England vs Belgium LIVE: Lionesses retain the Arnold Clark Cup with six-goal win
England 6-1 Belgium: The Lionesses lifted the Arnold Clark Cup for the second time after thrasing Belgium at Ashton Gate
England have won the Arnold Clark Cup for the second time after thrashing Belgium 6-1 in Bristol, giving the Lionesses the perfect start to their World Cup year under Sarina Wiegman.
Two goals each from Chloe Kelly and captain Leah Williamson helped to wrap up a dominant result in front of over 26,000 fans at Ashton Gate. The victory added to wins against South Korea and Italy this week as the Lionesses took maximum points from the four-team tournament and comfortably retained their title.
Wiegman’s side won the inaugural edition of the Arnold Clark Cup last year ahead of their historic victory at the European Championships, and the Lionesses will hope the tournament once again acts as the perfect platform before this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
England will face China, Denmark and Haiti in Group D of the World Cup, while the Lionesses will look to extend their unbeaten run under Wiegman - which now stands at 29 matches - when they take on Brazil and Australia in friendly matches in April.
Follow all the reaction as the Lionesses face Belgium for the Arnold Clark Cup:
England 3-0 Belgium
60 mins: OFF THE BAR! So close again from Kelly! This time she ducks right and takes aim across goal. The shot is vicious and glances the top of the bar. What a way to score a hat-trick that would have been.
England 3-0 Belgium
56 mins: The chances keep coming for the Lionesses - Bronze sees space for a forward run and picks out an excellent cross towards Russo, who is unlucky that her flicked header drifts wide.
GOAL! England 3-0 Belgium
53 mins: That’s so good from Kelly. A brilliant run into the box, ducking and diving between challenges, creates space for the shot, which is lifted over the bar from the angle.
GOAL! England 3-0 Belgium (KELLY 49’)
It’s two for Chloe Kelly! But it’s brilliant from Lauren Hemp, who picks it up on the left and glides inside. She sets up Russo, who shoots. The goalkeeper spills but Kelly is there to poke in England’s third.
Kelly is now leading the way for the golden boot!
England 2-0 Belgium
48 mins: England have picked up where they left off before the break. Toone threatens with a dipping shot from distance before England play in Hemp down the side.
England 2-0 Belgium
Back underway! Lauren Hemp is on for Lauren James at the break.
Hemp was England’s player of the tournament in last year’s Arnold Clark Cup, which just underlines the strength in depth that Wiegman now has in her squad.
HALF TIME! England 2-0 Belgium
Wiegman is set to make some changes at the break, as the England manager looks to shuffle her squad and perhaps reward some of those players who featured against Italy on Sunday.
HALF TIME! England 2-0 Belgium
England have had 71 per cent of the possession and 14 shots so far. At times, it’s felt like wave after wave of England attack, which is so dangerous given the attacking talent Wiegman has at her disposal.
HALF TIME! England 2-0 Belgium
And that’s half time! England are in control after a dominant first-half display.
GOAL! England 2-0 Belgium (WILLIAMSON 41’)
The captain doubles England’s lead! There’s a touch of controversy around the goal as the ball seemed to brush off Russo’s arm in the build up, but no matter. From the corner, England kept the attack going and it broke to Bronze on the left. The full-back picked out a lovely cross to the back post, where Williamson climbed to power the header into the net.
The cross from Bronze was sublime.
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