Sarina Wiegman ‘proud’ as Lionesses beaten by Spain in Women’s World Cup final
England coach Sarina Wiegman admitted she was disappointed but proud of her Lionesses after they suffered Women’s World Cup final heartbreak against Spain today in Sydney.
Olga Carmona’s first-half goal handed Spain’s women a first senior world title – and revenge for their European Championship exit against eventual winners England last summer.
Goalkeeper Mary Earps kept the Lionesses in the tie with a superb penalty save but at the other end her team-mates struggled to build on Lauren Hemp’s early shot off the bar.
“Of course it feels really bad now, very very disappointing. You go into the final and you want to give everything and then you lose it,” said Wiegman.
“That happens in sports, but what we have done, how we have shown ourselves, who we are, how we want to play as a team, overcoming so many challenges, I think we can be so proud of ourselves now although it doesn’t feel like it at the moment.
“I think everyone has seen an incredible game, very open game, both teams who want to play football. After all, Spain were just a little bit better than we were today and they had a great tournament.”
Spain captain Carmona’s 29th-minute strike came after they capitalised on a rare defensive mistake and they increasingly exerted their technical superiority thereafter.
Defeat saw England fail to become just the second women’s team to hold the European Championship and World Cup concurrently, after Germany.
“We’ve been 1-0 down in a game before and we bounced back and that was the aim today,” said captain Millie Bright.
“We never give in and it’s hard to take but it’s football. We’re absolutely heartbroken. Unfortunately we just weren’t there today.
“At first you feel you failed because you’ve not won. But to finish second – I think in a couple of weeks when we settle down we’ll be really, really proud. This is not it from us, we’ll bounce back I’m sure, but for now it’s hard to take.”
Forward Hemp scored in the quarter-final and semi and was again England’s chief threat, hitting the woodwork in the 16th minute and then narrowly failing to convert substitute Chloe Kelly’s low cross shortly after half-time.
Carmona’s precise finish aside, Earps repelled everything, bravely blocking Alba Redondo’s point-blank shot and stretching out a glove to tip wide Maria Caldentey’s long-range effort.
The Lionesses’ No1 excelled herself in the 70th minute when she dived the right way to gather Jenni Hermoso’s spot-kick, after Keira Walsh was penalised for handball following a lengthy VAR review, and later received the Golden Glove for goalkeeper of the tournament.
But Wiegman’s half-time tactical switch only worked in flashes, such as when sub Lauren James forced Catalina Coll to parry her rising shot over the bar.
Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati was awarded the Golden Ball for player of the World Cup after another imperious display.
“I’m on the air right now, I don’t have any words for this moment,” she said. “It is unbelievable. I’m so proud because we did a great tournament. We suffered but also we enjoyed it and we deserve it.”