Chelsea and Man City aces Morgan and Carter among rising stars in Wiegman’s first England Women’s squad

MAN CITY’S Esme Morgan and Chelsea’s Jess Carter are among the rising stars included in Sarina Wiegman first England Women’s squad.

However, a spate of injuries have seen Lucy Bronze, Ellie Roebuck and Keira Walsh miss out on selection. 

Lionesses boss Wiegman, who began her new role on September 1, will lead the group in their bid to qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand

The two-time Fifa Women’s Coach of the Year, who led the Netherlands to the finals of the tournament in 2019, has opted for a youthful mix to her first squad.  

Niamh Charles, Ella Toone, Ebony Salmon, Sandy MacIver and Lotte Wubben-Moy are among the younger stars included on Wiegman’s 25-strong list. 

Arsenal’s Beth Mead also made the cut following her goalscoring heroics at the Emirates in a top-flight win against Chelsea. 

Man United skipper Katie Zelem could be in line for her first England cap having taken part in training camps with the senior national team. 

The squad also includes 16 of the Team GB football side that reached the Tokyo Olympics quarter-finals including PFA Young Player of the Year Lauren Hemp. 

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And United’s Mary Earps and Lucy Staniforth have been given the nod after their absences from recent Lionesses camps. 

Head coach Sarina Wiegman said: “I’m extremely excited to get started. 

“After leading Netherlands in the Olympic Games, it has been a quick turnaround to get ready for this important camp with England and the start of our 2023 World Cup qualifying campaign.

“Our coaching team and scouts have done a tremendous job in ensuring me and Arjan Veurink, my assistant coach who joins me from the Netherlands, are fully prepared.

“Whilst we have a few injuries to key players to contend with, we have such a strong squad and I’m excited by the young talent we have called up for this camp.

It will be emotional to finally welcome fans back to the stadium for our home game against North Macedonia

Sarina Wiegman - England Women's Head Coach

“Of course, we have two challenging matches this month as we start our qualification for the World Cup in 2023, but we also have a strong focus on next summer’s home Uefa Women’s Euros. 

“I can’t wait to see what we can all do together to bring success to England.

England’s first match will be a clash against minnows North Macedonia, one of the team’s three opponents in Group D of the qualifying stages.

That match will take place at Southampton’s home ground St Mary’s on Friday 17 September at 7:00 pm. 

And the clash will be the first played in front of fans on home soil in two years since England’s duel with Germany at Wembley in November 2019.

The game with Macedonia will be followed by an away duel with Luxembourg on September 21.

Wiegman added: “It will be emotional to finally welcome fans back to the stadium for our home game against North Macedonia. 

“They have had a long wait due to Covid-19 and the restrictions that has brought, but they are such an important part of our journey over the next few years and I hope to see a big crowd at St. Mary’s Stadium next Friday.”

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