Maya Le Tissier made her first appearance as a starter at Wembley Stadium for the England national team during this international break. Coach Sarina Wiegman opted to include our captain in the lineup once again for the Lionesses’ friendly against Ghana, held at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton.
She was joined in a relatively youthful starting XI by Jess Park, while Ella Toone remained an unused substitute. England secured a 2-0 victory, with Aston Villa midfielder Lucia Kendall scoring the opener, followed by a penalty from former Red Alessia Russo in stoppage time, sealing the win.
In another match, Sweden faced France in the second leg of a two-legged Nations League third-place play-off, trailing 2-1 before the encounter. The two teams clashed at the 3Arena in Stockholm, and the Swedes pushed the match into extra time thanks to contributions from substitutes Evelyn Ijeh and Rosa Kafaji.
Anna Sandberg started the match alongside Julia Zigiotti, who displayed impressive tenacity with nine tackles, the highest of any player on the field, and Fridolina Rolfo, who was substituted after 60 minutes. Unfortunately, despite their strong performances, Sweden’s efforts were ultimately in vain as Kelly Gago equalized for France in extra time, ensuring Les Bleues secured victory on aggregate. Notably, Melvine Malard remained on the bench throughout the match.
