Sarina Wiegman’s 3-4-1-2 system carried them to the final but was undone by one moment of miscommunication
One instance. One rush of overenthusiasm. One split second of miscommunication. That was enough to leave England’s World Cup dreams in tatters. It was a moment that caused the holes to appear in the Lionesses’ new-found tactical formation, a system that had been a huge key to their success in Australia but also, on this occasion, led to their downfall.
It all happened in a flash with little under half an hour on the clock. Lucy Bronze, a forward-thinking wing-back, surged ahead on an inverted run. Whether she needed to go at that particular moment is a separate debate, with the game firmly in the balance. Miscommunication followed, allowing Spain to win the ball back. A deft crossfield pass set Mariona Caldentey away into the space vacated by Bronze and gave her the room to set up Olga Carmona for the finish.
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