Reds quartet make history with England

Ella Toone, Alessia Russo, Mary Earps, and Maya Le Tissier were all part of the Lionesses set up for the first-ever women’s Finalissima. 

Sarina Wiegman’s side looked set to lift the trophy until the final moments of stoppage time, when Brazil, after a scintillating second-half display, levelled the score with a thumping finish from Andressa Alves.

A goal apiece at the final whistle, the evenly contested affair was settled on penalties with Earps playing a defining role.

Toone opened the scoring for England midway through the first half after a sublime move from England. Link-up between Lucy Bronze and Georgia Stanway saw the former roll the ball to the edge of the area, where our no.7 lie in wait before guiding the ball home. 

It’s the second time the Reds midfielder has bagged the opening goal in front of a sold out Wembley for her country – the European Championship final being the first, of course. 

For all of England’s dominance in the first half, Brazil were revitalised in the second half and carved out chances aplenty as Earps stood tall to keep them at bay.

But the visitors did eventually score a well-deserved goal deep into stoppage time, with our no.27 on the end of a rare error after spilling the ball into the box, where Alves was the quickest to react, thumping home her sides equaliser into the roof of the net. 

Earps, in what is a real testament to her mentality, dusted herself off for the penalty shootout and once again proved the difference maker. 

She palmed away Tamires’s spot kick, much to the relief of team-mate Toone who saw her own saved just a few moments prior. 

Rafaelle Souza’s miss in the following Brazil penalty allowed Chloe Kelly to step up and score the game-winning spot kick for England to lift their second trophy in less than a year, marking the end of the very first women’s Finalissima.

'ANOTHER SPECIAL NIGHT AT WEMBLEY'

Our English Reds took to social to celebrate yet another memorable night in the capital, with Russo writing: "Another special night at Wembley," on her Instagram. 

Earps joined with a few of her own posts, one simply - but aptly - stating 'mentality.'

❤️ https://t.co/ED2meJlv7n

— Ella Toone (@ellatoone99) April 6, 2023

WALES WIN AS NORWAY FALL TO SPAIN

Five more Reds were in international action on Thursday, as Vilde Boe Risa’s Norway played a friendly against Spain, with the latter coming out on top. 

Jorge Vilda’s side ran out 4-2 winners, with Boe Risa entering the fray from the bench for the final 15 minutes. 

Wales were also in action, with four United players called up to camp. Hayley Ladd started that game as her side were 4-1 winners on the night, Chloe Williams and Safia Middleton-Patel were unused substitutes, with Carrie Jones not involved in the matchday squad for this one. 

There’s plenty more international action to come for our players, and all of those games can be found here.