 Football

HIGH FIVE

England 5 N Ireland 0: Alessia Russo’s rapid

double fires red-hot Lionesses into Euros
quarters with 100 per cent record
 Sandra Brobbey

 22:03, 15 Jul 2022

 Updated: 22:31, 15 Jul 2022

ENGLAND’S juggernauts delivered the perfect get-well present for their boss with a gritty 5-0 trouncing
of Northern Ireland.

Alessia Russo bagged a dream brace as the hosts broke the resistance of Kenny Shiels' stubborn underdogs
with keeper Jackie Burns having the game of her life.

Alessia Russo netted a brace for England in the 5-0 win Credit: Getty

The result saw the Lionesses claim a hat-trick of group stage wins with assistant
coach Arjan Veurink watching from om with Sarina Wiegman absent after testing
positive for Covid.
The team will face either Spain or Denmark in a mouth-watering quarter-final duel
at the Amex with their rivals facing off at 8:00pm on Saturday.

After the record-breaking, merciless 8-0 rinsing of Norway, some watchers will
have been expecting more of the same from Wiegman’s warriors.

But Shiels and his plucky team of history-makers - including players juggling
football with jobs in retail and nursing – had other ideas.

As early as the first minute Northern Ireland, who were already out of the Euros,
started as if they ended to exit with a bang.

Lauren Wade, who once balanced her football career with a director’s job in her
family’s funeral business, forced a first-minute save from Mary Earps with a low
shot.

Moments later England thought they had a pen after Georgia Stanway’s strike
struck Demi Vance’s arm, before referee Esther Staubli overturned the decision
following a VAR check.

Keeper Burns pulled off a string of quality saves in the first including a ninth-
minute stop with her leg from Georgia Stanway’s shot.