England 2-0 Ghana: Fairy tale for Lucia Kendall as she nets first senior goal | OneFootball

Following the Lionesses’ 8-0 demolition of China at the weekend, expectations were high. Ranked more than 60 places below England, Ghana were underdogs even with Sarina Wiegman expected to rotate her squad.

Although it was the first meeting between the two nations, the fixture carried numerous stories. England’s Lucia Kendall made her second start for England at the home of the club where she spent 10 years, while Maya Le Tissier also has strong ties to the area from her youth.

Wiegman named a heavily rotated starting XI. Orlando Pride’s Anna Moorhouse retained her spot in goal, and Arsenal’s Lotte Wubben-Moy joined Taylor Hinds in a back line thinned by injuries. Most changes came in midfield and attack, with Missy Bo Kearns, Kendall, Jess Park, Aggie Beever-Jones, and Chloe Kelly all starting.

As it happened

After the weekend’s match against China, Wiegman admitted she had challenged her team to start more strongly. The Lionesses had developed a habit of conceding early – sometimes once, sometimes twice – and the head coach used this duo of friendlies as an opportunity to work on it.

Her players seemed to take that message to heart, with England taking the lead inside the first 10 minutes. And, as if scripted, it was Kendall who opened the scoring.

The ball was worked out to Chloe Kelly on the left, and she delivered one of her trademark crosses into the area. Bénédicte Simon scuffed her clearance, presenting Kendall with a perfect opportunity to finish from close range.

For the remainder of the match, England controlled proceedings without ever being truly clinical. Chance after chance drifted just wide or met Cynthia Konlan in the Ghanaian goal. The visitors produced the occasional attacking moment, but they were largely toothless, forcing Moorhouse into only a single save.

The final moments included a penalty against the visitors for handball, which Russo converted with ease.

All in all, Wiegman will be satisfied. She was able to give valuable minutes to young players like Kendall, Bo Kearns, and Blinkilde-Brown, and her side faced a meaningful test against an unfamiliar opponent.

The lineups

GHA: Fiindib; Simon, Duah, Asantewaa, Cudjoe; Boye-Hlorkah, Boaduwaa, Kusi; Nyamekye, Yeboah; Boakye.