Teenager Erica Meg Parkinson Withdraws from England’s Training Camp Ahead of Under-20 Women’s World Cup
Teenager Erica Meg Parkinson has withdrawn from England’s training camp in preparation for the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month.
The 18-year-old midfielder for North Carolina Courage had been selected in Lydia Bedford’s 24-player squad for a warm-weather camp in Portugal but has opted to remain with her club.
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Additionally, her club-mate Lauryn Thompson has also stepped back, leaving both players expected to focus on their responsibilities with Courage, currently ranked sixth and vying for a playoff position in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Manchester United’s Jessica Anderson and West Ham’s Sienna Wareing have been called up as replacements for the camp, after which Bedford will announce her 21-player World Cup squad on 20 August.
Parkinson participated in Sarina Wiegman’s senior team for matches against Spain and Iceland in April, and has also represented the Under-23 side.
Arsenal’s Sophie Harwood and Jessie Gale, along with Eva Hendle, who recently joined Rangers on loan from Chelsea, are included in the Under-20 group.
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The team is set to face Portugal in a friendly match in Lisbon on Thursday.
This marks England’s fourth training camp this summer, following games in which Bedford’s team triumphed over Canada and Colombia, drew with the USA, and lost to Japan.
This will be England’s first appearance at the Under-20 Women’s World Cup since 2018, and they have been placed in a group alongside Brazil, Tanzania, and Canada.
They will kick off their campaign against Canada on Saturday, 5 September.
“We’ve had a really positive summer with some strong performances against top-quality opposition,” Bedford stated. “The players have embraced every challenge and I’m really pleased with the progress we’ve made.
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“With the World Cup squad announcement just around the corner, it’s an important opportunity for the players to show what they can do.”
England squad
Goalkeepers: Eve Annets (Manchester City), Kaiya Jota (Stanford University), Sophia Poor (London City Lionesses)
Defenders: Ria Bose (West Ham), Sacha Lewis (Manchester City), Sophie Harwood (Arsenal), Rachel Maltby (Aston Villa), Grace McEwen (Brighton), Lucy Newell (Manchester United), Chloe Paxton (Sunderland), Zara Shaw (Liverpool)
Midfielders: May Cruft (Rangers), Chloe Hylton (Carolina Ascent), Vera Jones (Chelsea), Sienna Wareing (West Ham United)
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Forwards: Princess Ademiluyi (Gotham FC, on loan to Ipswich Town), Jessica Anderson (Manchester United), Ava Baker (Birmingham City, on loan to Ipswich Town), Lily Dent (Brighton, on loan to Sunderland), Layla Drury (Manchester United), Jessie Gale (Arsenal), Eva Hendle (Chelsea, on loan to Rangers), Vivienne Lia (Arsenal), Lois Shooter (Chelsea, on loan to Nottingham Forest)
Find interviews and extra content from the Women’s Super League and beyond on the Women’s Football Weekly feed
Teenager Erica Meg Parkinson has withdrawn from England’s training camp before the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month.
The North Carolina Courage midfielder, 18, was named in Lydia Bedford’s 24-player squad for the warm-weather camp in Portugal, but has decided to stay with her club instead.
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Club-mate Lauryn Thompson has also withdrawn, with the pair now expected to remain involved with Courage, who are sixth and in contention for a National Women’s Soccer League play-off spot.
Manchester United’s Jessica Anderson and West Ham’s Sienna Wareing have been called up as their replacements for the camp, after which Bedford will name her 21-player World Cup squad on 20 August.
Parkinson was part of Sarina Wiegman’s senior set-up for the games against Spain and Iceland in April and has also featured for the Under-23 side.
Arsenal pair Sophie Harwood and Jessie Gale, as well as Eva Hendle, who joined Rangers on loan from Chelsea last month, are part of the Under-20 group.
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They are scheduled to face Portugal in a friendly in Lisbon on Thursday.
It is England’s fourth training camp over the summer, with Bedford’s side having beaten Canada and Colombia, drawn with the USA and lost to Japan so far.
It will be England’s first appearance at an Under-20 Women’s World Cup since 2018 and they have been drawn in a group featuring Brazil, Tanzania and Canada.
They will begin their campaign against Canada on Saturday, 5 September.
“We’ve had a really positive summer with some strong performances against top-quality opposition,” Bedford said. “The players have embraced every challenge and I’m really pleased with the progress we’ve made.
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“With the World Cup squad announcement just around the corner, it’s an important opportunity for the players to show what they can do.”
England squad
Goalkeepers: Eve Annets (Manchester City), Kaiya Jota (Stanford University), Sophia Poor (London City Lionesses)
Defenders: Ria Bose (West Ham), Sacha Lewis (Manchester City), Sophie Harwood (Arsenal), Rachel Maltby (Aston Villa), Grace McEwen (Brighton), Lucy Newell (Manchester United), Chloe Paxton (Sunderland), Zara Shaw (Liverpool)
Midfielders: May Cruft (Rangers), Chloe Hylton (Carolina Ascent), Vera Jones (Chelsea), Sienna Wareing (West Ham United)
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Forwards: Princess Ademiluyi (Gotham FC, on loan to Ipswich Town), Jessica Anderson (Manchester United), Ava Baker (Birmingham City, on loan to Ipswich Town), Lily Dent (Brighton, on loan to Sunderland), Layla Drury (Manchester United), Jessie Gale (Arsenal), Eva Hendle (Chelsea, on loan to Rangers), Vivienne Lia (Arsenal), Lois Shooter (Chelsea, on loan to Nottingham Forest)
Find interviews and extra content from the Women’s Super League and beyond on the Women’s Football Weekly feed
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