England beaten by spirited Brazil side
England 1 - 2 Brazil
A spirited Brazil side left Manchester with a notable friendly victory despite playing much of the night with 10 players.
Author | George B
Stadium | Etihad Stadium
Sarina Wiegman’s team, back on home soil for the first time since lifting the Euro 2025 trophy in July, were shorn of several key figures through injury and found themselves unsettled early on. Dudinha struck to give Brazil the lead before Bia Zaneratto swiftly added a second, leaving debutant goalkeeper Khiara Keating with little chance on either occasion in front of the ground she once called home.
England’s prospects brightened when Brazil midfielder Angelina was dismissed for a pull-back on Ella Toone in the 21st minute, offering the hosts both time and opportunity to recover. Georgia Stanway reduced the deficit from the penalty spot soon after the interval, later rattling the crossbar as the Lionesses increased the pressure.
Wiegman introduced changes that brought greater fluency, not least through repositioning Manchester United captain Maya le Tissier at the heart of defence. Yet Brazil’s resilience and organisation held firm, securing a result that underlined their progress and left England reflecting on a frustrating night.
Lessons to learn as a new era begins
With their status as double European champions freshly secured, England had hoped to turn their first match back on home soil into a night of celebration at the Etihad Stadium.
A crowd of 37,460 gathered in Manchester after the FA confirmed more than 43,000 tickets had been issued, although a Premier League fixture in the city at the same time inevitably affected attendance. The build-up carried a sense of occasion, with the match programme declaring the Lionesses as European champions and featuring the jubilant scenes from July. Supporters queued for photographs with the Euro 2025 trophy outside before Ellen White, the team’s record goalscorer, carried it inside.
These four friendly fixtures provide Wiegman and her staff with room for experimentation at the outset of what several players have referred to this week as a new cycle. The focus already stretches ahead to the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, where England aim to remain among the sport’s dominant forces.
