England are gearing up for a highly anticipated friendly fixture on Saturday as they host the USA at Wembley Stadium.
Emma Hayes is back on home spoil for her national team's clash with the current European champions. However, both managers will be without some of their biggest names for the fixture under the arch, with the fan-named 'Triple Espresso' in Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson all absent for the Americans. As for the Lionesses, they will be without Lauren James, Lauren Hemp, Maya Le Tissier and Ella Toone for the game.
Despite the absence of some of the game's biggest names, the meeting will still showcase some of the best talent in global football.
90min have ranked the top five matchups to look out for at Wembley Stadium...
5. Lindsey Horan vs Georgia Stanway
The meeting of these two midfield maestros will certainly bring the entertainment to Wembley, as neither is expected to easily bow down from a challenge in the central areas.
Both will also be returning from Champions League duty with Lyon and Bayern Munich respectively. Stanway slotted home the penalty that led England to a 2-1 victory the last time these two sides met, and will be eager to make an impact once again this Saturday.
4. Lucy Bronze vs Lynn Williams
It will be a battle of experience down the wing, with Lucy Bronze and Lynn Williams likely to go head-to-head on the occasion. Bronze has made 126 caps for the Lionesses, playing a key role in the nation's road to becoming European Champions in 2022. The Chelsea right-back has been in fine form recently, scoring in just one minute to put her team ahead against Celtic in the UEFA Women's Champions League last Wednesday night.
As for Williams, NJ/NY Gotham FC fell out of the NWSL playoff semi-finals this month in a narrow penalty shootout defeat to Washington Spirit. This means the American forward will have fresh legs coming into the meeting with the Lionesses, en route to making her 74th appearance for her country.
3. Keira Walsh vs Rose Lavelle
Another battle in the centre of the park will arrive between Keira Walsh and Rose Lavelle. Neither are incredibly physical players, but their prowess and composure on the ball adds another dimension to each of their teams.
Whilst Lavelle tends to find her dominance through her athleticism, Walsh will be eager to snuff out those strengths with her pin-point delivery. The USA midfielder is well established on the global scale, having made 108 appearances for the stars and stripes. Lavelle is no stranger to silverware, having been a part of the USA squad to take home global glory at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Walsh is also not shy of silverware, after her Player of the Tournament performance at the 2022 European Championships was instrumental in leading the Lionesses to glory.
2. Beth Mead vs Emily Fox
A battle between north London's finest will definitely be one to watch out for as Emily Fox and Beth Mead prepare to line up against each other for the first time since becoming club teammates.
Fox finds herself in firing form, making a strong account for herself to be Arsenal's most consistent player of the 2024/25 season so far. Mead has found her feet a bit more under the interim management of Renee Slegers, and will be keen to return to Wembley in good form.
The pair both featured in the starting lineup last time the two nations met under the arch in October 2022, but didn't directly come up against each other having both been positioned on the right side. With Lauren Hemp ruled out of England duty after undergoing surgery on her knee, Wiegman may choose to deploy Mead in the left wing position.
1. Alessia Russo vs Naomi Girma
Perhaps the most exciting battle of the evening will arrive when Alessia Russo leads the line for England against the formidable Naomi Girma. The exciting clash of heads will see two of the brightest stars of the new wave of women's football come up against each other.
Russo is back to her very best since Slegers took control of the Arsenal ship, scoring four goals over the recent block of fixtures. The bright run of form started from a solid showing in England's 3-4 loss to Germany in October. Russo is back commanding spaces, ceasing her chances with the same confidence we are used to.
As for Girma, the USA centre-back has recently made a very solid case for being the best in her position on a global scale. A brick wall performance at the Paris Olympic Games saw her shine in every fixture, and despite San Diego Wave failing to make the NWSL playoffs, Girma was still named in the league's second-best Starting XI. Both with strength on the ball and an unforgiving workrate, the battle between these two stars is certain to be a great watch.
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