England beat Australia to return to winning ways thanks to goals from Aggie Beever-Jones, Lucy Bronze and Georgia Stanway.
Alanna Kennedy was sent off early on and the Lionesses never looked in trouble against Joe Montemurro’s Matildas, who mustered just one shot on target.
There was concern however when substitute Michelle Agyemang was stretchered off following a knee injury in the second half, with the Brighton striker in real distress as she left the pitch.
Stanway sealed a convincing win from the penalty spot in stoppage time after Missy Bo Kearns was tripped inside the box.
The Line ups
ENG: Hampton; Hinds, Le Tissier, Morgan, Bronze; Walsh, Kendall, Toone; Beever-Jones, Mead, Russo
AUS: Arnold; Catley, Heatley, Hunt, Carpenter; Kennedy, Gorry, Cooney-Cross; Sayer, Foord, Kerr
The Action
Ella Toone was able to drive at the Matildas defence and saw her shot blocked early on, before Alessia Russo’s cross was glanced wide by Beever-Jones as England dominated possession.
Beever-Jones looked to have put the Lionesses 1-0 up after 14 minutes when she chipped Mackenzie Arnold but the offside flag was raised.
Australia’s difficult start worsened when midfielder Kennedy was sent off for pulling back Russo after giving the ball away, leaving referee Luliana Demetrescu with a simple decision to make.
Beever-Jones struck the resulting free-kick into the Australia wall before finding the top corner with the rebound, a fierce strike to give England a deserved lead after 20 minutes.
Debutant Taylor Hinds nearly trumped Beever-Jones’ strike with a curling left-footed effort that missed the target, before an off-balance Russo drew a save from Arnold.
Australia’s first chance of note came in the 28th minute as Sam Kerr drew Hannah Hampton to a save at her near post. Ten minutes later, Bronze flashed an effort wide up the other end after Clare Hunt lost possession cheaply.
Bronze soon doubled England’s lead, finding the bottom corner to complete a flowing move and mark her 34 birthday with a goal to all but ensure England beat Australia.
Australia were unable to stem the flow of chances and were grateful to be only 2-0 down come the half-time whistle.
Joe Montemurro’s side were able to enjoy a spell of possession at the start of the second half but England came close when Hinds’ cross was glanced over the crossbar by Amy Sayer.
Lucia Kendall almost marked her debut with a goal when she glanced Russo’s cross from the left wing onto the crossbar.
England had made five changes with over a quarter of the friendly still to play, and Kendall came close once again, heading substitute Niamh Charles’ cross wide.
Georgia Stanway was another called on from the bench and her effort was beaten away by Arnold.
Substitute Agyemang went down off the ball with a knee injury and had to be stretchered off to a standing ovation in a concerning moment for the teenage striker, who appeared in real distress. Beever-Jones also withdrew due to injury as the game finished with both sides having ten players on the pitch.
Stanway scored from the penalty spot on Saturday and was deadly from 12 yards again in stoppage time, after Kearns was tripped by Katrina Gorry in the area.
England Player ratings
Hannah Hampton 8/10: Back from injury to replace Khiara Keating in goal. Saved well from Sam Kerr at her near post in here only moment of need.
Taylor Hinds 8/10: Handed her England debut after switching allegiances from Jamaica, and was involved in more than one foot race with Ellie Carpenter.
Esme Morgan 8/10: Good on the ball and often involved in England’s build-up.
Maya Le Tissier 8.5/10: Sarina Wiegman answered fans’ cries as Le Tissier was handed a long-overdue start at centre-back, and proved exactly why there’s been a clamour for her to play there.
Lucy Bronze 8.5/10: Marked her 34th birthday with a goal and an assist- alert to recycle the ball to Aggie Beever-Jones after her Chelsea teammate’s free-kick was saved- the rebound was emphatic. An accomplished first-time finish to double England’s lead.
Kiera Walsh 8/10: Found plenty of space in midfield to help England beat Australia after Kennedy was sent off. Replaced in the second half.
