Stanways Hat

England delivered a merciless first half that left China reeling on Saturday night, securing the Lionesses’ largest winning margin at Wembley.

The atmosphere was festive before the match kicked off, with Fran Kirby’s international career being celebrated as she showcased the retained European Championship trophy to a packed crowd.

It didn’t take long for England to assert their dominance, with Georgia Stanway leading the charge and scoring a hat-trick in the impressive 8-0 victory.

England Triumphs Over China with 8-0 Victory

Sarina Wiegman’s European champions were unyielding from the outset.

Alessia Russo posed an immediate threat with her dynamic runs down the right flank. Though she delivered several clever cut-backs into the England box, the precision was slightly off, allowing China to clear their lines.

However, it was only a matter of time before the home side found the back of the net. Their breakthrough came emphatically courtesy of Beth Mead, who finished off a well-placed cross from Lucy Bronze. The Arsenal forward expertly controlled the ball with one touch before slotting it past Pan Hongyan.

Immediately after the restart, England doubled their lead with Mead adding her second. Ella Toone demonstrated quick thinking, selling Jiaxing Dou a feint before delivering a cross that Mead converted from close range.

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With the floodgates open, Lauren Hemp scored the third goal after finishing a well-executed team move. The chances kept coming as England quickly made it 3-0.

Stanway then added to the tally, making it four in the 23rd minute. After Hongyan punched away a cross from Hemp, the ball fell to Stanway, who blasted it into the net from the edge of the box.

Stanway went on to net a fifth goal just beyond the half-hour mark, converting a penalty following a VAR review that determined Li Mengwen had handled the ball while blocking Russo’s strike, capping off a sensational first half.

England Achieves Record Victory at Wembley

At halftime, Chloe Kelly, Jess Park, and Lotte Wubben-Moy came on to contribute.

However, England showed no signs of slowing down. Stanway completed her hat-trick just seven minutes after the restart, finishing off a well-coordinated passing sequence.

By this point, China managed a brief spell of pressure, garnering a couple of corners in front of their enthusiastic fans, yet Anna Moorhouse remained largely untested in her international debut.

While the first six goals resulted from excellent team play, the seventh was a gift. Attempting to play out from a goal kick, China faltered, and under pressure from Russo, Hongyan’s errant pass fell to Toone, who casually rolled the ball into the net for an effortless score.

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Despite Russo’s industrious play, she had yet to score. However, she finally found the net, timing her run perfectly to receive Toone’s pass and finishing low into the corner.

China’s first shot on target came in stoppage time when Tang Jiali broke into the box, but her effort lacked conviction, allowing Moorhouse to make the save.

This marked a stark reminder for Milicic’s squad ahead of their Asian Cup title defense in March.

For Wiegman’s Lionesses, it was a straightforward victory as they prepared for their final match of the year against Ghana in Southampton on Tuesday evening.

England Triumphs Over China with 8-0 Victory

England Achieves Record Victory at Wembley

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