Phil Neville has said England should be proud for matching 2015 Women’s World Cup champions USA after their defeat in the semi-final.
England twice behind in the first half when Christen Press and Alex Morgan scored either side of Ellen White’s goal, and they could have taken the tie to extra time had Steph Houghton converted her late penalty.
Neville insisted there is no need for his players to feel any regret after “touching the hearts of the nation” following record television audiences during every round they have played in.
The England boss told the BBC: “My players give me everything. We said before the game we wanted to leave our hearts and souls on that pitch and they did, they gave everything.
“We’ve gone toe-to-toe with the best team in the world, they showed great experience at the end with taking the ball into the corner.
1/22 Carly Telford – 5 out of 10
Made a handful of important saves but hesitant at times and shaky when playing out from the back.
2/22 Lucy Bronze – 6
Not her usual domineering self. Attempted several breaks out from the back but they produced little.
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3/22 Steph Houghton – 6
Dependable until the moment England truly counted on her. Does not deserve to be the fall guy.
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4/22 Millie Bright – 4
Uncertain in and out of possession, it was not her best night, even before the red card.
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5/22 Demi Stokes – 7
Settled into the contest, becoming a useful attacking outlet in the second half.
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6/22 Rachel Daly – 6
Battled well enough and deserved another start, but did not expose Dunn’s defensive limitations.
7/22 Jill Scott – 6
Did her level best despite being outnumbered, but threatened to lose her head at one point.
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8/22 Keira Walsh – 7
Arguably her best showing of the tournament, with her inventive passing leading to England’s goal.
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9/22 Beth Mead – 7
Sublime delivery for White’s goal but miscued on several occasions before early substitution.
10/22 Nikita Parris – 5
Missing in action, though appeared to be targeted and even bullied a little.
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11/22 Ellen White – 8
Two brilliant finishes, though one was ultimately disallowed. Why couldn’t she take the penalty?
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12/22 Alyssa Naeher – 7
Much-maligned but delivered when it mattered, comfortably saving Houghton’s penalty.
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13/22 Kelley O’Hara – 8
Picked out Press superbly for the first. Tenacious in the tackle at the other end.
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14/22 Abby Dahlkemper – 7
Marshalled her back line effectively, though troubled by White’s movement on occasion.
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15/22 Becky Sauerbrunn – 5
Can have few complaints about the penalty she conceded; only relief that Naeher spared her blushes.
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16/22 Crystal Dunn – 6
Not a left-back, though covered herself well, not allowing England to overlap.
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17/22 Lindsay Horan – 8
Restored to the starting line-up and brilliantly effective, setting up Morgan’s decisive header.
18/22 Julie Ertz – 8
Composed in possession and comfortable dictating the tempo, she won the midfield battle decisively.
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19/22 Rose Lavelle – 9
Ran the initial stages with bright, imaginative play. England struggled to contain her.
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20/22 Tobin Heath – 7
Always a threat running in behind, she kept Stokes pinned back for much for the first half.
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21/22 Alex Morgan – 8
A consummate team player of late, she was rewarded with the goal her work rate deserved.
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22/22 Christen Press – 8
Made sure Rapinoe was not missed, popping up with an early goal that set her team on their way.
1/22 Carly Telford – 5 out of 10
Made a handful of important saves but hesitant at times and shaky when playing out from the back.
2/22 Lucy Bronze – 6
Not her usual domineering self. Attempted several breaks out from the back but they produced little.
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3/22 Steph Houghton – 6
Dependable until the moment England truly counted on her. Does not deserve to be the fall guy.
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4/22 Millie Bright – 4
Uncertain in and out of possession, it was not her best night, even before the red card.
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5/22 Demi Stokes – 7
Settled into the contest, becoming a useful attacking outlet in the second half.
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6/22 Rachel Daly – 6
Battled well enough and deserved another start, but did not expose Dunn’s defensive limitations.
7/22 Jill Scott – 6
Did her level best despite being outnumbered, but threatened to lose her head at one point.
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8/22 Keira Walsh – 7
Arguably her best showing of the tournament, with her inventive passing leading to England’s goal.
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9/22 Beth Mead – 7
Sublime delivery for White’s goal but miscued on several occasions before early substitution.
10/22 Nikita Parris – 5
Missing in action, though appeared to be targeted and even bullied a little.
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11/22 Ellen White – 8
Two brilliant finishes, though one was ultimately disallowed. Why couldn’t she take the penalty?
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12/22 Alyssa Naeher – 7
Much-maligned but delivered when it mattered, comfortably saving Houghton’s penalty.
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13/22 Kelley O’Hara – 8
Picked out Press superbly for the first. Tenacious in the tackle at the other end.
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14/22 Abby Dahlkemper – 7
Marshalled her back line effectively, though troubled by White’s movement on occasion.
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15/22 Becky Sauerbrunn – 5
Can have few complaints about the penalty she conceded; only relief that Naeher spared her blushes.
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16/22 Crystal Dunn – 6
Not a left-back, though covered herself well, not allowing England to overlap.
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17/22 Lindsay Horan – 8
Restored to the starting line-up and brilliantly effective, setting up Morgan’s decisive header.
18/22 Julie Ertz – 8
Composed in possession and comfortable dictating the tempo, she won the midfield battle decisively.
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19/22 Rose Lavelle – 9
Ran the initial stages with bright, imaginative play. England struggled to contain her.
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20/22 Tobin Heath – 7
Always a threat running in behind, she kept Stokes pinned back for much for the first half.
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21/22 Alex Morgan – 8
A consummate team player of late, she was rewarded with the goal her work rate deserved.
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22/22 Christen Press – 8
Made sure Rapinoe was not missed, popping up with an early goal that set her team on their way.
“We went down to 10-men and we’ve just probably run out of steam but I asked them to play football the way that I wanted them to play.
“We’ve come to this tournament, we’ve done our very best. We’ve not left anything in that dressing room and I’ve told them that there should be no tears tonight.
“We should be proud, we’ve touched the hearts of the nation back home and they’ve left their hearts on that football field so I’m happy.”
Neville’s side then thought they had equalised in the second half as Jill Scott flicked Walsh’s pass forward to play White in and she slotted past Naeher, but the effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR check.
Having had that decision go against them, England were then aided by VAR after White, trying to apply the finish to Stokes’ cross, went down in the box under pressure from Sauerbrunn.
Having watched footage of the incident back pitchside, referee Edina Alves Batista deemed White to have been fouled, pointed to the spot and Houghton stepped up.
But the change in taker did not alter the outcome as the captain saw her attempt from 12 yards kept out.
Things then got worse for England as Bright was sent off, being shown a second yellow card following a slide tackle on Morgan.
On whether emotions got the better of the England players, Neville said: “The disallowed goal was offside. We’ve had VAR decisions that have gone our way, we got on with it we came back, we obviously got the penalty.
“We score them we miss them that’s football. Then Millie (Bright) who shouldn’t have got booked in the first half, 100 per cent, I thought the referee wasn’t in control of the game to be honest with you, but she sent Millie off then to three at the back it became stretched.
“I can’t ask anything more we’ve had the time of our lives and they’ve really played their hearts out.”
On Houghton’s penalty miss he said: “She’s had an incredible year. She’s an amazing person on and off the pitch and she’ll deal with it the way that she does. She’s been phenomenal and no blame should be attached to her.”
