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Lionesses deliver Wiegman’s ‘clear win’ to make World Cup statement

Emma Sanders

BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

4 minutes ago

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A “clear win” was what Sarina Wiegman wanted from her England side against Ukraine – and that was what the Lionesses delivered.

Knowing just one team from their group qualifies automatically for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, England needed to make their superiority count.

World champions Spain await them in April, with many expecting the two sides to go head-to-head for the top spot in their qualifying group.

So when England went into the half-time break on Tuesday at 0-0 against a Ukraine side 30 places below them in Fifa’s rankings, fans could be forgiven for anxiety.

‘They didn’t figure it out in first half’

It was a new-look England as Wiegman is managing the return of several key players from injury, while rewarding those in form.

Manchester City’s Laura Blindkilde Brown was handed a rare start, while London City Lionesses defender Poppy Pattinson made her debut in the second half.

The back four in the starting XI had fewer than 100 caps combined – with captain Leah Williamson earning 65 of them – as Maya Le Tissier was at right-back over Lucy Bronze, while Taylor Hinds started her third game in four matches at left-back.

In-form Jess Park was playing out wide, as she has done for Manchester United so impressively this season, rather than in midfield where Wiegman has often used her.

It was uncharacteristically experimental from Wiegman considering this was their first competitive fixture since Euro 2025 and it took time to take shape.

England had 40 touches in the opposition box and 85% of the possession in the first half, but failed to score from their 15 efforts on goal.

The tempo had dropped, Ukraine were defending well and England’s hopes of flying out of the blocks had not materialised.

“They didn’t quite figure it out in the first half. They were a little bit stunned about what to do,” ex-England midfielder Fran Kirby told BBC Radio 5 Live Extra.

“Ukraine defended really well. They were really tight between the lines and they made it very difficult for England.

“They needed to have a little bit more composure in the box instead of crossing it for the sake of crossing it.

“The second half showed that they learned from the first half in terms of what wasn’t working.”

With a side stacked full of quality, the two-time European champions responded in the second half.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo netted two goals in four minutes to put England in control, before a double from Georgia Stanway took them out of Ukraine’s reach.

Wiegman’s “clear win” was confirmed when Park also scored twice later on.

“I think it took us the first half to break them down. We were still very good in the first half. They were defensively solid,” said Russo afterwards.

“When the spaces opened, we took our chances. I wouldn’t say it was relief [when we scored]. We knew we had the quality in us and it was just executing it.

How does victory set England up?

Tuesday’s match was played in Turkey, with Ukraine unable to host the fixture because of the ongoing war with Russia.

Ukraine’s players had to take a 15-hour coach journey to the Mardan Stadium for the game.

The Lionesses, back-to-back European champions, had recognised superstars in their squad, and went to the match as heavy favourites.

It was a fixture they simply had to win.

Rivals Spain did their part with a 3-0 win over Iceland and they will be expected to get maximum points against weaker opposition in their upcoming fixtures.

If the Lionesses hope to keep up with the defending world champions, and give themselves a chance of earning automatic qualification, they need to beat Ukraine and Iceland, and do it convincingly.

It could come down to goal difference to separate England and Spain, though there is a lot of football still to be played before then.

It was a message Wiegman made subtly before the match – that England needed to be ruthless.

“It is very important, of course, we know the group. For ourselves, we want to play a very good game and we want to get a clear win which gives us a good starting position going into the next game against Iceland,” she said before kick-off.

April’s first showdown against Spain at Wembley is likely to be hugely significant. It will be a repeat of the Women’s World Cup final in 2023 – where Spain beat England – and the Euro 2025 final, where the Lionesses got their revenge.

And that is clearly on the players’ minds with England midfielder Georgia Stanway “very disappointed” to have conceded against Ukraine, impacting the goal difference.

“We’ll look back and see what the mistake was,” she said. “Potentially it was me. I needed to track her but I need to watch it back. Overall, it was a solid start.”

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A test of party direction

To be sure, the war has overlain, rather than transformed, many of the issues already dominating the race, including the cost of living, immigration, artificial intelligence, housing, healthcare and civil rights under the Trump administration.

