Goal difference 14-0England also convincingly won the third group match at the European Championship. Without national coach Sarina Wiegman (absent due to positive corona test) along the line, Northern Ireland was won 5-0 at St. Mary’s Stadium in Southampton. England can now prepare for a quarter-final against Denmark or Spain.
Sports editor
Latest update:
16-07-22, 08:30
After the victories over Austria (1-0 in the opening game at Old Trafford) and Norway (8-0 in Brighton last Monday), England was already certain of a group win, but that was no reason for national coach Sarina Wiegman to change. She passed on to her regular assistant Arjan Veurink that he could field the same eleven players as in the first two games and those players again lived up to their confidence tonight. ,,We had discussed many scenarios before the tournament and the fact that Sarina would drop out was part of that. So it was a huge setback for her, but we didn’t panic and just immediately switched to this plan,” Veurink told NOS afterwards. ,,So I didn’t suffer from nerves, I especially enjoyed the ambiance and the game. I think Sarina will definitely be satisfied.”
Northern Ireland (a squad with many part-time players) put up a brave fight in the first half, but England scored twice in the last five minutes before half-time. Fran Kirby made a nice shot from the edge of the penalty area and shortly afterwards Beth Mead scored her fifth goal of this European Championship with the left.
In the break, Veurink made three changes. Alessia Russo (23) came on for the experienced striker Ellen White (33), who is chasing the England goals record of Wayne Rooney (53 goals in 120 caps) in the men with 52 goals in 110 caps. Russo scored twice within eight minutes.
First, the talented striker of Manchester United had a nice header and on a pass from her club mate Ella Toone, who had also come in, she scored 4-0 moments later. Russo now has seven goals in ten international matches, six of which with her head. An own goal by Northern Ireland defender Kelsie Burrows made it 5-0 fifteen minutes before the end, but England failed to reach the 100-goal mark under Wiegman.
Since the arrival of Wiegman in September last year, the English football players are now on fifteen victories and two draws after seventeen international matches. The goal difference of 98-3 is at least as impressive.
England can compete next Wednesday in the quarterfinals in Brighton against the number two from group B, in which Germany will continue as group winner and Austria will meet on Thursday at the Brentford stadium. In group B, Denmark and Spain are now on 3 points. They face each other on Saturday night.
Norway already disabled
Despite the presence of top players such as Ada Hegerberg (Olympique Lyon), Guro Reiten, Maren Mjelde (both Chelsea), Ingrid Engen and Caroline Graham Hansen (both FC Barcelona), the European Championship for Norway is already over after the group stage. Four days after the painful 8-0 defeat to England in Brighton, a surprising 1-0 defeat against Austria followed in the same stadium in Brighton tonight.
Hoffenheim striker Nicole Billa headed in the winning goal for Austria in the 37th minute from a cross from left back Victoria Hanshaw. The Austrian women can compete in London next Thursday against Germany, which already impressed with victories over Denmark (4-0) and Spain (2-0). England can only face Germany or France in a possible final at Wembley on Sunday 31 July.
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