Three Lionesses squeeze past Black Queens in International Friendly
The Lionesses of England and the Black Queens played out an energetic international friendly on Tuesday night at the St Mary’s Staduim that saw England beat Ghana 2-0.
Though labeled a friendly , the encounter delivered periods of brute intensity, with neither team willing to concede ground easily.
The opening minutes of the game saw England dominate but it was Ghana who produced the game’s first clear chance. Inside the first 15 minutes of the game, Ghana broke down the right flank, with a low cross forcing the Englands goalkeeper into a sharp early save.
Kendall scored her first goal after capitalizing on a defensive mistake to put the Lionesses ahead just after five minutes.
A well threaded pass by England split the Ghana defensive in the 32nd minute leading to a shot that struck the side netting.
Despite it all, the Black Queens continued showing impressive pace and physicality. The first half ended with a England holding on to their solitary lead, giving them the upper hand at the break.
The final minutes of the game saw team managers make changes. Regardless of the late push from both sides, it was the Lionesses who had the last laugh as they were awarded a penalty in the 90 +5 minute after a VAR review. Alessia Russo stepped up to convert to finally extend their lead after loads of near misses on the night.
The game was tactically engaging and physically demanding, offering valuable insight for Ghana coach Kim Lars Bjôrkegren as the Queens prepare for the Women’s African Cup of Nations in Morocco next year.