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The Lionesses couldn’t hide it, Sarina Wiegman admitted it: England head to the Women’s World Cup with a feeling of disappointment and frustration. A goalless draw against Portugal was not the send-off England wanted after missed chances spoiled the expectant party atmosphere in Milton Keynes. There was always going to be an element of rustiness at play here, five weeks after many of England’s players had their final match of the domestic season. This was England’s first game for two months, a fixture that was arranged with conditioning in mind as much as anything else, with a focus on sharpening combinations ahead of the World Cup rather than results. Had one of those chances fallen in – if Alessia Russo hadn’t been denied by the sliding defender Marques Borges after rounding the goalkeeper, or if Lucy Bronze’s header had drifted inside the post moments later – then of course England would have an outlook that is much, much rosier ahead of the World Cup. But they didn’t, and it means that England suddenly head into the World Cup without a win in two games, both of which have come without a goal. Even though England go into the World Cup as European champions, there was certainly more optimism heading into the Euros last summer. Portugal didn’t win a game at the Euros and although they are an improving side and will be at the World Cup, this was a match that the Lionesses were expected to win and win well. Yet England for the most part played their game and looked threatening. Wiegman’s side showed the way they wanted to play, with the England manager even flashing a look at a system that could be devastating in Australia if it is given another try. Before this warm-up game, the focus was on the selections Wiegman had to make: on whether to go with Alessia Russo or Rachel Daly, or start with Lauren James, Chloe Kelly or Lauren Hemp. Wiegman insisted she came away with more answers than questions, perhaps not at a first-choice striker but certainly in the forward line. James, Kelly or Hemp? Why not all three? The Lionesses drastically improved in the second half when James was moved inside to No 10, with Hemp on the left and Kelly on the right. With James central, the danger flowed from all angles and brought a better balance to the side. “You can tell she can play there,” Wiegman said. “Tight on the ball, powerful, with vision, she did good things.” There was room for improvement too. The England manager also said that James could have been better with her decision-making and final ball but those comments also could have related to anyone at Stadium MK. But the Lionesses routinely got into the right areas: particularly with Hemp and Kelly out wide. All of England’s play was funnelled from there towards the middle, where Russo and Daly shared a half each. Had Daly’s back-post header found the target in the opening stages, set up by Hemp’s duck outside and dink to the back post, then this could have developed into a very different game. Russo had the better opportunities following the break but couldn’t take them, but they are both still world-class options. Wiegman said she wasn’t concerned: the goals will come if they continued to do the right things. And England, for the most part, did that. Georgia Stanway, visibly radiating with confidence after winning the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich this season, clearly enjoyed herself, rolling an audacious nutmeg past a bewildered Portuguese player in midfield in the first half along with a series of clever turns and feints. Her presence in midfield alongside Keira Walsh, who also just looks so assured after her year with Barcelona, was where England were just so on top. Both were taken off when England pressed for a winner, a situation that wouldn’t have happened had minutes not been a consideration. This, after all, was a friendly – it certainly wasn’t a time to panic. But like a lot of the mood ahead of this World Cup, it feels like England’s team for the tournament can go one of two ways: either Wiegman will know her starting line-up by the time the Lionesses play Haiti on 22 July, or there will be an uncertainty in the side that wasn’t there last summer. “We’re not closer now,” Wiegman said when asked if she knew her starting team. “I’m not sure we get closer now.” But England feel close. A couple of goals against Portugal would have made all the difference and created the send-off atmosphere many had arrived for, and that England’s performance largely deserved. Read More Sarina Wiegman has no concerns with England display despite Portugal stalemate Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match in UK When is the Women’s World Cup and what are the fixtures?

