England Women 'beaten by the better team', admits Phil Neville
Thursday 8 March 2018 07:48, UK
Phil Neville admits England Women were "beaten by the better team" after losing 1-0 to the United States in the SheBelieves Cup.
The Lionesses needed to take just a point from the US in the final game of the 2018 SheBelieves Cup to win the tournament for the first time in their history.
However, a costly own goal from England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley handed the hosts victory in Orlando and a second SheBelieves Cup win in the space of three years.
Neville admits England struggled to compete with the "best team in the world" at times but was buoyed by his side's second-half performance.
"There is no doubt we were beaten by the better team. I think the positive we can take is from that last 20 to 25 minutes," said the former Manchester United defender.
"It seemed that once they scored we started to relax and play and show a little bit of character and belief but for 60 minutes it just felt as though we were waiting to be beat.
"I suppose this has been my most enjoyable game because I learnt a lot about my players. It was a top end game against the best team in the world. They have good front players.
"I am proud of the way our players played but what I've said to them in the dressing room after that game is 'Remember this feeling that you've got now', because in 12 months' time when hopefully we're in a World Cup, we can improve and be better than this team."
Bardsley believes England deserved to take at least a point from the game and believes the Lionesses are moving in the right direction under new manager Neville.
"I don't think we deserved to lose that game. We are massively disappointed but we're a new squad that is trying to do something different and trying to grow," she said.
"The young players did phenomenally well and we're really proud of the progress that we're making and the football that we're trying to play."
Birmingham City striker Ellen White admits England need to be more clinical if they are to beat the United States.
"We've performed well over these three games but it's those fine margins of getting the goal or being clinical in front of goal and beating these teams," she said.
"That is what we ultimately want to do to become first in the world. It's a hard one to take but that's what happens in football sometimes."
