England Women 3-0 Belgium: Lionesses kickstart Euro 2022 preparation with win as Rachel Daly, Chloe Kelly score
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Updated 16/06/2022 at 21:30 GMT
England Women won the first of three friendlies ahead of Euro 2022 by a comfortable margin at Molineux as Leah Williamson, Rachel Daly and Chloe Kelly all scored in the second half. England play the Netherlands and Switzerland before opening Euro 2022 with a game against Austria at Old Trafford on July 6. Euro 2022 finishes with the final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, July 31.
England celebrate socring against Belgium
Image credit: Getty Images
England Women began their Euro 2022 warm-ups with an impressive 3-0 win over Belgium at Molineux.
Sarina Wiegman named a strong XI for the first of three friendlies ahead of the tournament and the manager was rewarded with a stellar performance as the Lionesses brushed the 20th ranked nation in the world aside.
Chloe Kelly, Rachel Daly and an own goal from goalkeeper Nicky Evrard gave England a much-welcome confidence boost with Euro 2022 just under three weeks away.
England would have been frustrated not to have opened the scoring in the first half after creating a string of opportunities.
Belgium goalkeeper Nicky Evrard was in inspirational form to deny Ellen White and Lauren Hemp, and when the shot-stopper was finally beaten by Leah Williamson’s clever dink, Sari Kees was perfectly positioned to clear off the line. Georgia Stanway also went agonisingly close, and Beth Mead had a strong case for a penalty turned away.
The Lionesses looked slightly vulnerable to the visitors’ counterattack, however, with Feli Delacauw’s off-target shot sounding the alarm.
Kelly and Daly were two of three players brought on at the break as manager Wiegman looked to increase the intensity and it was the former who broke the deadlock with a fortuitous, heavily-deflected strike.
It was the slice of luck England needed and deserved, and just four minutes later Daly got in on the act, arrowing a shot into the top corner after Belgium failed to clear their lines from a corner.
Williamson, captaining the side in the absence of Steph Houghton, who has not made the 23-player squad for Euro 2022, put the icing on the cake when she crashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar but because the ball hit Evrard on the back before hitting the net, it will go down as an own goal.
TALKING POINT - Comfortable in the end for England
Job done for England after a frustrating first half. Not only did they manage to keep yet another clean sheet, the Lionesses dusted themselves down and managed to score three after the restart, gaining the margin of victory that reflected their performance. Belgium were meant to provide a stern test for England, and for 45 minutes they did, but they eventually gave into the pressure.
Wiegman – who saw her unbeaten record as manager continue – will be delighted that her half-time substitutes were effective. She will be particularly pleased with Kelly, her goal just reward for her tireless work to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
England now prepare for a friendly with the Netherlands on Friday, June 24 before concluding their warm-ups with a trip to Switzerland.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Lauren Hemp (England)
The Man City forward was central to almost everything positive England had to offer and her game moved up another gear with the introduction of her club team-mates Kelly and Alex Greenwood.
PLAYER RATINGS
England: Earps 6, Bronze 8, Stokes 7, Walsh 7, Bright 7, Wubben-Moy 6, Mead 8, Williamson 8, White 8, Stanway 7, Hemp 9*.. subs: Daly 8, Kirby 6, Toone, Parris N/A, Kelly 8, Greenwood 8, England 6.
Belgium: Evrard 7, Deloose 5, Kees 6, De Neve 5, Philtjens 6, Biesmans 6, Minnaert 6, Delacauw 5, Wijnants 5, De Caigny 5, Wullaert 5.. subs: Tisonn 5, Tysiak 5, Dhont 5, Missipo 5, Vanmechelen 5, Vangheluew 5.
KEY MOMENTS
11' - EXCELLENT SAVE! Belgium run into trouble once more and this time England go close to punishing them! Mead's cross is delivered to White at the near post, she pokes it at goal but Evrard makes an instinctive save to keep the score level.
35' - NO PENALTY! Mead takes a tumble under pressure from Delacauw inside the box... is this a penalty for England? They certainly have a strong case... but no! The referee is unmoved.
39' - OFF THE LINE! Williamson, fed by Hemp, dinks the ball over the onrushing Evrard... is this the moment for England? No! Kees is perfectly positioned to head away her goalbound shot!
62' - GOAL! ENGLAND 1-0 BELGIUM (CHLOE KELLY): Just the slice of luck the Lionesses needed! Bronze sprays the ball wide to Kelly on the right, and with quick footwork she works her way inside before leathering a shot at goal. It takes a huge deflection off Tysiak, wrong-footing Evrard and ends up in the back of the net!
66' - GOAL! ENGLAND 2-0 BELGIUM (RACHEL DALY): Daylight between the teams! Two goals in four minutes mean England are in total control now. There's an almighty scramble as Belgium fail to clear England's corner, it falls to Daly who arrows a shot into the top corner.
83' - GOAL! ENGLAND 3-0 BELGIUM (NICKY EVRARD OWN GOAL) - Again Belgium fail to clear from an England corner. Williamson's shot crashes off the underside of the bar and hits Evrard on the back before landing in the net. That will go down as an own goal!
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