RACHEL DALY is ready to help England win from any position on the pitch after propelling them to victory against Italy.
The hotshot’s brace denied shared spoils for their rivals in the Arnold Clark Cup with the Lionesses’ sealing a 2-1 win
Victory saw the hosts stretch their unbeaten run to 28 games under Sarina Wiegman conceding just eight times across those fixtures.
And Daly become the first player to bag a brace at this year’s Arnold Clark Cup with the fixture watched by a record CBS Arena crowd.
On Sunday the versatile Lioness started in a striker role she normally plays in at club level for Aston Villa.
A position that has seen her become the second highest scorer in the WSL this season with 10 goals in 13 top-flight games.
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Daly, currently the top English scorer in the league this term, said: “I think you guys (the media) care more about where I play than I do.
“But I’m genuinely happy to play in any role.
“Obviously playing in the nine is something I do week-in, week-out, so it’s a little bit more natural for me,
“However, whatever role I’m given, I’ll do it to the best of my ability.”
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Daly’s efforts and those of her team-mates has given boss Sarina Wiegman more food for thought before England’s clash with Belgium on Wednesday.
The Red Flames notched up their second win in the Arnold Clark Cup beating South Korea 2-1 on Sunday
Last week Wiegman talked of making team changes during the invitational tournament with her players readying themselves for the World Cup.
She made nine alterations to the side that trounced South Korea 4-0 with Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter retaining their spots in defence.
Up top, alongside Daly, Lauren Hemp and Katie Robinson played on the flanks.
And Lauren James, Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly started on the bench.
Of the idea of Daly and Russo starting in attack together, Wiegman said: “We’ve played some scenarios where we put in two centre forwards
“For now, with how we play, we shouldn’t start with two or we wouldn’t at this moment.
“With the way we play we’re doing really well.”
A 32,128-strong crowd attended England’s second Arnold Clark cup fixture, the largest turnout for a game at the CBS Arena.
The hosts took the fight to Italy early with Laura Giuliani forced to clear a sloppy first-minute backpass.
But the visitors forced England stopper Ellie Roebuck into a fifth minute save with Valentina Giacinti’s rifled near post effort.
From then on England cranked the pressure with Daly, Hemp and Robinson causing problems.
Daly forced Martina Lenzini into an error in the box before her hefty shout prompted a quality save from Guiliani in the sixth minute.
Moments later the striker forced another stop from the Italy goalkeeper before Jess Park fired an effort over the bar from distance.
Greenwood’s intervention denied Valentina Giacinti the chance to open the scoring in the 20th minute with the Italy striker through on goal.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 32nd minute with Daly heading in Robinson’s lofted cross.
But the game was levelled with a controversial equaliser in the 62nd minute with Sofia Cantore header flying over Roebuck at the near post.
There were questions on the ball delivered to Cantore had floated out of play before the Italy player’s header
They were also questions as to whether it had crossed the line with no VAR in place to verify during the game.
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Officials ruled it as a goal with the decision met with some boos from the crowd.
An assist from sub Lauren James saw Daly head home nine minutes later to seal her brace with England unbeaten in the contest.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