In North Carolina, progressive candidate Nida Allam was quick to connect the war to support received by her opponent, incumbent Representative Valerie Foushee, from defence contractors and artificial intelligence super PACs, as well as her past support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

The issue dovetails with Allam’s opposition to an AI data centre in her district, in a race that has become the most expensive in the state’s history.

In an advertisement released on Monday, Allam focused on the bombing of a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, that left at least 165 dead, calling herself a “proudly un-compromised, pro-peace leader”.

Foushee, meanwhile, has co-sponsored legislation to rein in Trump’s ability to strike Iran, accusing the president of “violating the Constitution and risking another open-ended war with no clear objectives and no exit strategy”.

Both parties will also select their candidates to run for the open Senate seat left by retiring Republican Thom Tillis. Democrats will be hoping for an upset in November in the so-called “purple” state. having a roughly equal makeup of Democrats and Republicans.

Former Governor Roy Cooper, who has warned of “another costly, drawn-out war that puts our troops in harm’s way and removes focus and resources from needs here at home”, is considered the frontrunner in the crowded Democratic primary race, which includes five other candidates.

On the Republican side, former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley, who has been endorsed by Trump and has vowed to remain the president’s “ally in the Senate”, is expected to take victory in a six-way Republican race.

A wave of Democratic voter turnout on Tuesday would be a sign of strength heading into the November polls.

Opposing parties typically perform well in US midterm elections, and polls have shown dismay over Trump’s immigration policies, his stewardship of the US economy, and his military actions in Venezuela and, most recently, Iran.

Republicans have sought to seize on Trump’s claims of policy success during a first term that has stretched presidential norms and transformed the government.

Also closely watched will be the US Senate race in Texas between 78-year-old Representative Al Green, who was kicked out of Trump’s State of the Union address earlier this month after holding up a sign accusing the president of racism, and 37-year-old Representative Christian Menefee.

Both incumbents have been forced to face off for the Democratic ticket following the latest round of congressional redistricting in the state.

Another indication of the potency of Trump’s continued hold over the party could be the Texas race between Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw and challenger, state lawmaker Steve Toth.

Crenshaw has been a vocal supporter of many of Trump’s policies, including his decision to launch a war with Iran, but has been critical of several figures in the president’s orbit.

‘One of the worst days of my life’ – Brazil’s Rodrygo out of World Cup

Mandeep Sanghera

BBC Sport journalist

3 March 2026, 16:12 GMT

Updated 17 minutes ago

Brazil’s Real Madrid forward Rodrygo called it “one of the worst days of my life” after he was ruled out for the rest of the season and 2026 World Cup with a serious knee injury.

The 25-year-old’s club said he had “been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and a rupture of the lateral meniscus of his right leg”.

An ACL injury often leads to footballers missing most – and sometimes all – of a season and recovery can sometimes take even longer.

Rodrygo appeared as a second-half substitute for Real in their defeat by Getafe on Monday, completing the game after coming on in the 55th minute.

It was his first appearance since a late substitute outing for the La Liga club at the start of February.

“One of the worst days of my life, how much I always feared this injury,” Rodrygo wrote in a social media post.

“Maybe life has been a little cruel to me lately, I don’t know if I deserve this, but what can I complain about? How many wonderful things I’ve experienced that I didn’t deserve either.”

Rodrygo made five appearances for Brazil at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

He added: “A major obstacle has arisen in my life, in my career, which prevents me from doing what I love most for a certain period of time.

“I’m out of the rest of the season with my club and out of the World Cup with my country, a dream that everyone knows how much it means to me. And all I can do is be strong as always, this is nothing new.

The World Cup, which is being hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, will take place between 11 June and 19 July.

Brazil, managed by former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, open their campaign against Morocco on 13 June before playing Haiti and Scotland.

In a statement, the Brazilian Football Association (CBF) said Rodrygo “suffered a serious injury during the match against Getafe in the Spanish League” and it “expresses its solidarity” with the winger.

It added: “The CBF wishes the athlete a speedy recovery and that he returns to the pitch as soon as possible.”

Rodrygo has played 19 times in the league for Real this season, with 13 outings as a substitute, and has scored one goal and registered three assists.

He has made five appearances in the Champions League, scoring once and registering one assist.

