Beth Mead’s second-half brace fired England to a comeback 5-1 friendly victory over the Netherlands at Elland Road, Leeds.
In their first match against their former boss – Sarina Wiegman following her departure to take charge of England last September, Netherlands took a 22nd minute lead after Lieke Martens headed in from Sherida Spitse’s 22nd minute corner.
England however equalised 10 minutes later through Lucy Bronze’s unintentional strike across into the top-left corner from a cross.
Spitse missed a chance to put the Dutch back in front in the 52nd minute as she fired her penalty wide after Danielle van de Donk had been fouled by Alex Greenwood, which had led to a VAR review.
England took the lead one minute later as Beth Mead fired in from Lauren Hemp’s cross to put the hosts ahead.
Ella Toone added the Lionesses’ third goal with a 72nd minute strike before Hemp volleyed in their fourth goal from a poor clearance just two minutes later.
Mead added her second goal in the 90th minute after she intercepted a poor clearance and smashed in from close-range to wrap up a comfortable win over Wiegman’s former team.
From kick-off, Netherlands swiftly began to press high up the pitch but it would be Wiegman’s Lionesses who enjoyed the better start as Fran Kirby whipped in second minute crosses but Bethany England and Lauren Hemp failed to turn their headers onto goal.
Sari van Veenendaal soon found herself called into action as she denied Hemp and England in the seventh and 11th minutes respectively, before luckily seeing her poor 14th minute clearance strike Hemp but deflect wide of her own goal.
Netherlands meanwhile continued to press high and saw 13th minute penalty appeals denied after Lineth Beerensteyn was fouled as she met Martens’ cross.
Beerensteyn then picked up Jill Roord’s pass in the 18th minute and dribbled her way into space inside the box, only for Mary Earps to block her shot then punch away Martens’ cross seconds later as she collided with Beerensteyn.
Mark Parsons’ Oranje eventually saw their pressure pay off as Millie Bright blocked Jackie Groenen’s cross, which led to Spitse’s consequential 22nd minute corner being headed in by Martens across into the left corner beyond Earps’ reach.
Moments later, van Veenendaal saved Chloe Kelly’s cross and triggered an immediate counter-attack as Martens played through for Beerensteyn, who raced through on goal but Rachel Daly had backtracked successfully to intercept and clear.
Alex Greenwood wasted a 28th minute chance to equalise after Aniek Nouwen had fouled Fran Kirby just outside the box, as Greenwood swung her free-kick low towards the bottom right corner but van Veenendaal dived across in time to make the save.
England however equalised just four minutes later as Kirby raced through on goal and her pass found an incoming Bronze on the right, with the right-back unintentionally curling her cross into the top left corner to restore parity.
Both teams eventually settled down with Netherlands largely dominant in their attacking press as the match sat poised at 1-1 into half-time.
Wiegman and Parsons both opted for changes at the break as Kelly was replaced by Mead for the hosts, whilst Martens and Stefanie van der Gragt were replaced by van de Donk and Caitlin Dijkstra respectively.
Once the match recommenced, England got straight on the front foot as Daly played Hemp up the left but her shot was deflected to Mead, who could only deflect wide.
Netherlands’ first attack of the second-half came in the 49th minute as Dijkstra played fellow substitute – Van de Donk up the right, with the latter fouled by Greenwood which was initially waved away by referee – Sandra Bráz Bastos until VAR got involved for the first time.
Bráz Bastos consequently awarded a penalty after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor but Spitse fired the 52nd minute penalty wide of the right corner via the post, despite Earps diving the correct way to try and deny her.
England counter-attacked a minute later as Hemp swung in a cross from the left with Mead smashing in on her right foot to put the hosts ahead.
Hemp went on to create a curled 66th minute shot which was saved by van Veenendaal who then blocked Mead’s header from Hemp’s cross a minute later as the hosts soon dominated attack.
Substitute, Ella Toone eventually added England’s third as she cut in from the left in the 72nd minute and curled across into the right corner beyond van Veenendaal’s reach.
Toone then fired Bronze’s pullback pass onto the right post which rebounded away and was cleared to Hemp, who was able to volley into the top right corner beyond van Veenendaal’s reach to wrap up a comfortable win.
Mead added her second goal in the 90th minute after Keira Walsh teed up Toone who couldn’t get a confident touch as she arrived into the box, with the ball ultimately deflected for the Arsenal winger to intercept and fire in.
Victory also means that the Lionesses remain unbeaten in 13 matches since Wiegman took charge from last September, as the team continues to build momentum ahead of the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro on home soil next month.
Speaking post-match to ITV4, Wiegman praised both teams for delivering “a very good game on the highest level,” whilst adding that she was impressed by how her Lionesses responded to conceding first in a match under her reign.
Wiegman proceeded to explain what this display means moving forward as she said: “It shows this team has a lot of depth and so much quality, we have so much opportunity to change the game and have more impact.
“We can keep up the tempo while the Netherlands dropped their tempo a little bit.”
What’s Next?
England will conclude their UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 warm-up friendlies with a friendly away to Switzerland on Thursday 30 June in Zurich, where they will head on Monday for a week-long training camp.
Netherlands meanwhile will host Belarus in a 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifier on Tuesday 28 June, before concluding their friendly action on 2 July against Finland with both matches taking place in Enschede, Netherlands.
Teams
England: Mary Earps, Lucy Bronze, Rachel Daly (Carter 76′), Millie Bright, Alex Greenwood (Stanway 63′), Leah Williamson, Keira Walsh, Fran Kirby (Toone 64′), Chloe Kelly (Mead 45′), Bethany England (Russo 63′), Lauren Hemp (Parris 81′)
Substitutes: Demi Stokes, Hannah Hampton, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Beth Mead, Nikita Parris, Alessia Russo, Jill Scott, Ellie Roebuck, Jess Carter
Netherlands: Sari van Veenendaal, Dominique Janssen, Aniek Nouwen, Stefanie van der Gragt (Dijkstra 45′), Lynn Wilms, Sherida Spitse (Egurrola 73′), Jackie Groenen, Victoria Pelova (Brugts 63′), Lieke Martens (van de Donk 45′), Jill Roord, Lineth Beerensteyn (Miedema 63′)
Substitutes: Barbara Lorsheyd, Esmee Brugts, Damaris Egurrola, Marisa Olislagers, Kerstin Casparij, Romee Leuchter, Daphne van Domselaar, Caitlin Dijkstra, Renate Jansen, Danielle van de Donk, Vivianne Miedema, Merel van Dongen
Referee – Sandra Bráz Bastos
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