Ellis: England have winning formula

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USA head coach Jill Ellis believes England are capable of winning the Women’s World Cup

USA head coach Jill Ellis believes England are capable of winning the Women’s World Cup

USA head coach Jill Ellis believes England are one of a number of teams with the right “formula” to win the Women’s World Cup.

As reigning champions and the world’s top-ranked side, the USA enter the competition as favourites, but England, along with Germany and hosts France, are considered capable of going all the way.

The tournament begins with France taking on South Korea on Friday, before Phil Neville’s England side get their campaign underway against Scotland on Sunday, ahead of Group D meetings with Argentina and Japan.

“England’s is a very good squad,” Scott said on Wednesday. “They have a pro-league, they have players playing internationally in different leagues, so if you kind of create a formula in terms of a team having a really good run.

“I think they’ve got experience, they’ve got a lot of athletic players, savvy players that play regularly in the top teams and a coach that’s going to motivate them. So I think it’s a great formula, I think certainly they have a shot at it.

“There’s three things to win. There’s a trifecta. You’ve got to have a mentality, I think that’s a part of a winning championship team. Athleticism is a component of this game and then the technical-tactical side, and I think there’s more and more teams now with those combinations, England being one of them.”

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England were given an enthusiastic welcome by locals in Nice as they arrived in France for the Women’s World Cup

England were given an enthusiastic welcome by locals in Nice as they arrived in France for the Women’s World Cup

England have had a mixed preparation, with a surprise loss to New Zealand in their final warm-up match last weekend likely eliminating any complacency going into the tournament.

The Lionesses arrived on Tuesday in Nice, where they face Scotland on Sunday, and where they will also play their final group stage game against Japan.

The USA begin their campaign against Thailand in Reims on Tuesday evening, with matches against fellow Group F opponents Chile and Sweden to follow.

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