Beth Mead’s second-half brace fired England to a comeback 5-1 pleasant victory over the Netherlands at Elland Highway, Leeds.
Of their first match in opposition to their former boss – Sarina Wiegman following her departure to take cost of England final September, Netherlands took a twenty second minute lead after Lieke Martens headed in from Sherida Spitse’s twenty second minute nook.
England nonetheless equalised 10 minutes later via Lucy Bronze’s unintentional strike throughout into the top-left nook from a cross.
Spitse missed an opportunity to place the Dutch again in entrance within the 52nd minute as she fired her penalty extensive after Danielle van de Donk had been fouled by Alex Greenwood, which had led to a VAR overview.
England took the lead one minute later as Beth Mead fired in from Lauren Hemp’s cross to place the hosts forward.
Ella Toone added the Lionesses’ third aim with a 72nd minute strike earlier than Hemp volleyed of their fourth aim from a poor clearance simply two minutes later.
Mead added her second aim within the ninetieth minute after she intercepted a poor clearance and smashed in from close-range to wrap up a snug win over Wiegman’s former staff.
From kick-off, Netherlands swiftly started to press excessive up the pitch however it will be Wiegman’s Lionesses who loved the higher begin as Fran Kirby whipped in second minute crosses however Bethany England and Lauren Hemp failed to show their headers onto aim.
Sari van Veenendaal quickly discovered herself known as into motion as she denied Hemp and England within the seventh and eleventh minutes respectively, earlier than fortunately seeing her poor 14th minute clearance strike Hemp however deflect extensive of her personal aim.
Netherlands in the meantime continued to press excessive and noticed thirteenth minute penalty appeals denied after Lineth Beerensteyn was fouled as she met Martens’ cross.
Beerensteyn then picked up Jill Roord’s cross within the 18th minute and dribbled her means into area contained in the field, just for Mary Earps to dam her shot then punch away Martens’ cross seconds later as she collided with Beerensteyn.
Mark Parsons’ Oranje finally noticed their stress repay as Millie Brilliant blocked Jackie Groenen’s cross, which led to Spitse’s consequential twenty second minute nook being headed in by Martens throughout into the left nook past Earps’ attain.
Moments later, van Veenendaal saved Chloe Kelly’s cross and triggered an instantaneous counter-attack as Martens performed via for Beerensteyn, who raced via on aim however Rachel Daly had backtracked efficiently to intercept and clear.
Alex Greenwood wasted a twenty eighth minute likelihood to equalise after Aniek Nouwen had fouled Fran Kirby simply exterior the field, as Greenwood swung her free-kick low in direction of the underside proper nook however van Veenendaal dived throughout in time to make the save.
England nonetheless equalised simply 4 minutes later as Kirby raced via on aim and her cross discovered an incoming Bronze on the suitable, with the right-back unintentionally curling her cross into the highest left nook to revive parity.
Each groups finally settled down with Netherlands largely dominant of their attacking press because the match sat poised at 1-1 into half-time.
Wiegman and Parsons each opted for modifications on the break as Kelly was changed by Mead for the hosts, while Martens and Stefanie van der Gragt have been changed by van de Donk and Caitlin Dijkstra respectively.
As soon as the match recommenced, England acquired straight on the entrance foot as Daly performed Hemp up the left however her shot was deflected to Mead, who might solely deflect extensive.
Netherlands’ first assault of the second-half got here within the forty ninth minute as Dijkstra performed fellow substitute – Van de Donk up the suitable, with the latter fouled by Greenwood which was initially waved away by referee – Sandra Bráz Bastos till VAR acquired concerned for the primary time.
Bráz Bastos consequently awarded a penalty after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor however Spitse fired the 52nd minute penalty extensive of the suitable nook through the put up, regardless of Earps diving the right technique to attempt to deny her.
England counter-attacked a minute later as Hemp swung in a cross from the left with Mead smashing in on her proper foot to place the hosts forward.
Hemp went on to create a curled 66th minute shot which was saved by van Veenendaal who then blocked Mead’s header from Hemp’s cross a minute later because the hosts quickly dominated assault.
Substitute, Ella Toone finally added England’s third as she minimize in from the left within the 72nd minute and curled throughout into the suitable nook past van Veenendaal’s attain.
Toone then fired Bronze’s pullback cross onto the suitable put up which rebounded away and was cleared to Hemp, who was capable of volley into the highest proper nook past van Veenendaal’s attain to wrap up a snug win.
Mead added her second aim within the ninetieth minute after Keira Walsh teed up Toone who couldn’t get a assured contact as she arrived into the field, with the ball finally deflected for the Arsenal winger to intercept and hearth in.
Victory additionally signifies that the Lionesses stay unbeaten in 13 matches since Wiegman took cost from final September, because the staff continues to construct momentum forward of the 2022 UEFA Ladies’s Euro on dwelling soil subsequent month.
Talking post-match to ITV4, Wiegman praised each groups for delivering “an excellent recreation on the best degree,” while including that she was impressed by how her Lionesses responded to conceding first in a match below her reign.
Wiegman proceeded to elucidate what this show means shifting ahead as she mentioned: “It reveals this staff has lots of depth and a lot high quality, we’ve a lot alternative to alter the sport and have extra affect.
“We will sustain the tempo whereas the Netherlands dropped their tempo just a little bit.”
What’s Subsequent?
England will conclude their UEFA Ladies’s Euro 2022 warm-up friendlies with a pleasant away to Switzerland on Thursday 30 June in Zurich, the place they are going to head on Monday for a week-long coaching camp.
Netherlands in the meantime will host Belarus in a 2023 FIFA Ladies’s World Cup Qualifier on Tuesday 28 June, earlier than concluding their pleasant motion on 2 July in opposition to Finland with each matches going down in Enschede, Netherlands.
Groups
England: Mary Earps, Lucy Bronze, Rachel Daly (Carter 76′), Millie Brilliant, Alex Greenwood (Stanway 63′), Leah Williamson, Keira Walsh, Fran Kirby (Toone 64′), Chloe Kelly (Mead 45′), Bethany England (Russo 63′), Lauren Hemp (Parris 81′)
Substitutes: Demi Stokes, Hannah Hampton, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Beth Mead, Nikita Parris, Alessia Russo, Jill Scott, Ellie Roebuck, Jess Carter
Netherlands: Sari van Veenendaal, Dominique Janssen, Aniek Nouwen, Stefanie van der Gragt (Dijkstra 45′), Lynn Wilms, Sherida Spitse (Egurrola 73′), Jackie Groenen, Victoria Pelova (Brugts 63′), Lieke Martens (van de Donk 45′), Jill Roord, Lineth Beerensteyn (Miedema 63′)
Substitutes: Barbara Lorsheyd, Esmee Brugts, Damaris Egurrola, Marisa Olislagers, Kerstin Casparij, Romee Leuchter, Daphne van Domselaar, Caitlin Dijkstra, Renate Jansen, Danielle van de Donk, Vivianne Miedema, Merel van Dongen
Referee – Sandra Bráz Bastos