World Cup qualifiers

ELLA TOONE netted her tenth England goal as the Lionesses stayed on song to notch up eight wins in eight World Cup qualifiers.Braces from Lauren Hemp and Georgia Stanway were among the efforts that saw the team trounce Northern Ireland 5-0.
Ella Toone was on target with England’s second goal of the game against Northern IrelandCredit: Getty
Lauren Hemp netted twice to take her tally of goals for the Lionesses up to sixCredit: Getty
The result saw the World Cup hopes of Kenny Shiels’ side all but ended with the team now looking ahead to their first-ever Euros campaign.
And it leaves England needing justing a point to qualify for the tournament to be held in Australia and New Zealand next year.
Lionesses chief Sarina Wiegman said: “As a team we were really good today. We dominated even more than we did in October.
“We are trying to get connected all the time and the players’ competitiveness in this team is so high.
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“I think the 5-0 result is great, 5-0. It’s a very mature performance from us.
“We dominated the game throughout the 90 minutes and we hoped to score more goals in the first half but four goals in the second half is very nice to see.”
England looked to strike early minute in front of a record 15,348 Windsor Park crowd.
This came through Ella Toone teeing up a low shot before Kelsie Burrows intervened with a tackle around the second minute.
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And the hosts attempted to capitalise on Jess Carter’s slip with Lauren Wade darting towards the box before Millie Bright and Leah Williamson helped regain possession.
Northern Ireland’s bullish defending early on– spearheaded by Sarah McFadden and Julie Nelson – kept the visitors at bay for a spell.
Ellen White, currently level with Harry Kane with her tally of England goals, saw her attempts to shoot thwarted by McFadden in the 17th minute.
And the striker had a goal disallowed moments later after burying a rebound following Beth Mead’s shot on the edge of the box.
Sarah McFadden put in an impressive defensive shift for Northern Ireland in the first halfCredit: Getty
England eventually got their breakthrough with Hemp putting them ahead in the 24th minute.
The winger’s scuffed chip flew over the head of keeper Jackie Burns to break the deadlock.
McFadden made another vital interception blocking Leah Williamson’s dangerous cross moments after the half-hour mark.
This came shortly before Hemp got her head on the end of Lucy Bronze’s cross before nodding the ball over minutes before half-time.
The second spell saw Wiegman’s side crank up the pressure by upping the pace of their passing.
And they got their rewards with Toone putting them two up with a composed finish after Bronze’s pinpoint cross.
Following Mary Earps’ first save of the game, England went 3-0 ahead with Hemp rounding Burns in the 60th minute.
And Stanway made it four with a thumping 70th-minute strike before registering her brace nine minutes later.
Georgia Stanway netted a second-half brace as England dispatched their hosts at Windsor ParkCredit: Getty
She did so with her low shot finding the bottom corner after the hosts sought to clear the ball out of danger.
The 5-0 trouncing sees England remain in pole position in Group D with their eighth clean sheet.
And the team unbeaten under boss Sarina Wiegman with games against the Netherlands and Belgium up next in June.   More

