(Reuters) – England women’s head coach Sarina Wiegman said the team were in a “good place” but played down suggestions they were the world’s best, after beating World Cup holders United States 2-1 in a friendly on Friday.
An early goal by Lauren Hemp and a penalty from Georgia Stanway helped European champions England earn a win over the U.S. in front of more than 76,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in a test for both sides ahead of the 2023 World Cup.
England rank fourth in the world, three places behind world number one, the United States, who won a record fourth title at the 2019 World Cup in France.
“You are the best team in the world when you have won the World Cup. We haven’t,” Wiegman told reporters. “We are in a good place, but there are so many good countries.
“We just have to do what we can, control, stick together and communicate with each other at all times. We need to have the freedom to make our own choices in the game. I think we are doing well in that.”
U.S. head coach Vlatko Andonovski said England were title contenders for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
“They have an incredible squad and they showed once again they are very good … They have an incredible coach and I wouldn’t mind facing them again in the final,” he added.
England’s best performance was at the 2015 World Cup in Canada, when they finished third.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