Lucia Kendall 7.5/10: A senior England debut for the Aston Villa midfielder, and the Lionesses dominated proceedings in midfield. A whisker away from finding the net when her header skimmed the top of the crossbar, coming close on more than one occasion.
Beth Mead 7.5/10: Came up against her long-time Arsenal teammate Steph Catley and got into some good positions.
Ella Toone 8/10: A clever run to set up Bronze’s goal in an excellent attacking display from the relentless Toone who ensured England beat Australia.
Aggie Beever-Jones 8.5/10: A tame free-kick before an inch-perfect rebound, finding the top corner with a powerful strike to break the deadlock. Forced off due to injury late on.
Alessia Russo 7.5/10: Lively upfront and was pulled back by Kennedy to see the Australia midfielder sent off.
SUBS
Niamh Charles (Sub, half time)
Replaced Bronze at right-back.
Missy Bo Kearns (Sub, 61’)
Some valuable time in an England shirt for the Aston Villa midfielder.
Georgia Stanway (Sub, 62’) 7.5/10
Came on alongside Kearns as England changed their midfield. Lethal from the penalty spot once more to score her second spot-kick in as many games.
Michelle Agyemang (Sub, 62’)
Huge cheers for the teenage striker as she replaced Alessia Russo. Stretchered off after going down with a knee injury that appeared to be very serious.
Alex Greenwood (Sub, 62’)
Closed the game out at left-back.
Chloe Kelly (Sub, 80’)
Introduced for Michelle Agyemang.
Subs not used: Khiara Keating, Jess Carter, Laura Blinkilde Brown, Anna Moorhouse, Grace Fisk, Jess Naz.
Australia Player ratings
Mackenzie Arnold 5.5/10: Replaced Teagan Micah and had no chance with either England goal, before diving the wrong way up against Stanway’s penalty.
Steph Catley 5.5/10: Her first start at left-back this season having become a mainstay in the centre of Arsenal’s defence.
Wini Heatley 7/10: Arguably Australia’s best player, with a resilient effort at the back.
Clare Hunt 5.5/10: Sloppy on the ball at times but made some important blocks.
Ellie Carpenter 6/10: One of Australia’s better ball characters but restricted in how much she was able to get forward.
Alanna Kennedy 2/10: Sent off after a pair of errors- giving the ball away after an attempted Cruyff turn to let Alessia Russo bare down on goal, before she pulled back the England striker and was rightly dismissed.
Katrina Gorry 6/10: A huge task to steady the midfield after Kennedy was sent off but Gorry never stopped running. Gave away the penalty late on with a late trip on Kearns.
Caitlin Foord 5.5/10: Scored the winner against Wales on Saturday but struggled to get into the game at Pride Park. Led the line when Sam Kerr was replaced in the second half.
Kyra Cooney-Cross 6/10: An important pair of starts for the Arsenal midfielder in this international break ahead of a big month for the Gunners. Dropped deeper into midfield after Kennedy was sent off and had some bright moments.
Amy Sayer 5/10: A quiet outing for the Kristiansads midfielder on a tough night for the Matildas.
Sam Kerr 7/10: Drew a save from Hampton with a clever attempt from a narrow angle in the first half but had very little to work with.
SUBS
Clare Wheeler (Sub, 69’) 5/10
Arguably should have started in midfield ahead of Kennedy- it’s Wheeler’s natural position after all.
Charli Grant (Sub, 69’) 5/10
Replaced Catley.
Hayley Raso (Sub, 69’) 5/10
Came on for Sayer.
Remy Siemsen (Sub, 90’)
Came on for Foord.
Jamilla Rankin (Sub, 90’)
Introduced for Cooney Cross.
Subs not used: Courtney Nevin, Cortnee Vine, Kaitlyn Torpey, Teagan Micah, Morgan Aquino, Holly McNamara, Michelle Heyman.
