Sarina Wiegman warns high-flying Lionesses to reach 'top level' against Iceland with call to stay patient against 'hard to break down' visitors

England enter Saturday's clash in high spirits following a dominant 6-1 victory over Ukraine. However, Wiegman is wary of the threat posed by a physical Iceland team known for their defensive resilience. The head coach is determined to ensure her side avoid the trap of complacency after their recent scoring spree.

The Lionesses face a different tactical challenge in Nottingham, where the visitors are expected to sit deep and frustrate the hosts. Wiegman believes that the key to victory lies in her team's ability to stick to the game plan and wait for the right openings rather than forcing individual solutions.

Addressing the media on Friday, Wiegman emphasised the importance of mental fortitude. "It's very important. That's what we showed on Tuesday," said Wiegman. "Of course we wanted to score goals in the first half and we did have some opportunities, but the team showed that we could do better."

The Dutch coach credited her squad's maturity for their ability to break down defensive units without panicking. "We stuck with the plan and everyone kept doing their tasks together. We didn't start doing things on our own because that doesn't help in those moments," Wiegman explained. "We just stayed calm and kept doing our task and got some opportunity up front. It is about managing the game too and that comes with a lot of experience."

Looking ahead to this weekend's game, she added: "They are a very strong team," Wiegman said of Iceland. "They are very disciplined, very physical and very direct, with a lot of pace.

"We have seen some of their earlier performances, specifically against Spain. We think we will have the ball a lot but it will also be very hard to break down their defence... We know it is going to be a very tough game tomorrow. They are tough to beat and we will have to be at our top level."

Forward Alessia Russo, who was instrumental in the midweek win, believes England's persistence will eventually wear down any opponent. "We knew we were dominating the ball, we wanted to be ruthless in the final third," Russo told BBC 5 Live. "They [Ukraine] also defended well, then the spaces opened up. Scoring early in the second half was important."

Russo highlighted that the timing of the breakthrough is less important than the quality of the performance. "As long as we are doing our job with our counter-pressure and creating the chances, that breeds confidence. If the goal comes in the first 10 minutes or last 10, that doesn't matter. We know we can change games in a matter of moments."

England currently top Group C of the 2027 Women's World Cup qualifiers with three points from one match, ahead of Spain on goal difference. A win against Iceland would further strengthen their chances of qualifying for the tournament before a highly anticipated clash against world champions La Roja, who beat them in the 2023 Women's World Cup final.