England vs Italy Preview

England conclude their UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 Qualifiers preparation with a friendly against Italy at Estadio Nuevo Mirador. 

With UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 qualifying draw set for 5 March 2024, this match marks a last chance for both managers to assess their squads ahead of discovering their Qualifying paths to the main tournament.

 

Team News

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Fran Kirby is ruled out for England after she suffered a knee injury during the warm-up for the Lionesses’ friendly victory over Austria.

Chloe Kelly is set to return after she sat out that game with a knock, but has since been declared fit for selection in this match.

Italy have no fresh injury concerns to report after their goalless friendly against Republic of Ireland.

 

When is Kick-Off?

England face Italy at Estadio Nuevo Mirador, Algeciras, Spain, in a friendly on Tuesday 27 February at 6pm CET (5pm UK Time), live on ITV4 in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• England are unbeaten in 16 of 28 meetings against Italy in all competitions (W10, D6, L12).
• Italy have won two of their last six meetings against Englnd on neutral territory (W2, L4).
• England have kept two clean sheets in their last six matches against Italy (W5, L1).
• Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses are looking to win four consecutive matches in all competitions for the first time since a 15-match streak between February – October 2022.
• Six of Italy’s last seven goals in all competitions have been scored in the second half (W2, D1).

 

Prediction

After their ruthless performance against Austria, England can’t get complacent because Italy will be a much tougher team given their attacking quality, as Spain discovered to their cost at home during the Women’s Nations League’s Group phase.

Wiegman however has hopefully spent time working on her team’s defending during set pieces because their marking against Austria in those situations were sloppy, which were duly punished with two unecessarily conceded goals to take the shine off that result.

Italy meanwhile went through a period of sloppy defending themselves last year – which proved costly at the World Cup, but do seem to have turned a corner with clean sheets over Switzerland and Ireland so I do expect them to cause huge issues if can keep it tight at the back.

I therefore do expect England to have to play the patient game here but if their attack is as lively as it was against Austria, they really could nick this.

Prediction: England 2-1 Italy

Result: England 5-1 Italy