LEAH WILLIAMSON says the Lionesses’ trip to Belfast brought back memories of an England penalty she retook five days after netting following an officiating error.And the Arsenal ace admits captaining the national side is the ‘biggest honour in football’.
Leah Williamson will lead England on Tuesday for the first time since being announced as the Lionesses’ skipper for the EurosCredit: Getty
England are looking to pick up their eighth win in the World Cup qualifiers when they take on Northern IrelandCredit: Reuters
The Gunners centre-back was speaking to reporters before England’s World Cup qualifier clash with Northern Ireland in Belfast.
And the Tuesday evening fixture prompted Williamson, 25, to reflect on a spot-tick moment which occurred in the city during an England Under-19s match seven years ago.
In April 2015 the young Lionesses saw Williamson’s converted pen in a Euros qualifier cancelled out due to players encroaching in the 18-yard box.
But official Marija Kurtes gave Norway a free-kick during the game at Seaview when the penalty should have been retaken.
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It resulted in an intervention from Uefa which led to the pen being retaken a week later.
And Williamson netted the crucial goal that sent her side through to the Women’s Under-19s Euros in Israel.
In her light-hearted take on the moment, Williamson said: “It turned out well in the end but what I went through that week I wouldn’t wish on anybody.
“I remember I told my mum I would keep it quiet in case I missed, and nobody would ever know.
“And then you lot turned up with your Sky Sports cameras.
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“There’s a couple of the girls here that were in that squad and we were reminiscing about it the other day.
“It’s good memories because it turned out well but it could have gone very differently.”
The Lionesses’ Group D World Cup qualifier duel with Northern Ireland will see them face Kenny Shiels’ aces in front of a sell-out crowd at Windsor Park
However, the team will be without the services of veteran Jill Scott who is unavailable for the game.
A crowd of more than 16,000 are expected to attend with Williamson set to lead England for the first time since news of her captaincy of the side at the Euros was announced.
The Arsenal ace, who has 27 senior international caps received congratulatory messages from her club colleagues.
And the Buckinghamshire-born WSL star says her immediate family were the first people she broke the news to
Williamson added: “I went straight to my mum, dad and brother and they’re very proud.
“It was a nice conversation and there were some tears within the family and then it was about getting back to work and focusing on the next job which is winning on Tuesday.
“It’s a very proud moment and the biggest honour of football and I appreciate that.”
Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman is relishing the prospect of seeing her side test themselves against Northern Ireland in front of a partisan crowd.
Sarina Wiegman is keen see how side fare in front of a large crowd of Northern Ireland’s supporters at Windsor ParkCredit: Pacemaker
Wiegman, 52, said: “We have a job to do. We want to be a mature team and play our style of play.
“Hopefully the crowd will make lots of noise so it’s a little harder for us to talk to each other, so we have to communicate in passing and body language a little more to execute the actions we want.”
Northern Ireland vs England will be broadcast live on BBC Two from 7:30pm on Tuesday 12 April. The game kicks-off at 7:55pm More

BETH MEAD insists directing her disappointment at being dropped from the Lionesses in the right way has been key to her prolific form. It was just over a year ago that the Arsenal ace was left out of an England squad led by Hege Riise that faced Northern Ireland at St George’s Park.
Beth Mead has netted 12 of England’s 63 goals scored in seven of their World Cup qualifiersCredit: Getty
And the Sunderland-born forward found herself overlooked for international duty last summer with Riise opting to not to include her in the Team GB squad before the Tokyo Olympics.
Since then, Mead has pushed on and re-established herself a formidable part of England’s frontline.
Following the September arrival of Wiegman, the forward has thrived on the wing netting 12 of the Lionesses’ 63 World Cup qualifying goals scored in seven fixtures.
On her clinical form since her return to the national side, Mead said: “I’ve just channelled my disappointment in the correct way.
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“We can let these things break us or we can use them to our motivation, and I think this motivated me this season to do better on and off the pitch.
“I can control what I’m doing and enjoy my football.
“I’m a confident player and hopefully that’s showing on the pitch.
“The England team that I’m a part of right now is an amazing team.”
Since her senior debut in a World Cup qualifying draw with Wales in April 2018 Mead has emerged as a key figure in the Lionesses attack.
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The WSL ace has scored 20 goals in 35 Lionesses appearances.
These include her first international hat-trick against Northern Ireland, who England face at Windsor Park on Tuesday.
Mead added: “I never thought I would have scored a hat-trick in all these qualifiers.
I’m just really enjoying my football right now.
“It’s been free flowing individually for myself and with the team.
“I’m just glad the girls are getting on the end of some of the balls and I’m getting on the end of some of theirs.”
Mead and her team-mates face Northern Ireland next in their second World Cup qualifier duel with Kenny Shiels’ sideCredit: Getty
Mead’s England colleague Lauren Hemp has been tipped by pundits as one to watch at the Euros this summer
At club level Hemp has been instrumental in helping Manchester City overcome their early season struggles, with the team in a battle for a Champions League pace.
Mead has enjoyed a fruitful attacking partnership with Hemp on England duty with the City winger assisting two of her four goals against North Macedonia.
Mead is enjoying her partnership with Lauren Hemp and Ellen White in England’s attackCredit: EPA
Mead said: “I think Lauren could beat any fullback in the world.
“When you’re just getting the box and she’ll produce a good cross or a good effort on goal and you get on the rebound and a couple of them happened against North Macedonia.
“Her positive play sometimes becomes my positive play. It’s really nice to link up with her and Ellen (White).” More