Defensive chaos led England to give away a two-goal lead in Belgium before earning a draw through a Nikita Parris penalty, thus marring the start of their run to the 2021 Euros and the night Lucy Bronze won the Uefa Women’s Player of the Year award.
Phil Neville said he was disappointed that Uefa held the awards ceremony on the night of England’s friendly meaning Bronze was unable to attend: “It’s a big moment in her life, that I know that I’d want my family to share with me and I’d want to be in Monaco myself.
“I think Uefa have issued something to do that they are going to look at it and it’s the right thing to do. It would have been nice for her to celebrate in Monaco tonight with the most unbelievable players on the planet.”
It is rare that a friendly will draw so much attention but, this being the first outing of Phil Neville’s side since the World Cup, there was a higher degree of curiosity. This was the start of the new two-year plan. And there was an added celebratory feel, with Bronze having beaten her Lyon teammates Ada Hegerberg and Amandine Henry to Europe’s top player prize.
However, two goals from Ella van Kerkhoven and an own-goal more than cancelled out England’s two from Jodie Taylor and Beth Mead before Parris levelled in a match that added to concerns over England’s defensive frailty.
Within minutes of the start Bronze showed a glimpse of why Neville is so keen to try her engine in the middle, busting a gut to chase a loose ball. Having underwhelmed in her brief pre-tournament midfield outings, Bronze stayed in her more traditional right-back berth at the World Cup.
But it is an idea that has stuck with Neville. And, particularly in the context of a light midfield – Jill Scott was rested and Izzy Christiansen and Jordan Nobbs are yet to return from injury – it makes sense. Few in the England camp play with the confidence and relentless drive of the Lyon defender.
“The occasion at St George’s Park when we presented her with the trophy the other day, she had no idea,” said Neville grinning. “She is not emotional but she was genuinely proud and so too were all the team.”
England’s first goal came from an equally exciting source: the 20-year-old Georgia Stanway, who was playing in the number 10 role usually occupied by Fran Kirby (out with injury), where she was fleetingly positioned at the SheBelieves Cup and in France. She stopped in space on the edge of the Belgium box before slipping a light curling ball between two defenders and round a third, inch perfect to the feet of Jodie Taylor, who could not fail to score. It was a moment of brilliance from the young Manchester City forward who seems to be coming of age following an assured season capped with an FA Cup final goal.
In a sign that Bronze’s shift could spell danger at right-back – Rachel Daly is good, but not European player of the year good – the Houston Dash player was left for dead by Elena Dhont, whose end product was lacking.
Moments after the opener Taylor turned provider but the hard work was done by Bronze. Going to ground under a challenge, she managed to backheel the ball to Taylor, whose shot was palmed into the path of an incoming Beth Mead who doubled the lead.
Twelve minutes later Bronze was on the back post to poke a Heleen Jaques header from a corner off the line, but a scramble to recover the ball saw it ping-pong between Bronze and Carly Telford and slip painfully over the line to reduce Belgium’s arrears.
Belgium punished England again moments before the break. Manchester City’s Tessa Wullaert beat Daly with ease on the left and swung a cross in. Ella van Kerkhoven slipped into acres of space between Steph Houghton and Abbie McManus and headed home with ease.
More chaos in the box – a feature of England’s World Cup campaign and, worryingly, Neville’s tenure in general – gave the hosts the lead. The Red Devils broke at pace but with seven players back Houghton should have been able to clear. However, she fatally prodded the ball straight to Van Kerkhoven, who fired in from close range.
The visitors laboured without much joy until a handball off the arm of Tine de Caigny gave them the chance to level. Up stepped Parris, who was relieved of penalty duty for the World Cup semi-final against the USA following consecutive misses, to power the ball high into the net.
Neville was disappointed but philosophical: “We conceded three poor goals and I feel as though, with the plan we have for the next three camps, we might have to suffer some pain a little bit.”