THE AMEX — There was not even the flicker of a smile from Sarina Wiegman even as England crushed their way through what was supposed to be the acid test of their European Championship hopes.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. No team in the history of this tournament has ever put on a bigger scoreline, and for all the nations who have laid down their own markers so far, none have done so quite like this.
Guto Reiten had started as Norway’s main channel, a threat negated by Lucy Bronze before the Barcelona full-back – and the rest of her team-mates – remembered Wiegman’s message to them on the eve of this tournament. Go and have some fun.
White defies the doubters
Ellen White will have enjoyed this more than most. The goggles celebration had to wait. First came the roar of defiance. England’s record goalscorer was fortunate to get a penalty after a tussle with Maria Thorisdottir – spare a thought for Man United boss Marc Skinner, who watched his defender totally dismantled. White was not on penalty duty – that fell to Georgia Stanway – but she did not have to wait long to get in on the act. She left Thorisdottir on the ground before finishing coolly past Guro Pettersen and was in the right place for Kirby to find her for her second.
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There will be a perverse few, perhaps of the Lord Sugar variety upset by the number of female commentators and presenters in… women’s football, who may also question the number of goals. It’s true that this was a record win in the European Championship finals (men’s or women’s) but that is not an indictment of the quality on offer – quite the reverse.
England stop Graham Hansen
In spite of the scoreline, though, it was not immediately clear that England would have license to play with such freedom. Stanway, for one, cannot have known she would not have to hold tight alongside Keira Walsh. It was Walsh who did the leg-work defensively, and not allowing Caroline Graham Hansen to link up with Ada Hegerberg.
All right on the night
Having both Hemp and Mead in the same front three should be considered some kind of cheat code. On the right, in particular, it’s hard to see how many teams will be able to cope with Mead – not only because of her hat-trick, each component artfully crafted with planning permission from those in behind her, but because she is able to stretch defences so wide that it allows this kind of full throttled attack from the rest of England’s front line.
Any changes?
Wiegman stuck with the same XI from the opening night, but she now has total freedom to give Alessia Russo – who got herself on the scoresheet – and Chloe Kelly more tournament experience. And with White, Daly, Hemp, Stanway and Kirby all given time off in the second half, Northern Ireland will not be looking forward to Friday one bit.
England player ratings
Earps – 7 Spent much of the second half wandering outside the box, with very little to do
Bronze – 7 Neutralised Reiten, which was half the battle won and fulfilled exactly what Wiegman demands of her full-backs with her work alongside Mead further up the pitch
Bright – 7.5 A solid display that might well have gone under the radar, but influential when Hegerberg and Reiten did try and open up England
Williamson – 7 One stepover at 6-0 that could have landed England in trouble, but an improvement on the Austria game
Daly – 7 Survived an injury scare and while she had a more contained role on the left, did well to keep Saevik quiet
Stanway – 8.5 Left everything out on the pitch, including one of her contact lenses. Jokes aside, she is becoming undroppable.
Walsh – 7.5 – Her role might not be the most glamorous but without England keeping Graham Hansen at bay, they would never have had the freedom to run riot
Mead – 9 Three more goals .The way she cut inside past Ingrid Syrstad Engen will give Northern Ireland’s defenders nightmares ahead of Friday’s game
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Kirby – 8 Created two goals, though she had Stanway to thank for a sublime through ball on her way to assisting England’s fifth
Hemp – 7 This wasn’t even Hemp at her best, but the pace she offers – flanked by Mead – caused Norway huge difficulties
White – 8 – A much, much needed brace. Two very different finishes but a timely reminder that she is much more than a poacher
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