Bedford salutes England resilience

England coach Lydia Bedford saluted the resilience and mentality of her side after they fought back from 1-0 down to secure a late point against Canada in their opening game at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Poland 2026™.

The deadlock in an even contest was broken in the 52nd minute when Canada substitute Annabelle Chukwu put her side in front. Time looked to be running out for Bedford's side, until Rachel Maltby stepped up to convert a late penalty to secure a precious point.

For Bedford, the significance of the result goes well beyond the 89th-minute goal that earned it.

“We’ve talked a lot about the mentality of our team. We’ve always said that, if we want to go the distance in this tournament, we need to stick together,” she said. “Only 11 players could start the match, but everyone on the bench knows they have a role to play. Every player has a part to play when their moment comes.”

This is exactly the attitude Bedford wants to see from her side: the ability to stick together and respond as a unit when things do not go to plan. In a tournament as short and intense as a World Cup, you cannot expect to be in the driving seat in every game. That makes it important to have a squad capable of digging deep when the going gets tough.

“It helped us find the momentum we needed,” Bedford continued. “Football isn’t about being perfect every time you set foot on the pitch; it’s about showing resilience as a team.”

Her words perfectly capture the way the game against Canada unfolded. The equaliser came from a player who stepped up when her team needed her most. For Bedford, the bench is every bit as important, forming an integral part of England’s strength. “We’re incredibly lucky to have so many talented players in our squad. I think we’ve got 21 players who could quite easily start,” she added.

Maltby, the player who covered herself in glory, felt the tension of the late drama first-hand. Converting a penalty is no mean feat, especially in your opening game at a World Cup. But her goal ensured England have a point on the board from their first game.

“Stepping up to level things up from the spot right at the death was pretty nerve-racking,” Maltby said. “We always want to win, but a point at this stage of the tournament could be invaluable going forward.

"We desperately needed that point. Given the way it came about, it’ll no doubt help us going into the next game. We treat every game the same way and we trust every player in our squad.”

Katie Cox also echoed those sentiments. For England’s goalkeeper, the 1-1 draw was a fair reflection of a hard-fought game and, more importantly, gives the team a chance to look ahead, with Tanzania and Brazil their next opponents: “I think a point apiece was ultimately a fair reflection of the game. Getting that equaliser was really important,” Cox said.

“We’ve got another game coming up, so now our focus turns to Tanzania,” Cox added. “This is definitely one of the toughest groups. We’ll take everything we can from the game against Canada, learn from it and then look to get the better of Tanzania.”