Women’s World Cup: England’s talent on the wings is staggering

It took England an hour to break Argentina’s stingy defense apart, but the Group D leaders found the breakthrough via a sublime ball from the left wing.

When England survived a late flurry from Scotland to win their first 2019 Women’s World Cup game 2-1, right winger Nikita Parris was the star performer. The 25-year-old standout from Lyon is one of the world’s most exciting dribblers, and while she didn’t score or assist in England’s 1-0 win over Argentina, her blistering pace and creativity once again shone through.

England had to grind out a victory against an Argentina team that defends with as much togetherness as any national team, but even in a game where they didn’t unleash a barrage of goals, their wingers still managed to steal the show.

While Parris earned most of the plaudits against Scotland, it was left winger Beth Mead’s turn to make a name for herself on the international stage. Mead’s pass in the 61st minute to Jodie Taylor will go down as one of the passes of the tournament, and it takes a special player with real technical class to make this assist. She set this ball up on a platter for Taylor, putting it exactly where Argentina goalkeeper Vanina Correa and her defenders couldn’t reach it.

That assist was the hallmark of Mead’s night and the decisive goal in a difficult Group D matchup, but Mead was excellent until her substitution in the 81st minute. The Arsenal star sent in teasing ball after teasing ball and showed a willingness to run at Argentina’s defense, looking dangerous with the ball at her feet.

Parris and Mead will continue to be at the heart of England’s attacks in this tournament, and it will be exciting to see how they fare out against a quick and revived Japan side who are also coming off of a 2-1 victory over Scotland. These two superstars could become household names when the Women’s World Cup is all said and done, and they’ll play a pivotal role in England’s championship hopes.

Of course, they aren’t the only players to watch on the flanks. Right back Lucy Bronze has been frequently highlighted as one of the biggest stars in this tournament, and she is indeed the best player at the position as of right now. Her understanding with Parris on the right side has been used to devastating effect, and Scotland memorably had a difficult time taking the ball off of both players. Bronze’s distance shooting goes underrated, as her smart passing and elite work on defense are the main reasons why she’s considered the standard-bearer at the position.

On the left side, England are essentially just as good. Manchester United captain Alex Greenwood hasn’t generated as much buzz as some of her teammates, but the versatile defender has been immense at left back. Not only did she make some critical tackles in a tough matchup against Scotland’s pacy Claire Emslie, but her crosses and deliveries from set pieces have been absolutely tremendous. It’s only a matter of time before Greenwood starts racking up assists from those positions, especially since it seems like England’s forwards and attacking midfielders are slowly finding their groove.

Like France and the United States, England are a World Cup favorite with no shortage of elite talent on the outside. Mead’s masterclass of a performance against Argentina is a timely reminder that these four women hold the key to England’s success this summer, and it will be exciting to see how they help this side take another step forward against their toughest test in Japan.