The Lionesses are determined to learn from their spirited 2-1 defeat against Brazil, despite the South American champions being reduced to 10 players. The friendly match, held at the Etihad Stadium on October 25, 2025, saw Brazil take an early lead with goals from Bia Zaneratto and Dudinha. England fought back after Brazil captain Angelina's red card, with Georgia Stanway converting a penalty. However, they were unable to find an equaliser, despite creating several chances.
England Women, playing their first game since winning the European Championship, found themselves trailing early in the match. Brazil's initial attacks exposed England's makeshift defence, which was missing key players. Debutant goalkeeper Khiara Keating had little chance of stopping either of the Brazilian goals.
The game shifted when Angelina was sent off for a foul on Ella Toone. Stanway's penalty gave the Lionesses a lifeline, and they dominated possession for much of the second half. However, Brazil's organised defence and England's own lack of sharpness in the final third prevented them from capitalising on their advantage.
Despite the loss, Lionesses' head coach Sarina Wiegman saw areas for improvement. She noted that Brazil started strongly, as expected, but England struggled when playing short, allowing Brazil to counter-attack effectively. Wiegman also pointed out that England had opportunities even before the red card but were unlucky, hitting the crossbar.
Georgia Stanway acknowledged the game's difficulty, highlighting Brazil's player-to-player marking and the challenge of finding space. She believes the red card helped England find a free player more easily, but the opening 20 minutes were disappointing. Stanway remained optimistic, stating that the team would review the game, build from it, and that the loss was not a setback.
Wiegman emphasized the need for better execution in the final third. She wants the team to get into the final third more often and improve their finishing. The Lionesses hit the woodwork twice during the game, underscoring their near misses. Wiegman said that the team didn't give away much, which is expected when playing against 10 players. The learning from this game is to get in the final third even more and improve on execution.
The Lionesses will face Australia at Pride Park Stadium on Tuesday, October 28. This match provides an opportunity to implement the lessons learned from the Brazil game and fine-tune their performance. The team will aim to tighten their defence and improve their attacking efficiency.
The Lionesses' recent successes include winning the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 and retaining their title in 2025. They also won the Finalissima in 2023. Recent match results include a 1-1 draw (3-1 win on penalties) against Spain in the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 final in July 2025 and a 7-0 victory against Jamaica in a friendly in June 2025.
