Lauren James netted twice in win over China – Credit: @Lionesses
It’s wonderful for Wiegman as the Lionesses qualify for the FIFA World Cup round of 16 in style with a dominant 6-1 victory over China.
The Lionesses knew that a point would see them book their place in the knockout stages with China needing a win and other results to go their way to stand a chance of qualification.
The Chinese were expected to be hard to breakdown but the Lionesses broke the deadlock with relative ease four minutes into proceedings. Lauren James headed onto Alessia Russo who drove the ball into the corner.
England’s dominance carried on and they came closing to doubling their lead on 13 minutes. Russo slotted in Lauren Hemp with a through ball but a vital challenge by Yao Wei prevented a second goal.
The team in red were being pinned into their own half and the Lionesses showed freedom in what was their best performance in the tournament so far.
One became two with 26 minutes on the clock. Mille Bright stepped in from defence to regain possession and she picked out James. The Chelsea forward managed to put Hemp though as her effort shot past China ‘keeper Yu Zhu.
England continued to look dangerous – Rachel Daly’s cross to fell to right-back Lucy Bronze whose cushioned header hit the woodwork and her rebound dragged past the opposite post.
Sarina Wiegman would have been delighted when her side effectively put the game to bed on the 41-minute mark. Something off of the training pitch perhaps as James was left unmarked on the edge of the area and she beautifully nestled the ball into the corner from a free-kick.
With moments of the first-half remaining, China made their first step into England territory when Yao Wei’s whipped cross on the left had no Chinese player on the end of it to slot home.
The Lionesses thought their evening had got even better during injury time. Bronze gave James the opportunity to grab her brace and almost identically to her first, she curled her effort home.
Despite this, a subsequent VAR check showed Bronze was offside in the build-up, saving China’s blushes.
The Lionesses took their foot off the gas in the early stages of the second half slightly as Wu Chengshu’s long-range effort forced Mary Earps into a save, parrying it away for a corner.
The following corner saw Chengshu deflect the ball onto Bronze’s hand who, following another VAR review, had a penalty given against her side. Wang Shuang stepped up and she slotted her effort past Earps to give China a lifeline.
England restored their three-goal advantage just after the hour-mark and put China’s chances of a comeback to bed. James’ evening got even better as Jess Carter crossed for her Chelsea teammate and she guided her volley home.
Their fifth came from James who was instrumental again, she lobbed the ball over the Chinese defence and Zhu made a mess of what looked to be a simple catch. Substitute Chloe Kelly stroked the ball into the net to put the cherry on top of a very large cake.
Five minutes before full-time, Daly made it six with a spectacular volley from a Laura Coombs cross – notwithstanding a third VAR check.
This win will bring confidence to the side ahead of Monday’s round of 16 tie against Nigeria, while China finish third in the group – missing out by three points to Denmark.
China: Zhu, Li (Wu 75′), Wang, Yao, Chen, Wu (Wu 90+3′), Yao (Dou 90+3′), Yang, Zhang, Lou (Wang 90+11′), Wang (Gu 75′)
England: Earps, Carter, Bright, Greenwood, Bronze (Charles 71′), Stanway (Coombs 45′), Zelem, Daly, James (Toone 81′), Russo (England 71′), Hemp (Kelly 71′)
