Georgia Stanway scored two penalties as England came from behind to defeat Brazil and qualify for the quarter finals of the FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup.
The Young Lionesses went into their final Group C match knowing only a win would allow them to make it to the knockout stages of Jordan 2016.
They fell behind to Kerolin’s 35th-minute strike – but were rescued by Stanway’s two exceptional spot-kicks.
England 2-1 Brazil
FIFA Women's U17 World Cup
Group C
2pm BST, Saturday 8 October 2016
Al Hassan International Stadium, Irbid
The only sour note for John Griffiths’s side was an early booking for Stanway which means she will miss Thursday’s last-eight clash.
There were two changes from the side which drew 0-0 with Nigeria on Tuesday with Jessie Jones and Niamh Charles replacing Hollie Olding and Hannah Cain respectively.
Alessia Russo started brightly on the right, causing Brazilian left-back Isabella Fernandes a host of early problems.
The Chelsea attacker then called Brazil goalkeeper Kemelli into action with a 30-yard free-kick.
However, the South Americans broke the deadlock on 35 minutes after a mix-up in the England defence.
Captain Lotte Wubben-Moy and Anna Patten went for the same ball but got in each other’s way.
Kerolin picked up the loose ball, burst forward and placed a shot beyond Ellie Roebuck and into the bottom corner.
England were handed a lifeline in added time at the end of the first half when Kemilli bundled Patten over inside the box.
Stanway stepped up and slammed the subsequent spot-kick into the roof of the net.
The equaliser lifted Griffiths’s charges and they began the second half on the front foot with Grace Smith heading a Russo corner just over the bar.
Brazil then shot themselves in the foot for the second time when Tainara tripped Charles inside the box and Stanway punished the misdemeanour by converting her second penalty inside 15 minutes, this time finding the opposite corner.
The Manchester City midfielder almost bagged a hat-trick when she attempted an audacious long-range chip but the ball drifted just wide.
The momentum was with England, and after falling behind Brazil never looked like getting themselves back into the contest as the Lionesses saw the game out comfortably.
England (4-2-3-1): 1 Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City); 3 Taylor Hinds (Arsenal), 5 Grace Smith (Aston Villa), 6 Lotte Wubben-Moy (capt; Arsenal), 12 Anna Patten (Arsenal); 19 Jessie Jones (Yeovil Town), 20 Connie Scofield (Birmingham City); 7 Alessia Russo (Chelsea), 10 Georgia Stanway (Manchester City), 11 Niamh Charles (Liverpool); 9 Ellie Brazil (Birmingham City).
Substitutes: 8 Laura Hooper (Arsenal) for Scofield 74, 16 Ella Toone (Manchester City) for Charles 88.
Substitutes not used: 2 Flo Allen (Bristol City), 4 Hollie Olding (Chelsea), 13 Katie Startup (Chelsea), 14 Kelsey Pearson (Blackburn Rovers) 15 Lois Joel (Chelsea), 17 Hannah Cain (Sheffield FC), 18 Anna Filbey (Arsenal), 21 Georgia Valentine (Reading).
Goals: Stanway (pen) 45+3, (pen) 60.
Bookings: Stanway
Head coach: John Griffiths
