England World Cup Fixtures

Inspired use of substitutes allied to a stunning winning goal from Lucy Bronze ensured England finally won their first knockout game at a World Cup finals. No matter that Mark Sampson’s side were required to come from behind after an edgy, erratic start. More audacious tactics from the Lionesses’ young coach ultimately earned a quarter-final place.

The next chapter will unfold in Vancouver on Saturday night – or the early hours of Sunday in the UK – against the host nation. By way of further spice Canada are managed by John Herdman, a Newcastle United supporter from Consett in County Durham.

“The team have made history. The team deserve all the credit in the world. They knew this was a big game for them, they wanted to put their names in English football history and the squad have stepped up and delivered for the country, ” said Sampson. “We’ve seen in the tournament if you concede the first goal it’s incredibly difficult to win the game. This group of 23 players have shown brilliant resilience, fantastic character and excellent game discipline to come back and win that match. We’ll take huge confidence from this victory.

“It’s a squad effort, the guys on the bench were absolutely outstanding today. The impact they made again. You saw the subs and their support today. The objective was to get to Vancouver, we’re there now and we want this journey to continue.”

Norwegian reporters were applying factor 50 sun block in the press box at kick off where the temperature was 27 degrees centigrade. Pleasant as it was to sit in such wonderful warmth it cannot have been so nice down on the pitch where the artificial turf boosted the ground level mercury to well over 40 degrees.

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Judging by his love of tactical surprise Sampson should make a fine chess player. Here he arranged England in a flexible 4-1-4-1 with Fara Williams sitting deep, Toni Duggan the attacking spearhead and Karen Carney and Fran Kirby occupying the wide roles. Controversially there was, once again, no starting place for Jill Scott in central midfield. Indeed England’s coach has not named her in a first XI since declaring Scott to be the “midfielder of Canada 2015”.

Supremely confident – although not arrogant – Norway claim they are probably the tournament’s fittest team but Isabell Herlovsen swiftly emphasised she is quick as well as athletic after pouncing on a rare Carney error. That left her accelerating towards Karen Bardsley but, reacting well to the danger, Bardsley raced off her line, cleverly narrowing the angle. Suddenly under acute pressure Herlovsen miscued and the chance was lost.

When Kristine Minde eluded Claire Rafferty at the far post she was well placed to meet Solveig Gulbrandsen’s long diagonal ball. Fortunately for the Lionesses the angle was awkward and Minde could not squeeze her shot into the bottom corner.