Lionesses’ shock defeat to Belgium exposed their biggest weakness ...Middle East

Belgium Women 3-2 England (Wullaert 4’, 29’, Vanhaevermaet 16’ | Mead pen 35’, Agyemang 81′)

LEUVEN — How had it all gone so horribly wrong? With less than half an hour on the clock, Millie Bright and Leah Williamson led an impromptu huddle around the centre-circle. The inquest into one of England‘s biggest capitulations in recent memory had begun.

Just days after Sarina Wiegman had beamed that they had “made football look simple” against the same opponents in a 5-0 win in Bristol, they did anything but that here.

Despite a dream debut for Michelle Agyemang, who smashed in a spectacular volley 41 seconds after coming on, there were few other positives. And on a night when there were as many frantic mini-team talks as there were goals, one name ought to have come up again and again.

The Lionesses are contending with multiple injuries – to Alessia Russo, Georgia Stanway, Lauren James and Chloe Kelly – but it is the understated Alex Greenwood who is sorely, irreplaceably missed by a stagnant defence.

WHAT A WAY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF!!

Michelle Agyemang with a BEAUTY!

England are right back in this one…#ITVFootball | #UWNL pic.twitter.com/RrzXuP9qZL

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) April 8, 2025

First, Tessa Wullaert slipped past Niamh Charles to kickstart a miserable first half for the Chelsea left-back.

England were stretched horribly on both flanks, Lucy Bronze conceding a foul for Justine Vanhaevermaet to beat Williamson to the header, before Wullaert made it three by squeezing past Bright and latching onto Davina Philtjens’ cross for a tap-in.

Philtjens was soon guilty of giving away a penalty, won and converted by Beth Mead. England should not have needed that for their opener – they dominated possession but were repeatedly hit in transition.

Player of the match – Tessa Wullaert

Terrorised England down the wing – Wiegman was right to single her out before kick-off 

To think, they had been expecting their problems to blow up in every other area of the pitch. Without Stanway, the midfield lacked balance with Grace Clinton and Jess Park initially lining up next to Keira Walsh, while Russo’s absence meant the front line was left searching for the hold-up play that makes the Arsenal striker so crucial.

Asked by The i Paper how Russo’s injury had altered the dynamics of her attack, Wiegman said: “Of course there’s different personnel but it had also to do with the spaces were a lot smaller, the space behind the defence was a lot smaller.

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“And if we had a different starting line-up, yes that’s a difference but I don’t think that caused the problems we had in the first half.”

Indeed it is Greenwood who remains the biggest loss due to the lack of options at left-back.

In that sense, England have suffered twice from Rachel Daly’s international retirement, as she had operated both as a full-back and at No 9.

The latter role was filled by Nikita Parris on her first England start since November 2022 – the experiment ended when she was brought off for Fran Kirby.

Agyemang’s impact was the most seismic – Wiegman hailed her as an “absolute talent” – but she is not the only one staking her claim. The voices calling for Manchester United defender Maya Le Tissier – who did not get on again – are becoming harder to ignore.

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England rang the changes in search of a way back but by the end, there was an air of desperation – summed up by Bronze receiving a booking for simulation in the box.

Wiegman’s side have spent so long fending off questions about their readiness for Euro 2025 – not least with the recent statement victory over Spain.

But post-match, she insisted: “As a team we had to do things better. It’s April now, I’m not concerned… I think we have a very good team. I won’t say to you ‘we will win the Euros’. We are able to beat anyone but we also know so many teams are good for the Euros so I don’t think anyone can say the result.”

Just as it looked as though England had taken a leap forward, they were sent two steps hurtling back.

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