The Man Utd star seemingly secured her starting role at July's European Championships with a stand-out performance on Sunday
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England will go into their European Championship defence full of confidence after beating Jamaica 7-0 on Sunday evening in their send-off friendly. The Lionesses have had highs and lows in the build-up to the tournament in Switzerland, with a win over Spain at Wembley in February showcasing their credentials before defeat to Belgium in April raised serious questions, but their final outing before Saturday's opening fixture against France was full of positives, with Ella Toone taking centre-back stage in a two-goal display.
There were just 10 minutes on the clock when the Manchester United star broke the deadlock with a sweet strike, seemingly setting the tone for a comfortable evening. There was a slight bump in the road not long after when Jamaica equalised through Kayla McKenna, but VAR intervened to rule it out and from there, England took firm control. Just past the half-hour mark, Jess Carter whipped in a fantastic cross to match Lucy Bronze's brilliant run and header, and Toone made it three in first-half stoppage time with a superb left-footed curler. It could've been more, too, with both Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp rattling the woodwork.
After the break, the positives only continued to come. Georgia Stanway got her name on the scoresheet as her encouraging return from injury took another step forward, Lauren James looked sharp in her first minutes for club or country since April and Russo profited from that when the Chelsea star set her up for England's fifth, meaning the Lionesses' No.9 heads off to the Euros with that goal-scoring feeling. There will be much tougher tests in Switzerland, starting next weekend in their first group stage game against France, but the European champions certainly head there with a spring in their step after this big win, which Aggie Beever-Jones and Beth Mead wrapped up late on to really put the gloss on things.
GOAL rates England's players from the King Power Stadium…
Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence
Hannah Hampton (6/10):
Had very little to do, though didn't do much wrong when involved.
Lucy Bronze (8/10):
Assisted the attack brilliantly, highlighted best by her great run and header which doubled the lead.
Leah Williamson (8/10):
A little loose in possession early on but settled into the game nicely. Broke lines several times with her great vision and passing, while coping well with Jamaica's counter-attacking threats.
Alex Greenwood (7/10):
Really assured on the ball and well-positioned to mop up when needed.
Jess Carter (7/10):
Looked a little suspect defensively due to a lack of pace. Was fantastic going forward, though, most notably with the sublime cross that Bronze headed home.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield
Keira Walsh (8/10):
Classy performance at the base of the midfield. Dictated play nicely.
Georgia Stanway (7/10):
Looked sharp on just her second start since December. Tried to make things happen and caused problems.
Ella Toone (9/10):
Scored two fantastic goals to nail down the No.10 role for the Euros.
Getty ImagesAttack
Beth Mead (7/10):
Got away with one when VAR intervened to overturn the goal that her poor marking played a big role in. Wasn't as stand-out as Hemp on the opposite flank but did some nice things when involved and showed good movement.
Alessia Russo (7/10):
Worked hard, moved well and finally got her well-deserved goal in the latter stages.
Lauren Hemp (8/10):
Electric all evening, which not only resulted in her creating several great openings but also gave Carter more space to thrive in.
Getty ImagesSubs & Manager
Esme Morgan (6/10):
First change of a triple sub just past the hour saw her settle in comfortably at centre-back alongside Williamson.
Lauren James (8/10):
Slotted into the No.10 role for her first minutes since early April and looked incredibly sharp considering she has not played for almost three months. Got one assist and nearly had a couple more.
Chloe Kelly (7/10):
Took up space on the less familiar left flank but had no problem making an impact there, whipping in a couple of super crosses right away in a lively cameo.
Aggie Beever-Jones (N/A):
Was denied a goal by an outstanding save from Brooks in the latter stages but would beat her not long after with a stretched finish.
Grace Clinton (N/A):
Nice and positive in her short appearance from the bench, with great movement and a desire to get involved.
Niamh Charles (N/A):
Played at right-back, rather than her usual left-back role, for the final 15 minutes. Made her mark there, too, with a great run and cross for Beever-Jones' goal.
Sarina Wiegman (8/10):
Six days out from England's opener at the Euros, she went with what appeared to be her first-choice XI and stuck with it for longer than many might have thought, ensuring there is as much familiarity in it as possible before that clash with France. Used the bench well, too, though, giving James some vital minutes and ensuring rest for others ahead of the trip to Switzerland. Given the performances she got from players like Carter and Toone, in positions up for grabs, and the sharpness of James, there were so many positives she could take.
