Netherlands’ Persons: England are Euro 2022’s favorites

Mark Parsons

, the

head coach, thinks

are expected to win the Women’s Euro 2022 following his side being beaten by England on Friday.

England won the game 5-1 at Elland Road, and Lucy Bronze met the back of the net, while Beth Mead scored a brace. Moreover, Ella Toone and Lauren Hemp also netted for their side to seal the victory.

England’s last game with the Oranje was a 3-0 reverse in the semi-finals of the Euro 2017, while the Lionesses kept their record of not losing back-to-back matches against the Netherlands.

Sarina Wiegman was the manager of the Dutch side the time they won their home tournament, and now have the opportunity to do the same with England.

In the post-match interview, Parsons showed his admiration for England, insisting that they had home advantage and resources.

"This is our third top opponent we've faced,"

he said.

"Brazil, we felt we should have won, France, we weren't good and didn't deserve to draw or win.

"Tonight, I think England will be favourites in the Euros where they're at, the qualities of players, the home crowd, the resources that the WSL have been putting in, the work the clubs have been doing. You add all that up, it's very hard to see that they're not favourites."

Netherlands are going to be in Group C of the Euro 2022 next to Sweden, Portugal, and Switzerland, beginning against the Swedes on July 9.

"Very difficult evening. I think the one thing we wanted to avoid by taking on such a big game, big opponent early in our preparation, was this outcome"

Parsons admitted.

"If we had avoided this outcome, I think we will only be taking positives. I feel a big responsibility because I knew how big of a step this would be.

"Also, I was aware of the English league finishing May 11. They got their holiday, they got in two weeks before us that they would be in this place, but was aggressive and ambitious in having the game when it was, hoped that we'd be in a controlled position at 60 minutes because the minds probably would have carried the bodies at that point."

In the first half of the clash, the contest was even as they were 1-1 until the 53rd minute.

Three goals were scored in the final 18 minutes of the match, with Parson taking some of the blame.

He added:

"Some of the great decision-making we had in the first half had gone [in the second], so it's going to feel like two games. Analysing the first 55, 60 minutes and throwing the last 30, 35 minutes in the bin very quickly because I don't think there'll be anything worth taking from that due to the level where we're at physically, which is normal, but the organisation didn't help the players at that point.

"When the [final] whistle went, I knew I was going to be analysing a shorter game... There'd be no point in looking any further because I let them down. At that point, the organisation should have been a lot safer, more defensive, because the legs had gone and England were just getting fresher and fresher with their changes.

"With the home crowd, we felt it once or twice in the first half. In the second half it was the flags and the noise coming from the home crowd, which is an experience we needed to learn. Yeah. Tough night."

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