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Sarina Wiegman was “very disappointed” England had not won but insisted the performance was not a concern after they were held to a goalless draw by Portugal in their Women’s World Cup warm-up match at Stadium MK. The European champions’ last home game before departing for this summer’s showpiece in Australia and New Zealand saw them unable to make a breakthrough despite creating a considerable number of chances. Georgia Stanway and Lucy Bronze both struck the woodwork and Alessia Russo was denied by a goalline block, while other notable moments included Rachel Daly having a header saved, Lauren Hemp heading over and Russo firing wide. Lionesses boss Wiegman said: “Of course my first thoughts are that I am, but also the team is, very disappointed that we didn’t win this game. “But we also take a lot of learnings from it and I think at moments we saw the things we really have been working on, that we wanted to show, a way of creating chances. “I think the first half we were a little bit too slow, the ball tempo was, and we had too many players behind the ball or very close to it, and then when we did break lines we didn’t have enough numbers higher up the pitch. I think we did that a lot better in the second half. “We had players higher on the pitch and created more chances, although I think in the first half we created a couple. But we just didn’t score. “I think we had moments that were really good and moments we could have done a little better.” Asked specifically about chances that fell to Daly, who started up front, and Russo, who replaced her at half-time, Wiegman said: “I think the first thing is you want to create lots of chances, and then see how we execute that. “And yes, it’s disappointing of course, they want to be ruthless and score those chances, and today they didn’t. It’s not a worry for me. “It’s just we want to get into those positions. When you got so much into those positions today – I think that’s pretty good. But of course we want to do the final touch too, and that’s to get the ball in the net. So we all know that.” The Dutchwoman added: “That was today a little problem, but if you see how many chances we created – I think we had 23 shots on goal – there won’t be many matches where we then don’t score.” England fly to Australia on Wednesday and face Canada behind closed doors in a final warm-up match on July 14 before opening their World Cup campaign against Haiti in Brisbane eight days later. When Wiegman, who made a treble change in personnel at the interval and six substitutions in total, was asked if she was closer to knowing her starting XI for the Haiti game than she had been before the Portugal contest, she said: “No. I’m not closer now. “I’m not sure if we get closer than this though. At the end you have to make decisions. I think in some positions it’s really tight. We have some time now. So, no, I’m not sure, and this is not the time to make the final decision because we still have a couple of weeks to go.” England were playing a Portugal outfit ranked 17 places below them at 21st and who will be making their first appearance at a World Cup finals this summer. Boss Francisco Neto said: “Playing in this kind of environment is not easy, and the emotional stability that we had during the game, I’m very happy with that, because it looks like the girls are ready for the environment that they will have in the World Cup.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Late reprieve for Ben Duckett keeps England’s hope of miracle chase alive Katie Boulter not feeling pressure of being British number one at Wimbledon Novak Djokovic still hungry as he bids for 24th Grand Slam singles title

