Heraklion — Sarina Wiegman has commended Ella Toone for her constructive response to being omitted from England's initial squad, bringing the Manchester United midfielder back into the fold for Friday's crucial Women's World Cup playoff semi-final first leg against Greece in Crete.
An administrative and tactical reshuffle saw Toone rejoin the group after right-back Lucy Bronze suffered a minor injury that forced her to return to Chelsea. Toone, who boasts 69 caps and 24 international goals, flew to Greece from Spain where she had been maintaining her fitness. Wiegman had previously stated that both Toone and Chloe Kelly missed the original selection because their recent performances did not meet expected standards.
However, Toone's subsequent reaction drew praise from her manager. Wiegman noted that while the initial phone call was difficult, the midfielder immediately accepted the challenge and channeled her disappointment into motivation. Toone acknowledged the decision publicly, emphasizing hard work and personal accountability following her strong club performance against Liverpool.
England enter the tie carrying the weight of high expectations, with qualification for the upcoming tournament in Brazil considered essential yet fraught with playoff risks. To reach the finals, England must navigate past Greece before facing either Slovakia or Ukraine in the subsequent round.
While Greece presents the immediate hurdle in a fixture pairing the world's fourth-ranked team against the 59th-ranked side, the hosts advanced smoothly by winning all four of their group matches against Georgia and the Faroe Islands. England found themselves in the playoffs after finishing behind Spain in their qualifying group. Following Friday's encounter in Heraklion, the decisive second leg is scheduled for Tuesday at Wembley.