A dominant England performance saw them thrash China 8-0 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, with Georgia Stanway bagging a hat-trick in the process. The Lionesses' resounding victory was witnessed by a sold-out crowd and marked their biggest-ever win at the iconic venue.
England started the match brightly, with Beth Mead scoring twice in quick succession within the first 15 minutes. Mead's first goal came after 12 minutes when she controlled a cross from Lucy Bronze before firing home. Just two minutes later, she doubled the lead, finishing off a cross from Ella Toone. Lauren Hemp added a third goal in the 16th minute, converting a cross from Stanway. Stanway then got in on the act herself, scoring England's fourth in the 23rd minute after the China goalkeeper punched away a cross.
The Lionesses were awarded a penalty in the 38th minute after a VAR intervention for a handball. Stanway stepped up and confidently dispatched the spot-kick to make it 5-0 going into half-time.
After the break, England continued their dominance. Stanway completed her hat-trick in the 52nd minute, finishing off a well-worked move. Toone then got her name on the scoresheet in the 72nd minute, capitalizing on a defensive error. Alessia Russo rounded off the scoring in the 78th minute, slotting home a pass from Toone.
The match also saw Anna Moorhouse make her England debut in goal, with regular goalkeepers Hannah Hampton and Khiara Keating unavailable through injury. Moorhouse had a relatively quiet game, as England dominated possession and territory.
Sarina Wiegman, England's manager, celebrated her 50th win in charge with this victory. This result is a confidence booster as they continue to build towards next year's World Cup qualifiers. England will play their final match of the year against Ghana at St Mary's on Tuesday.
This emphatic victory over China serves as a statement win for England. While the "Homecoming Series" friendlies provide valuable match practice, they also offer a gauge of England's progress against diverse international teams.
