World Cup Last-8: England vs Colombia – Match preview, live stream, kick-off time, prediction, team news, lineups
England face Colombia in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The Lionesses have featured in the quarter-finals in all six of their Women’s World Cup appearances, while the South Americans are appearing at this stage for the first time.
- Match 60: England vs Colombia (11:30) – ITV
- 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup fixtures for Saturday 12 August
Match Preview
England haven’t yet found their stride but there have been glimpses along the way. Even in times of trouble, England has proven to be a strong defensive force and it doesn’t do any harm having the world’s number one ranked goalkeeper.
They still have not conceded from open play and we think they’ll pull out another strong defensive display.
Colombia will be another tough opponent, but have the distinct advantage of Sarina Wiegman as their boss – her creative vision is second to none. Here’s hoping the team can put her plans into action.
England preview
Following their victory in the European Championships the previous year, England entered the Women’s World Cup as strong contenders, despite the absence of injured players Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, and Fran Kirby.
Although they secured 1-0 victories against Haiti and Denmark in their initial two matches, it was evident that England needed to enhance their performance if they aimed to compete for the 2023 World Cup title.
A more impressive performance emerged in their concluding group-stage match against China, where they netted six goals while conceding only from a penalty.
However, their performance against Nigeria in the round of 16 fell short of another strong showing. They had to rely on luck at times and navigated through extra time with 10 players after Lauren James received a red card in the 87th minute for a foul on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie.
Similar to their success in the April Finalissima showdown against Brazil, the Lionesses maintained their composure during the penalty shootout, securing victory and progressing to the quarter-finals.
Their current objective is to advance to the semi-finals for the third consecutive time in the Women’s World Cup, building on their previous successes.
Colombia preview
Colombia’s remarkable journey in Australia and New Zealand has emerged as a captivating narrative of the tournament, yet their thirst for rewriting history persists as they secure their maiden entry into the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals.
Commencing their World Cup campaign with a strong 2-0 victory over South Korea, the South American representatives orchestrated a stunning upset by triumphing 2-1 over Germany, a feat that effectively stamped their ticket to the round of 16.
In spite of a narrow 1-0 group stage setback against Morocco, Nelson Abadia’s squad approached their Tuesday showdown with Jamaica brimming with confidence.
Their round of 16 encounter unfolded as a tense and strategic affair, ultimately culminating in Colombia’s favour, thanks to Catalina Usme’s decisive strike in the 51st minute.
Now, Colombia shoulders the aspirations of an entire continent, aspiring to become the first South American nation since 2007 to progress to the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup.
Team News
England boss Sarina Wiegman will be forced into at least one change, with James set to serve a two-match suspension.
After having to settle for a place on the bench for the last two matches, Manchester United’s Ella Toone is expected to return to the starting lineup on Saturday.
Jess Carter will retain her place in the back three alongside Millie Bright and Alex Greenwood, with the trio looking to help England claim their fourth clean sheet of the tournament.
As for Colombia, Manuela Vanegas will return from suspension to take up her position on the left side of a back four.
Having started the last two matches, Atletico Madrid’s Leicy Santos will continue to operate in the middle of the park with Diana Ospina and Lorena Bedoya.
Usme and Linda Caicedo have scored two goals apiece at the tournament, and they are expected to be joined in the forward line by Mayra Ramirez.
England possible starting lineup:
Earps; Carter, Bright, Greenwood; Bronz, Stanway, Walsh, Daly; Toone; Russo, Hemp
Colombia possible starting lineup:
Perez; C. Arias, Carabali, D. Arias, Guzman; Santos, Ospina, Bedoya; Ramirez, Caicedo, Usme
WTX Sport predicts England 2-1 Colombia
We hope England can offer up a strong performance – one similar to the game against China. It won’t be easy, we expect Colombia to enjoy some long-range passing but hopefully England will just have enough to see them through.