England Aims For Revenge Against Belgium In Upcoming Nations League Match

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England's manager, Sarina Wiegman, has expressed a desire for her team to redeem themselves as they prepare for their Nations League match against Belgium in Leuven. The Lionesses currently lead their group with nine points and an unblemished record. They recently defeated Belgium 5-0 at Ashton Gate, with goals from Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright, Aggie Beever-Jones, Jess Park, and Keira Walsh.

Despite their strong form, the team faces challenges due to injuries. Chelsea's Lauren James and Arsenal's Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly are unavailable after withdrawing from the squad. "LJ [James] picked up a hamstring injury so will be assessed with her club but is of course not available for tomorrow," said Wiegman. She remains hopeful about their recovery but acknowledges that only time will reveal the extent of these injuries.

Wiegman also mentioned other injured players like Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway, and Alex Greenwood. They are recovering from knee injuries without a clear timeline for return. "I hope they'll be back. I can't give any timings," she stated, expressing optimism for their participation in the upcoming Euros in July in Switzerland.

With key players sidelined, Brighton forward Michelle Agyemang has been called up to the senior team for the first time. Agyemang replaces Alessia Russo, who returned to Arsenal for further injury assessment. "Michelle was at St George's Park because they qualified for the Euros with the under-19s," Wiegman noted. Jess Naz has also joined the squad to bolster their ranks.

The Lionesses have fond memories of beating world champions Spain 1-0 at Wembley earlier this year. However, they still recall a disappointing visit to Leuven in 2023 when they failed to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games. "How I see tomorrow is that we really want to kind of get revenge on ourselves," Wiegman explained.

The team will face Belgium again on Tuesday before concluding their group stage matches against Portugal and Spain ahead of this summer's Euros. Wiegman is focused on improving performance levels compared to previous encounters and ensuring players are fit and ready.