Tuesday 23 December 2014 13:02, UK
England women's coach Mark Sampson wants his side to win a knockout match at next year's women's World Cup and is confident that, on a one-to-one basis, the current England team "can beat anyone".
The claim is an ambitious target for Sampson, who was appointed to the England post a year ago from his position at Women’s Super League side Bristol Academy.
Now, however, his focus is on pushing England – ranked sixth in the world – through to the quarter-finals of next year’s World Cup in Canada.
On a one-on-one basis I believe this team can beat anyone
"We’ve never got beyond a knockout game in a World Cup, so we want to be the first England team to win a knockout game at the tournament," Sampson said.
"Once you win a knockout game you progress into the quarter-final. You are then in a position when you can start to reassess your ambitions. On a one-on-one basis I believe this team can beat anyone."
In April, Sampson made the decision to appoint 25-year-old Steph Houghton as captain. Houghton replaced incumbent Casey Stoney, 32, in a move Sampson said would provide England with a captain to "lead the side for a long time coming”.
"Casey did an excellent job not only for England but also for Team GB in 2012, so making that decision was a very difficult decision for us," Sampson said.
"It speaks volumes of the type of people we’ve got and the type of character Casey is that she’s now accepted a very different role in the group."
Drawn in Group F for the tournament, England will face France, Mexico and Colombia.
England were scheduled to play a friendly fixture against France in April, but the match has been postponed given the teams are due to face each other in the World Cup.
Sampson said another opponent would be named for an April fixture, but in the meantime England will have a busy preparation ahead of their February 13 friendly against USA, ranked second in the world.
