Lions' second-half show
Thursday, 24 November, 2011
Three goals after the break sees England down Holland.
Three second-half goals handed the England Women’s U19 team victory over Holland in the final match of the Rosmalen Tournament.
After a deserved 2-0 win over France on Tuesday, Mo Marley’s young team came into this game facing a strong nation on home soil but that did not appear to concern them and they ran out comfortable 3-1 victors.
The two sides went in goalless at the break but Three Lions' substitute Bethany England, on for Millie Bright, fired the visitors ahead just a minute after the restart. Keira Ramshaw doubled the lead on 70 minutes before Eshly Bakker pulled a goal back for the Dutch. But Everton’s Nikita Parris secured the win with a third goal just before full-time.
The two victories picked up by England this week will certainly boost confidence ahead of the second round of European Qualifiers, which are being staged in this country next spring. Wales, Finland and Iceland will provide the opposition and the top-placed team in the group will make it through to the Euro Finals.
In 2009 Mo Marley led her side to their first-ever European title, in Belarus, while a runners-up spot was garnered in both 2007 and 2010, and this impressive record handed England a bye from the First Qualifying Round this season.