England vs Italy LIVE: Arnold Clark Cup result and final score as Rachel Daly goals seal win for Lionesses
England 2-1 Italy: Daly seized her chance after being selected up front and restored England’s lead following a controversial second-half equaliser
England made it two wins out of two at the Arnold Clark Cup as Rachel Daly’s double defeated Italy in Coventry.
The Lionesses made nine changes as Sarina Wiegman named an experimental side but Daly shone after being selected up front.
The Aston Villa striker, who played at left back in the Euros last summer, scored a header in each half as England followed up on their 4-0 opening win over South Korea.
Italy scored a controversial equaliser on 70 minutes after the ball seemed to go out of play before Sofia Cantore headed past Ellie Roebuck, but Daly restored England’s lead when she met Lauren James’ cross and powered a sensational header into the far corner.
England will face Belgium in their final match of the tournament on Wednesday, with the Lionesses in a commanding position as they look to retain the Arnold Clark Cup.
England 0-0 Italy
15 mins: Italy have made it clear that they will be a real test for England and this experimental team this afternoon. They look set up in a solid 4-4-2 shape when England have the ball.
England 0-0 Italy
12 mins: Robinson then comes over to the right, where she links up well with Le Tissier. Robinson makes a mess of the cross, though.
England 0-0 Italy
9 mins: Robinson has made a bright start on the England left - where she has started, with Hemp over on the right. The Brighton forward cuts inside but her shot from the corner of the box is wide.
England 0-0 Italy
7 mins: SAVE! Chance for Daly! She forces the error from Salvai and strikes from the angle, but Italy goalkeeper Giuliani makes the stop.
Italy then give it away again but Daly’s shot from the edge is again saved. She perhaps could have played it wide to Park, who was in space.
England 0-0 Italy
6 mins: SAVE! Chance for Italy! Dali leads the counter-attack for Italy and slips in Giacinti. She takes aim at Roebuck’s near post and the England goalkeeper does well to turn it behind!
For a moment a few in the crowd thought it was in as it rippled the side netting.
England 0-0 Italy
4 mins: Robinson turns well and plays Charles down the line. It’s fed back inside to Park, who slices her shot across goal.
It’s been a good start from England though, they’re on the front foot from the off.
England 0-0 Italy
2 mins: Coombs gets some early touches in midfield and plays it wide to Hemp on the left. The winger wins a corner after her cross is blocked, by Greenwood’s delivery is cleared at the front post.
KICK OFF! England 0-0 Italy
Here we go! There are plenty of empty seats at the CBS Arena, despite 31,000 tickets being sold for this one.
We’re underway in Coventry.
England vs Italy
The players are out and it’s time for the anthems! It’s always a joy to hear Italy’s - one of the very best.
England vs Italy
Sarina Wiegman says Jess Park will line-up as a number 10 against Italy. The Everton forward usually plays as a winger for her club but Wiegman said: “She started out wide but at her club, she can also come inside and play as a 10.
“We want to see her as a 10 today to see where she is at in this moment and where she relates to this team.”
She also explained Brighton forward Katie Robinson’s selection: “She is very quick and very agile. We want her to run behind and be involved in possession when we need it. Hopefully, she can attack crosses from the opposite side and also deliver some too.”
And on Rachel Daly’s starting up front, Wiegman said: “With three games we want to try some things and one of those is that Daly starts as number nine."
So, it sounds like England’s team will be something a bit more like this: Roebuck; Carter, Le Tissier, Greenwood, Charles; Park, Walsh, Coombs; Robinson, Daly, Hemp (4-3-3)
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