England are one game away from going the entirety of 2022 unbeaten after a 4-0 victory over Japan in their penultimate match of the year.
Goals from Rachel Daly, Chloe Kelly, Ella Toone and Jess Park saw the Lionesses to a comfortable friendly victory at the Pinitar Arena on Friday evening.
England will wrap up a memorable year with an unbeaten record should they avoid defeat against Norway on Tuesday.
The Lionesses were missing a number of key players through injury and illness, giving first senior starts to youngsters Niamh Charles and Esme Morgan. However, it was familiar faces in the thick of the action from the off, Toone forcing Ayaka Yamashita into a save inside two minutes after firing towards the top corner from range. The Japan goalkeeper was equal to her effort.
Kelly was starting on the left in place of the injured Lauren Hemp, and was wreaking havoc with her ability to cut inside and deliver with her right foot. Alessia Russo should have given England the lead following one particularly superb Kelly cross, but she glanced her header onto the post.
The Lionesses were really pushing for the opener, this time Beth Mead coming close after being found by Toone and Yamashita palming her effort around the post.
The opening goal deservedly came eight minutes before the break. Another terrific Kelly cross caused chaos in the Japan box and Daly – a constant source of goals for Aston Villa this season – arrived late from right back to fire low past Yamashita.
Having been England’s primary creator in the first half, Kelly got herself on the scoresheet seven minutes into the second, crashing home Mead’s cross after it had evaded Russo.
Youngsters Lauren James and Ebony Salmon were introduced just after the hour mark, and the pair were in the thick of the action as England added a third 13 minutes from time. James provided the driving carry, before Salmon slid Toone in with a smart reverse pass, and the Manchester United midfielder found the bottom corner.
Park was introduced for her senior debut on the stroke of full time, and she marked it in dream fashion by passing the ball into an empty net after being found by Salmon. The goal was all about the endeavour and industry of Salmon to chase a seemingly lost cause, wrapping up victory for England in style.
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