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Vicki Sparks is joined by former England defender Laura Bassett.

Here come the teams.

England wanted a test and they've certainly got one in the shape of Canada.

The Olympic champions look resplendent in red. It's national anthem time.

England

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England boss Sarina Wiegman: "After this tournament we will know better where we are at this moment, and that's good to prepare for the Euros.

"Since the moment I came in, we have had games where we are really in possession all the time and I think we did really well in those games.

"The pressure was high, but not as high as we expect in the upcoming games."

England

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England’s Beth Mead - who starts on the bench - has been directly involved in 16 goals in six appearances under Sarina Wiegman so far (8 goals, 8 assists) and is averaging a goal or assist every 25 minutes in those six games.

They're playing Foo Fighters over the speakers. No better band to get the crowd revved up before kick-off.

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Olympic champions Canada are led by former England assistant Bev Priestman, who worked alongside Phil Neville as the Lionesses reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2019.

Priestman, who is from County Durham, said the tournament would represent a "new journey" for Canada but added that she expected to face the "best representation of England".

"England have a home Euros and are very clear about where they're going," Priestman said.

"The last two times we've played them there's been a sort of interim mindset you could say.

"I expect them to look sharp and Sarina Wiegman is a great manager. Those players are trying to make themselves available for a home Euros. There is no greater opportunity in their home country."

Laura Bassett
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

The goalkeeper decision is really interesting. Sarina Wiegman has gone with Mary Earps in the six qualifying matches. Earps has been in fine form for Manchester United recently, pulling off world-class saves.

In previous tournaments England have had a clear number one goalkeeper and you're worried about anything happening to them. Let Earps and Ellie Roebuck fight it out and the best one wins. It's great going into a tournament that you have two top-class goalkeepers fighting against each other.

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Canada have only lost one of their last 14 matches (W6 D7) - a 2-1 friendly defeat to Mexico in November 2021.

Their last defeat in a competitive match came back in February 2021 against Brazil in the SheBelieves Cup.

Worth turning up for this just for one of those hats.

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Five months into her role as England manager, and five months until her adopted country hosts the Women's Euro 2022 finals, Sarina Wiegman is on a familiar path.

The Dutchwoman, 52, was in the Netherlands hot-seat when they hosted the tournament in 2017, guiding them to their first major international women's title.

The Lionesses will kick off this summer's Euros on 6 July against Austria at Old Trafford in front of a crowd of 75,000.

"We're trying to prepare everything as well as possible, on and off the pitch," Wiegman tells BBC Football Focus presenter and former England captain Alex Scott.

"This is going to be the biggest women's event in Europe, ever. So it's going to be huge. We already know that the opening match is sold out, which is really, really exciting.

"It can also cause a little stress, we know that."

Read more from the England manager on preparing for Euro 2022.

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No Canada player was involved in more goals in all competitions during 2021 than Manchester City's Janine Beckie (2 goals, 3 assists).

She also created 31 chances for her team-mates, 17 more than any other player during the year.

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I don't think we're going to hit those numbers tonight in terms of fans but north east supporters have turned out in force for this.

Great to see lots of young families in the crowd.

England

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England Women’s senior team have only played at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium once previously, losing 2-1 in a friendly against Brazil in October 2019 under former manager Phil Neville.

The crowd that day was 29,238.

It is six months since Canada struck gold at Tokyo 2020 after overcoming Sweden on penalties.

The celebrations were something else.

Read how they won gold here.

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Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

A lot has happened since England and Canada met last April in Stoke.

Then, the Lionesses slipped to a 2-0 defeat interim boss Hege Riise.

Canada have since won gold at the Olympics, while England have a new boss - and brand new optimism - flowing through the team.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright is working at this game for ITV4. Fair to say he's VERY EXCITED about the team Sarina Wiegman has picked.

Good to see him at the Riverside.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport at Riverside Stadium

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We heard from both managers yesterday, as well as England captain Leah Williamson.

Naturally all the focus in Bev Priestman's press conference was on her return to England - and specifically, the north east, where she grew up.

Priestman was England assistant to Phil Neville at the 2019 World Cup but has since led Canada to Olympic gold.

She insists today is "not about myself" and thinks England will be better now than when the teams last met in April.

That game ended in a 2-0 win for Canada. Since then, England have won six out of six, scored 53 and conceded none.

But Canada are the first side ranked in the world's top 10 England have faced under Sarina Wiegman. How will they get on?

This is England's first game since that astonishing night in Doncaster in November when they recorded their biggest-ever competitive victory - a 20-0 win over Latvia in a World Cup qualifier.

A similar score in Middlesbrough? Probably not.

Fair to say Sarina Wiegman will be satisfied with a good performance and a narrow win.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

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Goalkeeper Mary Earps keeps her place in the England side despite the return of Manchester City's Ellie Roebuck.

Rachel Daly starts at right-back, while Leah Williamson is in midfield from the start.

Alessia Russo starts up front with Ellen White on the bench. Lucy Bronze is also a substitute.

England XI: Earps, Daly, Greenwood, Bright, Stokes, Walsh, Williamson, Toone, Kirby, Russo, Hemp.

Subs: White, Bronze, Hampton, Stanway, Carter, Mead, Parris, Nobbs, Charles, Scott, Roebuck, Zelem.

Manchester City's Janine Beckie starts for Canada, alongside Reading's Deanne Rose.

Chelsea forward Jessie Fleming captains the side.

Canada XI: Sheridan - Lawrence, Buchanan, Gilles, Riviere - Grosso, Scott - Beckie, Fleming, Rose - Huitema.

Subs: Chapman, Zadorsky, Quinn, Carle, Prince, Boychuk, D'Angelo, Alidou, Lacasse, Yekka, Pickett.