Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Liveupdated

England vs Scotland LIVE: Women’s Nations League result, final score and reaction as Lionesses win

The Stadium of Light hosts the Lionesses in their first game since the Women’s World Cup final

Karl Matchett
Friday 22 September 2023 17:04 EDT
Comments
England Women train on eve of first World Cup final appearance

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

England got their Nations League campaign off to a winning start with a 2-1 win against Scotland at the Stadium of Light.

Just over a month after their World Cup final defeat to Spain, the Lionesses earned an inaugural win in the competition after going ahead through former Black Cat Lucy Bronze.

Lauren Hemp doubled the lead before Scotland pulled one back just before the break through Kirsty Hanson and the visitors had plenty of good opportunities to level in the second half but were unable to capitalise on their chances.

Prior to kick-off both teams paid their respects to Sheffield United’s Maddy Cusack, who has died aged 27, and a period of silence was observed around the stadium.

Follow all the latest updates from England vs Scotland below and get the latest odds and football tips here:

England vs Scotland - confirmed lineups

And here’s the Scotland XI:

Gibson, Docherty, Corsie, McLauchlan, Howard, Kerr, Thomas, Grimshaw, Weir, Hanson, Emslie.

Karl Matchett22 September 2023 18:49

England vs Scotland - confirmed lineups

England’s starting lineup for tonight:

Earps, Bronze, Carter, Bright, Greenwood, Daly, Zelem, Stanway, James, Kelly, Hemp

Karl Matchett22 September 2023 18:46

Millie Bright says England players and the FA have settled dispute over bonuses

Millie Bright says an agreement has been reached between England players and the Football Association with regard to the dispute that has been ongoing over bonuses and commercial structures.

Just prior to the summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the Lionesses in a statement tweeted by Bright expressed their disappointment at the matter having not been resolved before the tournament, and said they had decided to pause talks with the intention of revisiting them after.

Millie Bright says England players and the FA have settled dispute over bonuses

Talks over bonuses and commercial talks were paused ahead of the Women’s World Cup.

Karl Matchett22 September 2023 18:40

First ever Lioness captain’s legacy lives on as England face Scotland 50 years after maiden match

England take on Scotland tonight almost 50 years since the two sides contested the first ever official international women’s match in Great Britain.

An FA ban in December 1921 meant the women’s game was limited to public parks only, but in 1972 Sheila Parker led her side to a 3-2 victory in an Auld Enemy clash as the Lionesses’ first ever captain.

In 2022, several members of the trailblazing England side who took to the field that day were finally awarded their official caps when they met with the current squad before a friendly against the US.

Sheila Parker was inducted into the England Football Hall of Fame in 2013, and has previously spoken about her playing days and delight at the success of the current team.

Fifty years on, and another Parker is now also at the beginning of her own footballing journey, with Sheila’s granddaughter Chloe progressing into the senior team of Fleetwood Town Wrens Ladies this season. The 18-year-old says she didn’t realise how significant her grandmother was in the history of the women’s game when she herself started playing.

Exclusive interview with Chloe Parker:

First ever Lioness captain’s legacy lives on as England face Scotland

Exclusive interview: Fifty years on, and Sheila Parker’s grandaughter is now also at the beginning of her footballing journey

Karl Matchett22 September 2023 18:34

Lioness Fara Williams on the aggressive sexist and homophobic abuse she gets online

Former England footballer Fara Williams has spoken out about the sexist and homophobic abuse she has suffered online, saying she’s been told to “get back in the kitchen”.

In an exclusive interview with The Independent, the ex-midfielder turned football pundit said trolls question her knowledge of the sport, telling her she knows “nothing about the game”.

The 39-year-old, who is England’s most capped player, said the online abuse is “definitely sexist” and gets worse and is “more aggressive” when she is reporting on men’s football rather than the women’s game.

“When I’m doing punditry in a women’s game, the percentages in terms of the abuse you get is really, really minimal compared to when as a female, I talk on the men’s game as a pundit,” Williams said. “The abuse heightens and it’s more aggressive, more direct. Definitely more abusive.”

The football commentator said she thought “jealousy” was “probably one of the main things” which drives people to perpetrate online abuse.

