Euro 2013: Hope Powell names Kelly Smith in England squad

Kelly Smith, Casey Stoney and Karen Carney have all been named in England's European Championship squad despite the trio suffering recent injuries.

Star striker Smith and captain Stoney have had shin and hamstring problems respectively, while forward Carney has been nursing an ankle injury.

There are call-ups for uncapped Liverpool defenders Gemma Bonner and Lucy Bronze but not for Women's Super League top scorer Natasha Dowie.

England's tournament starts on 12 July.

Bonner and Bronze have been drafted into the squad for Sweden after serious knee injuries to left-backs Rachel Unitt and Claire Rafferty, while first-choice left-back Steph Houghton and goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis are also in the group after injury worries.

Coach Hope Powell said: "It's been well documented that we have an issue with injured defenders so Gemma and Lucy give us extra cover. Both of them have done really well for Liverpool this season."

England qualified unbeaten for Euro 2013 and Powell has kept faith with an experienced squad with the aim of improving on their 2009 showing when they were beaten in the final by Germany.

That means Arsenal's Ellen White, Chelsea's Eniola Aluko and Everton striker Toni Duggan have been preferred to Dowie, who has 10 goals in 12 league games for top of the table Liverpool.

Duggan will be playing in her first major tournament alongside fellow youngsters Jordan Nobbs and Jade Moore.

England play two friendlies, against Japan on 26 June and Sweden on 4 July, before beginning their tournament in a tough group on 12 July against Spain and then facing Russia on 15 July, with their final group game against France on 18 July.

Powell said: "You go into major tournaments and the idea is you want to win it. I'm under no illusion though; everybody else has the same agenda and we recognise it's going to be tough.

"I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that Germany will win it. Historically they have been such a powerful nation and they have won this tournament on countless occasions, but this year I think they have got as good a chance as everyone else.

"The ambition is to get to the final and we know it will be a tall order."

Stoney, who has over 100 England caps and also skippered Team GB at last summer's Olympics, said the squad's strength had improved to the extent that it could cope with any injuries.

The Lincoln Ladies defender added: "If I hadn't made it, if Kelly hadn't made it or Karen hadn't made it, there are enough players in this squad who could have stepped in and taken the mantle on. So that's got to be a positive.

"I think in the past players might not necessarily have been able to do that, they may have played when they weren't 100% but there's no need to do that anymore."