James: England Must Have No Regrets in World Cup Play-Offs
After finishing second to Spain on goal difference, England's women's football team must navigate a play-off route to qualify for next summer's World Cup in Brazil. They face Greece in a two-legged tie, starting in Crete on Friday before returning to Leicester four days later. Forward Lauren James has insisted that the team must look forward and play without regrets. A win would set up a final clash against Slovakia or Ukraine.
England's women's football team is preparing for a vital two-legged World Cup qualification play-off against Greece. Sarina Wiegman's side was forced into the play-offs after finishing second in qualifying Group 3. Although they performed well, they ultimately lost the top spot to Spain on goal difference.
The first leg of the tie is scheduled to take place on Friday in Crete, while the return fixture will be hosted at Leicester's King Power Stadium four days later. To secure their place at next summer's World Cup in Brazil, England must navigate this challenging path.
Star forward Lauren James has urged her teammates to look forward rather than dwelling on their previous results. Reflecting on their current predicament, James noted that the team cannot alter the past. "We can't change what happened," she remarked, emphasizing that the squad must focus entirely on the matches ahead. She insisted that the Lionesses must play without any regrets as they fight to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
If England defeat Greece, they will advance to a final play-off round against the winner of the tie between Slovakia and Ukraine. The ultimate victor of that subsequent matchup will qualify for the tournament in Brazil.
Wiegman's squad is fully aware of the pressure they face, but they remain confident. Had they secured a few more goals during the group stage, they would have qualified directly. However, they must now embrace this play-off route. The players are determined to deliver a strong performance on Friday to set up a successful home leg in Leicester.
Take a position. Out loud, if you can.
Four ways to start. Pick one and try saying it before you scroll on.
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What prevented England from qualifying directly for the World Cup?
Third Conditional with Inversion
We can use inversion (omitting 'if' and putting 'had' before the subject) in third conditional sentences to talk about hypothetical past situations and their results.
“Had they secured a few more goals during the group stage, they would have qualified directly.”
What to know · B2
Try saying this aloud
Scenario: You are discussing a missed opportunity in a business project or academic course.
- 01“dwelling on their previous results”
- 02“cannot alter the past”
- 03“embrace this play-off route”
Register tip · formal
🔑Key Phrases
Describes the high-importance, home-and-away format of the qualifying round.
The team faces a vital two-legged World Cup qualification play-off next month.
Indicates that Spain overtook England to finish first in the group.
They played well but ultimately lost the top spot to Spain.
Refers to obsessing over past outcomes instead of focusing on the present.
Instead of dwelling on their previous results, the players are looking ahead.
A formal way of saying that what is done cannot be undone.
We must accept that we cannot alter the past.
A hypothetical past condition that did not happen.
Had they secured a few more goals, they would have won the league.
Article Audio — Kokoro TTS
James: England Must Have No Regrets in World Cup Play-Offs
💬Discussion Questions
Open-ended questions to talk or write about — alone, with a partner, or in class.
- 1
In professional football, how much of a team's success is down to physical preparation versus mental resilience?
Evaluate - 2
How do you think the pressure of playing for a highly-ranked national team like England affects younger players?
Opinion - 3
Compare the format of a two-legged play-off with a single-match knockout. Which is fairer?
Compare - 4
If you were the manager, how would you prepare your team mentally after missing out on automatic qualification by such a narrow margin?
Opinion - 5
How does the growth of women's football in countries like England compare to its development globally?
Compare - 6
Do you think the 'no regrets' mentality is realistic for athletes when a major tournament spot is on the line?
Evaluate - 7
What impact does playing the second leg at home have on a team's strategy?
Opinion - 8
Predict how the outcome of this play-off might influence the future of women's football in Greece.
Predict
News sourced from: Sky Sports →. LectoPress rewrites the facts as original graded-reader text for language learners.
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