Goals from Lucia Kendall and Alessia Russo saw England scrape a 2-0 friendly win over Ghana at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton.
Kendall netted her first international senior goal for England with a sixth-minute winner on the rebound from a sloppy clearance by Ghana’s Benedicte Simon, after the Ghanian failed to get a proper touch on Chloe Kelly’s cross into the box.
Russo wrapped up victory with a 95th-minute penalty after her header was handballed by Comfort Yeboah on her left arm.
England now will begin 2026 with a pair of 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers against Ukraine and Iceland in March.
With this match having marked their final match of 2025 and their homecoming series following their successful UEFA Women’s Euro title defence, England enjoyed a positive start which paid dividends as a sixth-minute series of passes fell for Kelly to whip a cross into the box.
Ghana’s Simon however fumbled her clearance of Kelly’s cross which set up a fast-incoming Kendall to intercept with a shot straight into the net from close ranger, which marked her maiden senior goal on her third appearance fittingly at the stadium of her first professional club – Southampton.
England continued to enjoy the best of the chances throughout the first half as Kelly, Missy Bo Kearns, Kendall and Aggie Beever-Jones saw shots denied.
Kendall almost netted her second goal from a 43rd-minute corner after Cynthia Konlan deflected Bo Kearns’ shot behind, but the Southampton graduate nodded her effort onto the crossbar.
Ghana attempted to restore parity with a fast start to the second half but England soaked up their pressure before Lucy Bronze nodded a 56th free-kick onto the bar, only for Jess Park to fire the rebound wide.
Beever-Jones a minute later put her header from Taylor Hinds’ cross onto the crossbar before her follow-up header was saved by Konlan.
England’s 74th-minute substitute, Alessia Russo latched onto a short free-kick just a minute after her introduction but was deflected behind, whilst fellow substitute – Lauren Hemp headed over from the subsequent corner.
England eventually made sure of victory through Russo’s 95th-minute penalty into the bottom-right corner after her header four minutes earlier was handballed by Yeboah, although the spot-kick was only awarded after a review by Video-Assistant Referee.
Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses eventually saw out a third consecutive victory and clean sheet in their first-ever clash against Ghana, despite Alessia Russo’s 91st-minute header having been.
What’s Next?
England turn their attention to 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying in March with their first qualifier away to Ukraine on 3 March 2026, before they host Iceland on 7 March.
Teams
England: Anna Moorhouse, Lucy Bronze, Maya Le Tissier, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Taylor Hinds, Lucia Kendall (Clinton 62′), Keira Walsh, Missy Bo Kearns (Blindkilde 62′), Jess Park (Hemp 62′), Aggie Beever-Jones (Russo 74′), Chloe Kelly (Mead 23′)
Substitutes: Sophie Baggaley, Laura Blindkilde Brown, Niamh Charles, Grace Clinton, Anouk Denton, Freya Godfrey, Lauren Hemp, Beth Mead, Ellie Roebuck, Alessia Russo, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone
Ghana: Cynthia Konlan, Benedicte Simon (Achiaa 91′), Portia Boakye, Susan Ama Duah, Comfort Yeboah, Jennifer Cudjoe (Amoh 91′), Grace Asantewaa, Alice Kusi (Marfo 58′), Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah (Badu 77′), Stella Nyamekye (Adubea 77′), Doris Boaduwaa (Kim 58′)
Substitutes: Ernestina Abambila, Achiaa, Princella Adubea, Afi Amenyeku, Amoh, Mary Amponsah, Louisa Aniwaa, Evelyn Badu, Princess Marfo, Abigail Kim, Josephine Bonsu, Kerrie McCarthy, Nina Norshie