AFTER five days of separation from her England team due to a positive Covid-19 test, Sarina Wiegman was back on the touchline for Wednesday’s Women’s Euro 2022 quarter-final against Spain – and it’s just as well she was. While Spain were ultimately restricted by the decisions of their own manager, the Lionesses were emboldened by that of theirs. This was the difference.

For 80 minutes, Spain were in control. England had expected to face a possession-dominant opponent, but not one that would so effectively contain the tournament top scorers. Even after scoring the opener through Esther Gonzalez, Spain grew further. The momentum had swung firmly in their direction.

But the changes made by both Wiegman and Jorge Vilda pushed it back the other way. The introduction of Alessia Russo and Ella Toone gave England the attacking apex they had lacked until that point. On top of this, though, Vilda’s decision to withdraw Gonzalez robbed Spain of theirs. The whole match flipped on these alterations.

Wiegman isn’t exactly known for making changes. She has stuck with the same starting lineup in three of the four matches England have played at Women’s Euro 2022 so far. When the Netherlands became European champions five years ago, Wiegman used a total of just 13 players over the entire tournament.

The 52-year-old has, however, made good use of England’s depth off the bench in this tournament. It wasn’t just the attacking changes made against Spain that made a difference either. Indeed, Wiegman’s introduction of defender Alex Greenwood also helped England turn around their quarter-final performance.

Greenwood allowed Wiegman to switch to a back three which released Millie Bright to cause problems as an auxiliary centre forward. This unsettled the Spain defence and played a role in creating the space for Toone to drift into to score the equaliser – Irene Paredes and Maria Pilar Leon were overwhelmed by the physical threat of both Bright and Russo.

Vilda hoped to see out the match by switching to a 4-2-3-1 for the final phase, but Spain had no way to get out once England equalised, once they needed to impose their own game again. The introduction of Amaiur Sarriegi gave them someone who could make the ball stick in the attacking third, but she only had 20 minutes to make an impression. Why was this her only appearance of the whole tournament?

“The whole game was a test,” Wiegman explained afterwards. “The level of this game was so high. I haven’t experienced that too much. We know Spain are a very good team, especially in possession. We did pretty well too. In terms of a test and a setback and how we came back. We stuck to it with being together as a team and trying to score. Plan B was also [used for] a couple of minutes and then we scored. I’m so proud of the team.”

Tough tests await England in the final four, and the final should they make it that far, but the manner of the victory over Spain underlined their status as tournament favourites. A lot went against the Lionesses in a match against an opponent full of world class talent and they still couldn’t be knocked from their course.

On another night, Spain might have held out for another six minutes and made the semi-finals. They neutralised England like no other opposition team has at Women’s Euro 2022. But major tournaments are decided by fine margins and while this was where Wiegman did her best work, it was where Vilda did his worst.