England Claims 2019 SheBelieves Cup Crown with 3-0 Win vs. Japan

Lucy Stanforth, Karen Carney and Beth Mead Tally Inside Opening 30 Minutes for England
By: U.S. Soccer
2019 SheBelieves Cup - England vs. Japan
2019 SheBelieves Cup - England vs. Japan

TAMPA, Fla. (March 5, 2019) – The England Women’s National Team captured the 2019 SheBelieves Cup title with a 3-0 win against Japan at Raymond James Stadium.

England took the drama out of the match, and the tournament, by scoring three times inside the opening 30 minutes and then cruised to the victory despite a better second half by Japan, which fired 13 shots after the break and had a 16-10 shot margin for the match. England scored its three goals on four shots on target.

England opened scoring in the 12th minute when Jodie Taylor played a short, quick pass to her left for Lucy Stanforth. After taking three touches forward, Stanforth drove her right-footed shot on the ground from just outside the 18-yard-box and just inside the right post. It was Stanforth’s second international goal in her seventh cap.

In the 23rd minute Lucy Bronze threw the ball in to Taylor down the right flank. On her first touch, Taylor’s cross found Karen Carney at the top of the six-yard box for a snap header to double England’s lead. The goal was Carney’s 32nd in her 137th match.

England scored their third goal in the 30th minute when Keira Walsh played a long ball over the top of Japan’s defense to Beth Mead on the right. Mead cut past a defender towards goal and tucked her right-footed shot from close range into the right side of the goal for her fourth goal in her 10th cap.

England and Japan were both drawn in Group D at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and will meet again on June 19 in Nice in the group stage finale for both squads.

England defeated Brazil 2-1 on Feb. 27 at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa., and drew the United States 2-2 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., in their first two matches SheBelieves Cup matches en route to the tournament crown. England finishes the tournament with seven points and its first SheBelieves Cup title in four appearances.

The match was the opening game of the doubleheader, the second of which features the United States vs. Brazil at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.

– 2019 SheBelieves Cup Match Report –

Match: Japan vs. England
Date: March 5, 2019
Competition: 2019 SheBelieves Cup
Venue: Raymond James; Tampa, Fla.
Kickoff: 5:15 p.m. ET
Attendance: 8,580
Weather: 58 degrees; cloudy

Scoring Summary:      1          2          F
JPN                              0          0          0
ENG                             3          0          3

ENG – Lucy Stanforth (Jodie Taylor)   12th minute
ENG – Karen Carney (Jodie Taylor)    23
ENG – Beth Mead (Keira Walsh)        30

Lineups:
JPN: 21-Erina Yamane; 22-Risa Shimizu (24-Asato Miyagawa 80), 12-Risako Oga (15-Yuka Momiki, 46), 23-Moeka Minami, 3-Aya Sameshima (capt.); 8-Moeno Sakaguchi (11-Rikako Kobayashi, 46), 16-Arisa Matsubara, 9-Hina Sugita, 14-Yui Hasegawa; 13-Mayu Ikejiri (17-Narumi Miiura, 46), 19-Jun Endo (20-Kumi Yokoyama, 46)
Substitutes not used: 1-Rei Takenaka, 2-Rumi Utsugi, 6-Saori Ariyoshi,
Not available: 4-Saki Kumagai, 5-Nana Ichise
Head coach: Asako Takakura

ENG: 13-Carly Telford; 2-Lucy Bronze, 5-Steph Houghton (capt.), 15-Leah Williamson, 3-Alex Greenwood; 8-Isobel Christiansen (19-Georgia Stanway, 39), 4-Keira Walsh (14-Gemma Bonner, 59); 22-Beth Mead (16-Chioma Ubogagu, 65), 23-Lucy Stanforth (10-Fran Kirby, 81) 20-Karen Carney (11-Toni Duggan, 65); 9-Jodie Taylor (18-Ellen White, 51)
Substitutes not used: 1-Karen Bardsley, 6-Abbie McManus, 7-Nikita Parris, 12-Demi Stokes, 17-Rachel Daly, 21-Mary Earps
Head coach:
Phil Neville

Stats Summary: JPN / ENG
Shots: 16 / 10
Shots on Goal: 4 / 4
Saves: 1 / 4
Corner Kicks: 2 / 0
Fouls: 10 / 7
Offside: 0 / 2

Misconduct Summary:
ENG – Stephanie Houghton (caution)                                    85th minute

Officials:
Referee: Christina Unkel (USA)                                                                                             
Assistant Referee 1: Jennifer Garner (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Alicia Messer (USA)
4th Official: Ekaterina Koroleva (USA)                                               

2019 SheBelieves Cup Standings

Team

GP

W

L

T

GF

GA

GD

Pts.

England

3

2

0

1

7

3

+4

7

Japan

3

1

1

1

5

6

-1

4

United States

2

0

0

2

4

4

0

2

Brazil

2

0

2

0

2

5

-3

0