Southampton, UK - In their final match of 2025, the Lionesses are set to face Ghana at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton today, December 2nd, with kickoff slated for 7:00 PM GMT. This friendly marks the first-ever meeting between England and Ghana's women's national teams.
England enters the match fresh off an dominant 8-0 victory over China at Wembley on Saturday. Georgia Stanway's hat-trick led the charge in that game. Meanwhile, Ghana's Black Queens are preparing for upcoming continental and global competitions, viewing this match against a top-ranked team as a valuable opportunity to assess their progress and integrate new talent.
England manager Sarina Wiegman is expected to make changes to the lineup, balancing the need to manage player minutes with the importance of utilizing available playing time. Wiegman acknowledged the demanding club schedules of her players and the limited opportunities for international friendlies leading up to the World Cup. She stated, "You'll see some changes tomorrow and try to manage minutes but also, we don't have that many opportunities to play and to play friendlies".
Several factors contribute to the anticipated changes. Liverpool captain Grace Fisk has withdrawn from the squad due to a calf injury sustained in training. Key players like Leah Williamson and Alex Greenwood are also unavailable, further impacting defensive options. Wiegman has expressed her intent to "experiment" during these friendlies, providing opportunities for players to showcase their abilities. Potential debutants include West Ham's Anouk Denton and London City Lionesses' Freya Godfrey, who received their first senior call-ups.
Predicted changes to the starting XI include Maya Le Tissier potentially shifting to right-back, with Esme Morgan and Lotte Wubben-Moy forming a center-back partnership. Taylor Hinds could feature at left-back after making her debut against Australia in October. Georgia Stanway, who played the full 90 minutes against China, might be rested, with Sophia Kendall potentially partnering Keira Walsh in midfield. Jess Park could start on the right flank, and Aggie Beever-Jones is also likely to feature.
Wiegman reflected on her first game in charge of the Lionesses which was at St Mary's Stadium in September 2021, saying "Time flew, so it feels like ages ago that game but I still have a good memory of that. It was a very nice start. To be in England and starting that journey, it's nice to be back".
While England is heavily favored, Ghana's Black Queens, ranked 67th in the world, will be looking to demonstrate their growth on the global stage. Despite the ranking disparity, Wiegman has expressed awareness of Ghana's threats, particularly their pacey attackers.
The match will be broadcast live on ITV4 in the UK.
