 in the Round of 16, host Canada 2-1 in the quarterfinal, and then barely lost to Japan, 2-1, in the semifinal after an unfortunate late own goal. England returns for its fourth SheBelieves Cup, having been in each of the previous three editions. Its biggest win was the 4-1 defeat of France in 2018.
England at the SheBelieves Cup
England sits in first place in the 2019 SheBelieves Cup after a 2-1 victory against Brazil in the first match of the tournament. Ellen White is England’s top scorer in the competition with four goals (1 v USA in 2017, 2 v Germany in 2018 and 1 vs. Brazil in 2019). Six players have scored for England at the SheBelieves Cup: Toni Duggan, Jordan Nobbs, Ellen White, Fran Kirby, Jodie Taylor, Jill Scott and Beth Meade. England finished second in last year’s SheBelieves Cup after easing to a 4-1 win over France, Phil Neville’s first match as head coach, and drawing 2-2 with Germany before slipping to a 1-0 loss vs. the USA.
Neville at the Helm
The 2018 SheBelieves Cup marked the debut of England head coach Phil Neville, the former Manchester United and Everton star and England National Team defender. Neville played more than 500 games over 20 years in the Premier League, a little more than half for Manchester United and the rest for Everton. He earned almost 60 caps for England from 1996-07. He previously coached the men’s professional sides at Manchester United and Valencia. Since the 2018 SheBelieves Cup, England has gone 7-1-2 with the only loss coming to the USA’s Group F opponent Sweden, a 2-0 setback in November in Rotherham.
Breaking Down the England Roster
England brought some newer players, but still has 15 players from last year’s She Believes Cup on its roster. He’s also included 10 players from England’s third-place team at the 2015 FIFA WWC in Canada. England has some extremely experienced players and is one of the most veteran teams in the world. Goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, who grew up in Orange County, Calif., played club for the SoCal Blues and attended Cal State Fullerton, has 74 caps. Usual captain and central defender Steph Houghton has 101 caps with 11 goals while winger Karen Carney is on 136 caps with 31 goals, which is the most international scores on the squad. England has a deep and dangerous forward line, with Ellen White (76 caps/27 goals), Toni Duggan (67/22), Jodie Taylor (39/17) and Nikita Paris (29/10). The defensive also includes former UNC Tar Heel Lucy Bronze, who has 64 caps and seven goals.
Next for England after SheBelieves
When England return home after the SBC, they will continue their build-up for the 2019 Women’s World Cup with the “Road to France Series” which comprises two games in early April, against Canada at the Academy Stadium (April 5) and Spain at the County Ground (April 9), and then matches against Denmark at Banks’s Stadium (May 25) before the visit of New Zealand (June 1) to the Amex Stadium in Brighton just before the World Cup begins.