2008 Review: England Women's
Saturday, 27 December, 2008
While 2007 was all about the World Cup, 2008 was all about qualifying for the European Championship.
Having hosted the European Championship in 2005 and then gone on to reach the World Cup quarter-finals in China two years later, it was hugely important that the progress continue with Finland in 2009. So for Hope Powell's England Women's side, 2008 was all about qualifying for their third major tournament in succession; and though they did it the hard way, they didn't disappoint.
England began the year with two friendlies in Cyprus, losing out in the first to a strong Sweden side, but with goals from Kelly Smith and Fara Williams they would overcome Norway in a confidence-boosting second match.
From those two friendly games England went into a run of crucial qualifiers. Having won three matches in Group One without conceding a goal in 2007, it was important that England carried on where they left off.
That was the case in Lurgan as the Three Lions came away from Northern Ireland with a 2-0 win and three more vital points. Fara Williams and Faye White scored the goals, although a yellow card for Kelly Smith to go with an earlier missed penalty would mean that the Arsenal forward was suspended for the home match with Czech Republic.
Doncaster Rovers was the venue for the visit of the Czechs in March, and a combination of blustering wind and freezing rain played its part as England failed to create the spark and were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw.
Belarus were the opponents in Minsk as England reached their final three group games - all away from home - knowing that maximum points were need to absolutely guarantee top spot and a place at Euro 2009.
Despite a number of players travelling directly from Nottingham after The FA Women's Cup Final on Monday, and playing on the Thursday afternoon three timezones away, it was an excellent performance.
England were ahead after just 30 seconds as Jill Scott arrived at the near post to power home Rachel Yankey's fine delivery from the left flank. Fara Williams would add a stunning hat-trick with three goals all coming from fully 25-yards.
Faye White and Lianne Sanderson added the gloss to a dominant performance and result.
Prior to the double-header away to Czech Republic and Spain in September that would decide their participation in Euro 2009, England travelled to Germany for a friendly in Unterhaching but were undone 3-0 by a side just days away from playing in the Olympics.
With two matches remaining, England remained top but had to travel to the second and third placed teams to truly earn their place at the finals.
First it was Czech Republic and Hope Powell's players had to show their character though in a true game of two halves, with Czech Republic leading at half-time after a disappointing performance from the visitors.
But a stunning equaliser from half-time substitute Emily Westwood, and four goals in seven minutes late on wrapped up a sensational response and would mean that England travelled to Zamora - where they faced Spain four days later - filled with confidence.
Needing just a point to secure top spot and their place at the finals in Finland, England were not about to do it the easy way. Trailing 2-0 at the interval in Zamora, Hope Powell's side stormed out of the blocks after the break and levelled the scores with goals from Karen Carney and Kelly Smith.
After England clinched their place, Carney said: "At half-time I was thinking it's going to be tough, but the belief of the players spurred us on. Fara was egging us on and Kelly the skipper was bringing us forward; everyone was fantastic and it took every single player to get the result."
Head Coach Powell said: "It was hard work. We weren't at our best but credit to Spain because they made it difficult for us.
"We were more vibrant and tenacious in the second half, and although Spain hit the bar I felt we deserved to win the match."