The setback for Rodrygo comes with Real forward Kylian Mbappe also struggling with a knee injury.

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UK, France send warships, air defence assets to Cyprus after drone attack

The United Kingdom is deploying a warship and helicopters to Cyprus, the British government has said, as global concern continues to mount over the fallout from deadly US-Israel attacks on Iran and retaliatory Iranian strikes across the region.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday that it was sending the HMS Dragon to the eastern Mediterranean along with two Wildcat helicopters “to bolster drone defence for our Cypriot partners”.

Iranian attack

The announcements come a day after the Cypriot government and the British Defence Ministry said a surprise Iranian-made drone attack targeted the Royal Air Force base ⁠of Akrotiri, southwest of Cyprus’s coastal city of Limassol.

The country’s president, Nikos Christodoulides, said a Shahed-type unmanned aerial ‌vehicle caused minor damage when it crashed into the military facilities early on Monday.

Reporting from outside the base, Al Jazeera’s John Psaropoulos said about 1,000 residents were evacuated from their homes as authorities worked to put emergency procedures in place.

“There are no sirens, for example. There’s no way to warn people of an incoming air attack,” he said. “They are trying to tally all of the transport means at their disposal, such as local municipal buses and other vehicles, to transport people in the event of another aerial attack.”

Iran has launched missiles and drones at several countries in and around the Middle East in response to attacks by the US and Israel, which began bombing Iran on Saturday amid international efforts to reach a deal on the Iranian nuclear programme.

US-Israeli attacks have killed at least 787 people across Iran since the conflict began, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, while a range of targets in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other countries have been targeted by Tehran.

The British armed forces have helped shoot down multiple drones across the region over the past 24 hours, according to the Defence Ministry, including over Jordan, Iraq and Qatar.

Starmer initially refused to have any role in the US-Israeli war with Iran, but later agreed to a request from US President Donald Trump’s administration to use two British military bases for a “specific and limited defensive purpose”.

Iran mourns 165 girls, staff killed in US-Israel strike on Minab school

NewsFeed

Thousands gathered in Minab, Iran, for the mass funeral of 165 schoolgirls and staff killed in what Tehran says was a US-Israeli strike on a primary school. Washington denies targeting a school. The UN and rights officials call for an independent investigation into the attack.

Gov Radda Pledges Support For Tinubu As Katsina APC Elects New Chairman

Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has reaffirmed the state as a stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC), following the completion of the party’s ward, local government, and state congresses.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Katsina People’s Square, Governor Radda said the congress, which brought together delegates from all 361 wards across the 34 local government areas, showcased the maturity, discipline, and unity of the party in the state.

“This process demonstrates that Katsina APC remains united, organised, and committed to democratic principles,” he said, commending the peaceful and orderly conduct of the exercise.

He also congratulated the Local Organising Committee for ensuring proper coordination at all levels, noting that their dedication guaranteed a transparent and credible process.

READ ALSO: Ebonyi APC Holds Congress, Re-elects Okoro-Emegha As Chairman

Governor Radda urged the newly elected leaders to consolidate the party’s achievements, promote unity, and strengthen political structures across the state.

He assured them of his full support, pledging continued cooperation between his administration and party organs.

The congress led to the emergence of a new State Executive Committee through a consensus arrangement endorsed by stakeholders. Bishir Gambo was elected as the State APC Chairman, with Bala Musawa as Deputy Chairman.

The full executive includes Adnan Nahabu (Secretary), Ahmad Mashi (Organising Secretary), and Alhaji Abdullahi (Assistant Organising Secretary), among others.

Speaking after his election, Gambo described the new committee’s mandate as a call to service.

“It is an honour done not only to me but to all members of the State Executive Committee. We assure you that we will work in the best interest of the party, the state, and Nigeria,” he said.

He pledged that the executive would operate with transparency, inclusiveness, discipline, and fairness, while promoting unity across all wards and local government areas.

Governor Radda also reaffirmed Katsina’s loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, pledging continued support for the Federal Government’s policies aimed at national development and prosperity.

The congress was attended by party stalwarts, including former Governor Aminu Masari, Deputy Governor Faruk Jobe, Speaker Nasir Yahya Daura, and other senior political figures, members of the National Assembly, and local government chairmen.

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