Sarina Wiegman wants a response from England after Friday's 4-0 defeat to Spain in Mallorca left World Cup qualification out of their hands. The loss, England's worst since 2009 and the biggest of Wiegman's tenure, means they go into Tuesday's final qualifier against Ukraine needing help as well as victory.
England are still level with Spain on 12 points from five games in Group A3, but the Spanish now sit above them on head-to-head and goal difference. To qualify automatically for next year's tournament in Brazil, England must beat Ukraine and better Spain's result against Iceland; otherwise they will have to go through a two-legged play-off.
Wiegman said the mood inside the camp has been driven by a need to move on quickly, even if the setback still cuts deep. She described the defeat as “a hit on the chin” and said the team had good energy and stayed together after the final whistle. That has mattered this week because England do not have the luxury of dwelling on Friday night with another match coming so soon.
The friction in the final hours before Tuesday's game is that England's fate is not entirely their own, even if the squad will be kept from knowing the full picture. Wiegman said someone on her staff will watch Spain against Iceland, but the players will not be told the result, leaving the side to focus only on Ukraine while the staff tracks the wider equation.
Lauren Hemp said the defeat in Mallorca hit the group hard at home as well as on the pitch. She said it was very hard for her and some of her team-mates to get sleep that first night, though she added that the squad have stayed positive and lifted each other up in the days since. England now have one chance to make the direct route work; if they do not better Spain's result, the best they can do is regroup for the play-off they were trying to avoid.
