- goal scored by J. Scott
- goal scored by E. White
- goal scored by L. Bronze
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goal scored by
- J. Scott goal scored by
- E. White goal scored by
- L. Bronze
Goals from Jill Scott, Ellen White and Lucy Bronze book England's place in the last four
Brilliant Lionesses overpower Norway to reach a second successive World Cup semi-final
Match report
England defeated Norway 3-0 to progress to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-finals.
Jill Scott’s opener, the Lionesses’ quickest goal at a World Cup, was added to before the break when Ellen White finished from close range to become her nation’s scorer in the competition’s history.
The lead was added to after the break courtesy of a thunderous Lucy Bronze drive from outside of the area, extending England’s ongoing record of World Cup wins to six matches.
Victory means Phil Neville’s side will travel to Lyon to play in consecutive World Cup semi-finals after finishing third in 2015.
Their last-four tie will pit them against either hosts France or holders USA, with the two sides meeting in Paris on Friday.
Neville made just a single change to the team that overcame Cameroon in the round of 16, as Demi Stokes replaced Alex Greenwood in a straight swap at left-back. Opponents Norway made one fewer as they lined up unchanged from their success over Australia on penalties.
Starting quickly and having already made one early foray into the box which came to nothing, England made sure they capitalised on their next in just the second minute. A quick interchange down the right flank saw Nikita Parris find the overlapping Bronze, whose cutback was accurately converted off the post by Scott for the fastest goal of the 2019 tournament.
Norway looked for an equaliser but persistent harrying from Toni Duggan and Keira Walsh ensured Karina Saevik was forced out of possession when threatening.
But it was at the other end where goals seemed more likely. Goalscorer Scott fed Parris who darted inside her marker, firing wide. The winger then turned her attentions to assisting with her lobbed pass finding golden boot contender White who thumped the upright.
That duo combined again on 40 minutes, this time with maximum impact, to double the Lionesses’ advantage. Despite having a clear opportunity of an effort on goal Parris unselfishly passed the ball across the penalty area to give White a tap in for her fifth goal of the tournament.
The scare served to motivate England to put the game to bed, which was achieved in the 57th minute. Beth Mead, who had been introduced in place on Duggan moments earlier, opted to play a free-kick short to Bronze who, without hesitation, rifled the ball into the roof of the net for her third World Cup goal.
Houghton also epitomised England’s desire to progress when she cleared Lisa-Marie Utland’s effort off the goalline.
Karen Bardsley ensured Neville’s side recorded a fourth successive clean sheet when she denied Herlovsen one-on-one, as England saw out the game in Le Havre.
The margin of victory might have been greater but Parris’s powerful penalty was well saved by Hjelmseth, after Houghton had been felled in the box.
The win extends England’s quirky record of having never lost a World Cup match on 27 June, having drawn with Mexico and beaten Canada on the same date in 2011 and 2015 respectively.
by Thomas Smith, a Football Journalism student at the University of Derby
France 2019
A blow-by-blow account of how England stormed into the semis
Minute-by-minute
FULL TIME: It's all over and England become the first side into this year's World Cup semi-finals thanks to an utterly convincing display and goals from Scott, White and Bronze. Neville's charges will take on either France or USA in the last four.
88: A final change for England as Rachel Daly replaces Parris.
83: Parris misses the chance to make it 4-0 as Ingrid Hjelmseth saves her spot-kick. She went to her left but the ball was a good height for the keeper, who palms away. The penalty was awarded after Houghton was pushed in the back by Chelsea defender Maria Thorisdottir.
74: A second substitution for the Lionesses as Georgia Stanway comes on for Kirby.
69: Norway aren't giving up here as Isabell Herlovsen latches onto a long ball forward from the right. She is forced off balance by Houghton and her left-foot shot is palmed away by Karen Bardsley.
66: Another rescue job by England's Captain Fantastic. Bright plays a sloppy back pass which is picked up by substitute Lisa-Marie Utland, but her low, angled effort is cleared off the line by the retreating Houghton.
57: GOAL! She did it in 2015 and she's done it again, as Bronze smashes home England's third! Mead pulls a right-sided free kick back to the edge of the box where Bronze is waiting to rifle an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net!
54: Neville makes his first change as Beth Mead comes on for Toni Duggan.
47: Houghton comes to the rescue as Caroline Graham Hansen finds herself unmarked in front of the England goal, but the skipper gets back to hook the ball away.
SECOND HALF: Norway get us up and running in the second half, knowing they have it all to do in this second half.
HALF TIME: Another great half for the Lionesses at this World Cup as they take a deserved two-goal lead into the break.
40: GOAL! England do have a second - and it has been coming! Bronze plays Parris into the box and she in turn finds White, who taps in from close range. The 30-year-old is now England's top scorer at World Cups with six goals. It is her fifth strike at this year's tournament and she joins Alex Morgan at the top of the goal charts at France 2019.
39: Another decent charge for Neville's charges as Fran Kirby finds Parris with a perfectly-flighted cross to the far post, but the No7 heads down into the ground, the ball bounces up and is tipped behind for a corner.
31: Norway have a penalty appeal dismissed when Guro Reiten’s shot ricochets off Stokes’s leg and hits her forearm, but the referee is unmoved.
29: So close to a second as White smashes an angled volley off the far upright!
21: A great opportunity for Nikita Parris to double her side's lead. After being played in by her former Man City club mate Scott, Parris cuts inside onto her left foot but blazes her shot over when well placed.
03: GOAL! What a start for England! Bronze rampages down the right and pulls the ball back to White. The striker miscues her shot but Jill Scott spares her blushes by calmly sweeping a shot into the far corner for the fastest goal at this year's tournament.
KICK-OFF: Ellen White gets things under way in Le Havre.
7.45pm: England won all three of their group matches, against Scotland, Argentina and Japan before seeing off Cameroon in the round of 16. Norway won two of their three matches, losing to France, and edged Australia on penalties in the second round.
7.15pm: These two sides met at Canada 2015 with England coming from 1-0 down to win a World Cup knockout match for the very first time, courtesy of second-half goals by Houghton and Lucy Bronze.
7pm: The teams are in and Phil Neville has made just one change from the 3-0 win over Cameroon on Sunday with Demi Stokes replacing Alex Greenwood at left-back. Steph Houghton and Millie Bright are the centre-back pairing, despite both being doubts in the build-up.
6.55pm: England and Norway go head-to-head for a place in the World Cup semi-finals with the winners taking on either hosts France or holders USA in the last four. Kick-off in Le Havre is 8pm BST.