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England were unable to make the most of their chances as they were held to a goalless draw by Portugal in their send-off warm-up match at Stadium MK ahead of the Women’s World Cup. Georgia Stanway sent an effort against the bar, Lucy Bronze’s header hit the post and substitute Alessia Russo was denied by a goalline block as the European champions created a number of opportunities to no avail. Other notable moments included Lauren Hemp heading over and Russo firing wide from fine positions in a somewhat frustrating last home game for the Lionesses before departing the country for this summer’s showpiece in Australia and New Zealand. Sarina Wiegman’s players fly to Australia on Wednesday and face Canada behind closed doors in another, final warm-up on July 14 before opening their World Cup campaign against Haiti in Brisbane eight days later. The Dutchwoman made three changes to her starting XI from April’s 2-0 loss to Australia, the team’s first defeat in their 31st outing under her. That included regular skipper and Milton Keynes native Leah Williamson, ruled out of the World Cup by an ACL injury, being replaced in defence by Alex Greenwood, who started at left-back, with Jess Carter in the centre. Women’s Super League Golden Boot winner Daly also came in, getting the nod ahead of Russo up front, as did Lauren James for Chloe Kelly. With Millie Bright, squad captain in the absence of Williamson, unavailable as she continued to build back up after knee surgery, goalkeeper Mary Earps skippered the side. Taking on a team ranked 17 places below them at 21st and heading to their first World Cup this summer, England made a lively start, with Daly seeing two headers saved by goalkeeper Ines Pereira in quick succession early on. Daly was subsequently just unable to get a touch on James’ cross into the danger zone just past the quarter hour mark, and Ella Toone struck wide moments later. The hosts then struggled to build much momentum for the remainder of the half, with an acrobatic 35th-minute attempt over the bar from Daly the only real effort of note, until Stanway, making her 50th England appearance, diverted the ball against the bar from Hemp’s cross shortly before the interval. Wiegman made a treble change at the break, with Russo, Kelly and Niamh Charles being brought on for Daly, Toone and Greenwood, and the opening stages of the second half saw two Kelly shots saved by Pereira either side of Hemp heading over from a great position. England’s pressure continued as Russo took the ball around Pereira only to be thwarted by an Ana Borges’ block on the line, Bronze headed against the post and Russo then struck wide when looking certain to score. Having had little to do, Earps then survived a scare as she misjudged a pass from Hemp and the ball rolled past the post and out for a corner. England dealt comfortably with that, as Pereira then did with efforts from Russo and Charles. Russo tried her luck twice more after that but saw the ball go wide again on both occasions as England failed to secure a sign-off victory before heading Down Under.

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England’s final fixture on home soil before the 2023 Women’s World Cup is a send-off match against Portugal this afternoon. The Lionesses welcome their fellow finalists to Milton Keynes four days before heading Down Under for the finals in Australia and New Zealand. This meeting with Portugal features the 23-player squad who will represent England at the tournament with Millie Bright captaining the side in the absence of Leah Williamson - although the defender is still out due to injury. “I’m really pleased to have a competitive game for our last home fixture,” said coach Sarina Wiegman. “We had two big games in April against Brazil and Australia where we learned so much. This will be another challenging match against a team that have performed well and are going to their first World Cup.” Follow all the action as the Lionesses take on Portugal: Read More Is England vs Portugal on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch World Cup warm-up England’s road to the World Cup begins with a ‘different test’ - and it’s not just Portugal Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match in UK

Harry Winks has joined Leicester from Tottenham on a permanent deal.

Leicester have completed the signing of Tottenham academy graduate Harry Winks in a £10million move. Winks, who becomes the first addition under new Foxes boss Enzo Maresca, progressed through the youth set-up at Spurs to make his debut in 2014 and went on to make 203 appearances for his boyhood club. First-team chances have been more hard to come by in recent seasons and Winks has decided to help relegated-Leicester in their bid to secure promotion from the Sky Bet Championship. England international Winks first joined Tottenham’s academy at the age of five and went on to become a regular during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure. Winks has represented his country on 10 occasions and helped Spurs reach the Champions League final in 2019, but struggled to earn the trust of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte. After the midfielder made just 19 Premier League appearances during the 2021-22 season, he was sent on loan to Sampdoria last summer. While his start to life in Italy was disrupted by an ankle injury, Winks went on to become a regular for Sampdoria and impressed, with Leicester now securing his services on a three-year deal. Winks could face his old club in a friendly in Bangkok on July 23. He told the official club website: “I’m delighted. I’m really excited for the challenge ahead. It’s an amazing club with great history and the facilities are incredible. I’m just so happy to be here and ready to get going. “I’m looking forward to getting started, to have a full pre-season with the team and come here early to get ready for the games coming up. It’s going to be an important few weeks to get everyone ready and to push myself getting fit. “I’m also looking forward to a new challenge and to challenge myself. Coming to a club like Leicester is the perfect chance to do that.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Chelsea sign Portuguese youngster Diego Moreira from Benfica Taylor Moore and Taylor Pendrith in front at the halfway mark in Detroit On this day in 2010: Roy Hodgson appointed Liverpool manager