Read Maya Oppenheim’s exclusive interview with former Lionesses star Fara Williams here:

Former Lioness Fara Williams on the sexist and homophobic abuse she gets online

Exclusive: England’s most capped player says the abuse always ramps up and gets more aggressive when she’s commentating on the men’s game

Karl Matchett22 September 2023 18:26

Sarina Wiegman to lead Team GB at Paris Olympics if they qualify

England boss Sarina Wiegman is in line to manage Great Britain at next summer’s Olympics in Paris should qualification be secured, the Football Association has announced.

The women’s football tournament at the multi-sport showpiece will feature two European sides alongside hosts France, with those slots to be secured via the inaugural Women’s Nations League that is just about to get under way.

England have been nominated as the home nation with eligibility to obtain a spot for Great Britain, and thus also the employing and appointing body for Team GB staff.

Wiegman, who has overseen England win Euro 2022 and finish as runners-up at this year’s World Cup, said in a statement from the FA: “My full focus is on the Nations League campaign, but I would of course be very excited if the chance came to lead Team GB next summer. It would be an honour.”

More details:

Sarina Wiegman to lead Team GB at Paris Olympics if they qualify

The Lionesses manager will take charge should qualification be secured through the Nations League

Karl Matchett22 September 2023 18:18

What is the Women’s Nations League and how does Olympics qualification work?

So, we know about the Nations League as a tournament, but what’s different here this year and for the women’s competition? Read on for everything you need to know...

The 2023 Uefa Women’s Nations League sees teams initially placed into either League A, B or C depending on their positions in the Uefa women’s national team coefficient rankings, which were issued after the group stage of the European Qualifiers for the 2023 World Cup had finished.

Within these leagues, the teams were then seeded into four pots according to the same rankings, with each group containing one team from each pot.

The initial league stage then features each team playing one home match and one away match against each of the other teams in their group, with the four group winners from League A then qualifying for the knockout stage of the competition.

At stake are league positions for the European Qualifiers for Euro 2025. The top two teams in each group in League A will remain in the same league for the qualifiers, along with the five group winners of League B who will be promoted.

The rest of League A will then enter a playoff system to remain in the division with the runners-up of each group in League B.

The reward for the top eight teams in League A according to the final European Qualifiers league ranking will be direct qualification for Euro 2025, with the other teams having to contest another set of playoffs for the remaining seven places (hosts Switzerland have a guaranteed place).

But it’s not just Euro 2025 qualifiers - there’s also an Olympics to consider for next year.

The teams that make it to the final of the Nations League will also qualify for the 2024 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, alongside hosts France.

England are the nominated nation for Team GB.

If France do not reach the Nations League final, the winners and runners-up will take the two other Olympic spots - if France are in the final, a spot would go to the third-placed team.

Great Britain have so far been in the women’s football tournament at the Olympics twice, at London 2012 and Tokyo 2021, being eliminated in the quarter-finals both times.

Karl Matchett22 September 2023 18:10

Is England vs Scotland on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Nations League clash

England will take on Scotland in the first matchday of the inaugural Women’s Nations League on Friday.

The fixture is the first between the two nations for four years, and comes just over a month since Sarina Wiegman’s side suffered heartbreak after narrowly missing out on World Cup success in what was another brilliant tournament from The Lionesses.

They now face a clash with The Tartan Army in front of over 40,000 fans at The Stadium of Light, and the Scottish side will certainly be hoping to get one over the ‘Auld Enemy’ for the first time since 2011.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Is England vs Scotland on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Nations League

The Lionesses face a clash with The Tartan Army in front of over 40,000 fans at The Stadium of Light

Karl Matchett22 September 2023 18:02

England vs Scotland - latest updates LIVE

Good evening and welcome to the Independent’s live coverage of England vs Scotland in the Women’s Nations League!

We’re at the Stadium of Light tonight as the Lionesses get back underway, their first game since the 2023 Women’s World Cup where Sarina Wiegman and her team reached the final, where they were beaten by Spain.

This competition offers not just another opportunity to go for silverware, but there’s also a place in the Paris Olympics up for grabs.

Karl Matchett22 September 2023 15:55

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in