'Very big learning moment' - Sarina Wiegman warns Lionesses must hit 'higher level' at World Cup after Australia end their 30-match unbeaten run

• England lost 2-0 to Australia
• Ends 30-match unbeaten streak
• Wiegman urged side to use as learning curve

WHAT HAPPENED? Goals from Sam Kerr and Charlotte Grant either side of half-time were enough to down the Lionesses 2-0 at Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium. The loss is a blow to Wiegman's side, with it coming less than a week after England's dramatic shoot-out win against South American champions Brazil in the inaugural Finalissima. It is also far from ideal preparation for the 2023 World Cup - co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand - which takes place in less than 100 days, and Weigman admits the Lionesses will have to up their game to mount a serious challenge for the trophy.

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WHAT THEY SAID: Wiegman told reporters after the match: "I'm not worried. I don't worry very quickly. We know we have to be at our top level and that's when we go into the World Cup too. Every game we get some warnings - against Brazil we got some warnings in the Finalissima. We know where we want to go to and what we have to do. I don't think we're losing momentum, I think it's building. There's 100 days to go and everyone's really excited to go to Australia and this is just a very big learning moment for us that we need to get to a higher level to win these games."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Not only did the 2-0 loss dent World Cup preparations, it also put an end to a 30-game unbeaten streak and meant that Wiegman suffered the first loss of her England tenure. But the Dutch manager appeared unmoved by the record being broken, adding: "I haven't been focused on that ever. We just want to win every next game and you remind us all of the time [about the unbeaten run] but we don't talk about that in our camp. We talk about the next game and we want to improve every game and try to adapt to the opponent. I would've loved to have had a 31st win but sometimes you win and sometimes you lose."

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? In fact, losing that winning streak may alleviate some of the pressure ahead of the summer tournament, where Wiegman's side will be out for an international cup double after their heroics on home soil in 2022. The Lionesses will kick off their campaign in Milton, Australia, against Haiti on July 22.