England meet Brazil at Wembley Stadium, London, in the first-ever Women’s Finalissima.
The clash sees 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro champions, England face 2022 Copa America Femenina winners, Brazil, in a friendly contest organised as part of UEFA and CONMEBOL’s renewed memorandum of understanding.
In event of the tie not being settled in 90 minutes, there will be no extra-time and the game instead will go straight to penalties.
Team News
Millie Bright is ruled out for England after she withdrew from the squad due to a knee injury and has been replaced by Arsenal defender, Lotte Wubben-Moy who had initially been left out of the selection.
Goalkeeper, Sandy Maclver has also been forced to withdraw due to injury.
Uncapped Lucy Parker is looking for her first senior international cap after injury forced her to withdraw from her only previous call-up in September 2022.
Brazil will be without midfielder, Duda Sampaio after she withdrew due to injury.
Lorena, Tainara, Angelina, Debinha and Marta who were all part of Brazil’s title-winning 2022 Copa America Femenina squad, are also ruled out with various injuries.
When is Kick-Off?
England meet Brazil at Wembley Stadium in a 7:45pm BST kick-off on Thursday 6 April, with the match broadcast live on ITV1 in the UK from 7:30pm.
Stat Attack
- This is the very first Women’s Finalissima match in history of the newly created competition.
- England have won two of their three previous meetings against Brazil in all competitions (W2, L1).
- Brazil have won just one of their two previous away visits against England (W1, L1), winning 2-1 in October 2019 at Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough.
- Two of England’s three previous meetings against Brazil have ended in a 2-1 result, of which both teams won one game apiece by that result.
- Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses have kept just one clean sheet in their last four matches (W3, D1), which came in a 4-0 opening victory over South Korea en-route to Arnold Clark Cup title.
- Just one of Brazil’s last four goals have been scored before half-time in all competitions.
Prediction
As European champions with home advantage and still yet to lose under Wiegman, England enter this finalissima as hot favourites but they haven’t exactly been at their best in recent games with a mixture of poor finishing and defensive errors.
Wiegman’s Lionesses though looked back to their peak best last time out in their Arnold Clark Cup demolition of Belgium, which will be the standard that they must match if they’re want to add another trophy to their collection heading into the World Cup.
Brazil though can’t be written off because despite missing quality players like Angelina, Debinha and Marta, they still a strong team in good form, but they are going to have to start finding goals before half-time or try and limit England’s powerful attack and take chances clinically if want the win.
Tactics therefore will be crucial but given their overall form and attacking power, England really should win this if they can dominate Brazil’s midfield.
Prediction: England 2-1 Brazil
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