Lionesses roar in friendly victory

We have seen it so many times before in the build-up to a major tournament, both on the women’s and men’s side of the game, the warm-up friendly that gets everyone talking. 

Every football fan knows that these games are quickly forgotten once the tournament kicks-off but one thing is for certain, a big win is a lot more ‘friendly’ than a big defeat at the dawn of an international championship. 

For England, as hosts of Euro 2022, the focus on form, fitness and preparation is sharper than ever, and the Lionesses responded in splendid fashion on Friday, as they produced a scintillating second-half display to dismantle the Netherlands, another fancied team in the tournament. 

Manager Sarina Wiegman could enjoy the added satisfaction that this display came against her home country, the side she led to European glory in 2017. 

There was little sign of the carnage to come when the Netherlands grabbed a lead against the run of play midway through the first half, Lieke Martens heading in for the visitors at a raucous Elland Road. 

England responded to the setback with calm assurance and national icon Lucy Bronze delivered an equaliser within ten minutes, although there was an element of fortune about the goal, as her cross looped beyond everyone and inside the far post. 

The match turned on a mad minute early in the second half. The Dutch were awarded a penalty by VAR, Sherida Spitse hit the post with her effort from the spot and England marched up the other end to grab a deserved lead, Beth Mead steering home a clever finish after good work by the ever-impressive Lauren Hemp. 

Substitute Ella Toone, like Mead, demonstrated the strength in depth for England, as she curled home a lovely third before Hemp pounced on a rebound to make it 4-1 to the rampant hosts. Dutch misery was compounded by a late fifth from Mead. 

The Lionesses play Switzerland in their final warm-up game on June 30 and then it is on to Old Trafford for the tournament opener against Austria on July 6. On this form, it could be our greatest summer.