England's Lionesses concluded their 2025 'Homecoming Series' with a 2-0 victory over Ghana at a rain-swept St Mary's Stadium in Southampton. The win, secured by goals from the emerging talent Lucia Kendall and substitute Alessia Russo, provided valuable minutes for the squad but also highlighted a lack of clinical finishing in front of goal.
Kendall's Dream Start Continues
It took just six minutes for 21-year-old midfielder Lucia Kendall to make her mark on the game. The Aston Villa player, a graduate of Southampton's academy, found herself in the right place to slot home from close range after a defensive error from Ghana's Bénédicte Simon. The goal was a poignant moment for the Winchester-born player, scoring at the home of her former club less than five months after departing for the WSL.
Kendall's rapid ascent has been a standout story of England's post-Euros friendlies. After a stellar full debut against Australia in October, where she was named player of the match, her seamless transition to senior international football has drawn significant praise. Manager Sarina Wiegman commended her consistency, stating: "She shows consistency. People think that it is really easy, but going from camp and the high demands back into club football and still keeping up her levels and keeping going is hard. That's what she does well."
Even experienced defender Lucy Bronze admitted she was unfamiliar with Kendall at the start of the season, but now sees a "huge future" for the young midfielder.
Dominant Display Lacks Cutting Edge
Despite the comfortable scoreline, England's performance was characterised by dominant possession and a plethora of chances that went begging. The Lionesses amassed 24 shots to Ghana's three, with ten on target, but were denied by the woodwork on four separate occasions. This lack of a clinical edge prevented a more emphatic victory against a Ghanaian side ranked 67th in the world.
Wiegman used the friendly as an opportunity to rotate her squad, making seven changes from the side that thrashed China 8-0 days earlier. This allowed for further integration of Under-23 graduates like Aggie Beever-Jones and Missy Bo Kearns, with Maya Le Tissier retaining her place in defence. The match served as a crucial exercise in building cohesion among a broader pool of players, a process deemed essential with an eye on the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
Russo Seals the Win and Looks to the Future
The result was finally put beyond doubt deep into added time. A handball by Comfort Yeboah from Alessia Russo's header led to a penalty after a VAR review. Alessia Russo, freshly crowned as the Football Supporters' Association Women's Player of the Year, calmly converted the spot-kick to seal the 2-0 win for the 20,252-strong crowd.
The match concluded a year of transition and planning for England. The successful integration of talent from the revamped Under-23s setup, a project initiated by Wiegman in 2021, offers exciting prospects for the future. This pipeline of talent, exemplified by Kendall, adds depth and competition to the squad as the cycle towards the next major tournament begins.
Off the pitch, the home nations' joint bid to host the 2035 Women's World Cup has been formally submitted to FIFA, offering the next generation of aspiring footballers a major target to inspire their own journeys to the top of the game.
