Cyprus Cup defence ended
Monday, 01 March, 2010
England draw 2-2 with Switzerland in final group match.
England |
2-2 |
Switzerland |
Stoney 56, Sanderson 76 |
|
Dickenmann 27, 84 |
The Cyprus Cup
International Friendly Tournament
Monday 1 March 2010
Larnaca, Cyprus
England ended the group stage of the Cyprus Cup with a disappointing draw after coming from behind to put themselves into a winning position through goals by captain Casey Stoney and substitute Lianne Sanderson.
Lara Dickenmann’s late equaliser meant that Switzerland finished the group ahead of England in second place behind Canada, so after winning the tournament last year it has been a chastening experience for Hope Powell’s team.
Apart from in the second half of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat by Canada they have rarely impressed and, against a Swiss side they were expected to beat, they created little in the way of goalscoring opportunities in a below par first half display.
Swiss goalkeeper Marisa Brunner had to block an 18th-minute Dunia Susi effort and seven minutes later she comfortably saved Emily Westwood’s long range drive.
A mistake at the other end by keeper Siobhan Chamberlain, who failed to collect Martina Mose’s 27th-minute cross, led to Dickenmann heading Switzerland in front.
It could have been worse eight minutes after the interval, but from Mose’s corner Ramona Bachmann sent a six yard shot over the bar.
England made the most of that let-off, equalising in the 56th minute when from a Sue Smith free-kick, Stoney had a close range shot blocked but forced the ball home at the second attempt.
Powell’s team were having the better of the game by this stage and took the lead in the 76th minute, Sanderson firing a 12 yard into the bottom corner from Susi’s pass.
The striker should then have wrapped up victory but, from ten yards out and with the goal at her mercy, she shot wastefully wide of the far post.
That miss proved costly as, against the run of play six minutes from time, Dickenmann snatched the equaliser with a close range shot after Bachmann’s effort had bounced off the far post.
England
21 Siobhan Chamberlain, 18 Dunia Susi (7 Jess Clarke, 80), 14 Rachel Unitt, 20 Dan Buet, 12 Lindsay Johnson, 3 Casey Stoney (C), 2 Alex Scott, 8 Jill Scott, 15 Jody Handley (16 Lianne Sanderson, 46), 19 Emily Westwood (10 Kelly Smith, 73), 11 Sue Smith
Substitutes not used 1 Rachel Brown, 5 Faye White, 6 Laura Bassett, 17 Rachel Yankey.