England faced Switzerland in an international friendly in their final game of 2024
The Lionesses won 1-0 thanks to a first half strike from Man United’s Grace Clinton
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By TARA ANSON-WALSH
Published: 18:39 EST, 3 December 2024 | Updated: 18:39 EST, 3 December 2024
The curtain came down on England’s first year without a major tournament since 2021 with a tenuous win over Switzerland at Bramall Lane.
‘I'm happy with the win,’ said England boss Sarina Wiegman after the match. ‘In the first half we played really well, we challenged them all the time. We played mainly on their half of the pitch and created chances, and scored one goal.
‘I was really happy with that because what we wanted to do with a very young team, some debuts and some starters for the first time in [a while] who hadn't played for us.
‘So we made many changes but I felt that was a very good first half. I think in the second half our level dropped. We were more sloppy. We didn't find the pockets well enough. So that was a little bit harder.’
There had been calls for Wiegman to rotate her squad during this low-stakes period with many young English players shining at club level – including the likes of Manchester United’s Grace Clinton and Chelsea’s Aggie Beever-Jones – and Euro 2025 edging ever closer.
Tonight the England boss listened to those calls, making 10 changes to the team that lined up against the USA in Saturday’s stalemate, including hand two senior debuts to Leicester’s Ruby Mace and Manchester City’s Laura Blindkilde Brown.
England ended 2024 with a narrow 1-0 win over Switzerland in a friendly at Bramall Lane
Sarina Wiegman used the clash as an opportunity to rotate her squad as she made 10 changes
Clinton started against Switzerland and had England in front within 10 minutes, firing home from close range after a well-worked set-piece rebounded off the post.
The 21-year-old lined up alongside three of her club teammates – the Manchester United defensive triumvirate of Millie Turner, Gabby George and Maya Le Tissier.
This was George’s first appearance for England since November 2022, having fought back to form and fitness after sustaining a second career ACL injury at the beginning of last season. A natural left-footer, the full-back brought a level of balance that has been lacking on that left flank since the days of Rachel Daly playing in that position during Euro 2022.
After Clinton’s opener, England continued to hammer at the door of Switzerland for the remainder of the first half. They were unfortunate not to extend their lead with Maya Le Tissier coming close and Beever-Jones proving a handful in the penalty area.
Switzerland tweaked their formation at half-time and were immediately improved, coming close after the break through Iman Beney, who managed to broke past England’s back line and find herself one-on-one with Hannah Hampton.
Fortunately for the England keeper the shot was directly at her, and she was able to parry it away to safety. The Chelsea shot-stopper was called on again in the 80th minute, producing a wonder save to maintain her side’s lead.
Switzerland had rung the warning bells and Wiegman called upon her trusted veteran Keira Walsh to help shore things up at the back. Georgia Stanway, brought on for the final minutes, shot at goal came off the post in the dying moments of the game.
The two are usually un-droppable under Wiegman, and tonight showed why, but the youngsters also gave their boss something to think about.
England match facts and ratings
ENGLAND (3-1-4-2): Hampton 6.5; Morgan 7, Turner 7 (Carter 84), Bright 7.5; Mace 7 (Walsh 63, 7.5); Le Tissier 7.5, Clinton 8, Blindkilde Brown 7 (Stanway 84), George 7 (Mead 63, 7.5); Park 7.5 (Russo 45), Beever-Jones 7 (Naz 84).
Scorers: Clinton 8.
Manager: Sarina Wiegman
Attendance: 23,470