Late goals from Millie Bright and Fran Kirby fired England to a 3-1 victory over Germany at Molineux and the 2022 Arnold Clark Cup title.
Ellen White fired England ahead in the 15th minute from Kirby’s second pass attempt but a 41st minute free-kick from Lina Magull equalised the scoring at half-time.
Both teams thereafter traded chances until Bright fired in England’s second before Kirby wrapped up victory with her 94th minute strike on the counter-attack.
Victory therefore meant that England were crowned champions on goal difference from Spain who beat Canada in the mid-afternoon kick-off, as Germany finished rock-bottom in the inaugural edition of the new tournament.
A cagey opening ten minutes saw neither team create a clear-cut opportunity until Maximiliane Rall headed a 11th minute corner onto goal, only for her header to be straight into Ellie Roebuck’s arms.
Roebuck just seconds later was back in action after a pass towards the right flank was intercepted but she saved Magull’s low shot.
White however gave England the lead in the 15th minute after a fast-flowing move found Kirby but she intercepted a clearance of her first pass, with her second attempt finding White to calmly fire in the opening goal.
Germany thereafter upped their intensity with Rall and several others seeing shots denied by Roebuck, whilst Georgia Stanway fired over from Lucy Bronze’s 25th minute cross.
The visitors’ increased attacking intent eventually paid off as Alex Greenwood conceded a dangerous free-kick just 20 yards out following her foul on Schuller.
Magull consequently punished that error as she bent a stunning curled strike into the top left corner beyond Roebuck’s reach, which meant that both teams were locked at 1-1 at end of the first half with Spain at that point set to be crowned inaugural Arnold Clark Cup champions.
After the break, both teams engaged in a scrappy seven minutes until Germany substitute, Jule Brand saw a 52nd minute shot saved.
Lauren Hemp soon afterwards created various chances for England but like in the first half, most opportunities were snuffed out by Germany.
With 20 minutes left, Germany began to again raise their intensity as Schuller saw her shot saved on the counter-attack, before she failed to fire in on the turn from Linda Dallmann’s pass but was too slow in her movement as Roebuck comfortably saved the ball.
Leah Williamson fired over for England in the 81st minute which forced manager – Sarina Wiegman into a tactical change, with Bright forced higher up the pitch in a pulsating closing eight minutes as Ella Toone and Alessia Russo were deployed.
England however only needed three minutes as Kirby teed up Hemp to cut in from the left with the latter finding Bright to fire in the Lionesses’ second goal and secure the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup title.
Kirby wrapped up victory in the 94th minute as she broke forward from Hemp’s headed pass and calmly fired in the Lionesses’ third goal and complete a clinical win for the hosts.
Super, super Fran!
She seals an historic win 🏆🔥
Watch the #ArnoldClarkCup live 👇
📺 @ITV4
📱 https://t.co/VhvSJqdCYL pic.twitter.com/6DRV6FfTzF— ITV Football (@itvfootball) February 23, 2022
This victory also marked England’s first win over Germany on home soil in all competitions in eight previous meetings between these teams across English territory.
Earlier in the day, Alexia Putellas’ 21st minute strike from Leila Ouahabi’s cross saw Spain snatch a 1-0 win over Canada, which meant that the Spanish finished second in the table.
Speaking post-match to ITV4 about the team’s success in this new tournament, Wiegman described the title as “really nice” but iterated that the main aim of the past week was to develop the team’s style of play and understand where their current point of progress.
On what she has learned from this tournament, Wiegman added: “I always want more but we have been able to try out things and develop our style of play against three different opponents.
“It’s February now but what we have shown and how we have developed this week is really good. We can continue from there.”
Teams
England: Ellie Roebuck, Lucy Bronze (Toone 82′), Millie Bright, Jess Carter (Daly 34′), Alex Greenwood, Kiera Walsh, Georgia Stanway (Parris 61′), Leah Williamson, Ellen White (Russo 82′), Fran Kirby, Lauren Hemp
Substitutes: Mary Earps (GK), Rachel Daly, Demi Stokes, Ella Toone, Hannah Hampton (GK), Beth Mead, Nikita Parris, Jordan Nobbs, Niamh Charles, Jill Scott, Alessia Russo, Katie Zelem
Germany: Merle Frohms (GK), Sophia Kleinerne, Jana Feldkamp, Giulia Gwinn, Maximiliane Rall, Lina Magull (Dallmann 72′), Sara Dabritz, Fabienne Dongus (Hagel 72′), Klara Buhl (Cerci 88′), Nicole Anyomi (Brand 45′), Lea Schuller
Substitutes: Ann-Katrin Berger (GK), Martina Tufekovic (GK), Leonie Maier, Laura Freigang, Hasret Kayikci, Linda Dallmann, Felicitas Rauch, Jule Brand, Sara Doorsoun, Selina Cerci, Chantal Hagel, Ramona Petzelberger
Leave a Reply