Sarina Wiegman praises Keira Walsh’s first England goal after wonder strike against Belgium
SARINA WIEGMAN hailed Keira Walsh for breaking her England goal duck after the Lionesses thrashed Belgium on Friday night.
The Chelsea ace lashed a shot from distance on her 83rd senior appearance with the visitors falling to a 5-0 defeat in Bristol in the Nations League.
Her club and country pals Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze and Aggie Beever-Jones were also on target during the convincing victory at Ashton Gate.
The win saw the hosts remain top of group three in League A with Spain second following their 3-2 toppling of Portugal.
It also saw them fire another warning to their Euros rivals with the European champions hoping to retain their title when this year’s tournament begins in July in Switzerland.
Of her first England goal and the team’s performance, Walsh told ITV Sport: “It took a big deflection but a goal is a goal.
“All the girls are super happy for me which is a really nice feeling.
“I finally got one in the end. A few of them like to remind me how long it’s taken me but I’m over the moon and it’s really good to be off the mark.
Following her side’s second win in three Nations League outings this year, Wiegman mentioned her hope to see Walsh have more attempts on goal.
The England boss added: “I was very happy for her because we want her to shoot more.
“She has a very good shot and we want her to get higher up the pitch which she did. “Now we are joking, it’s our own-goal! But it’s her goal so I’m very happy for her.”
Wiegman’s side were without the services of Chloe Kelly with the in-form forward joining her national team’s list of crocked stars.
On Thursday the England boss revealed Fran Kirby and Kelly would miss last night’s game due to niggles.
And less than two hours before kick-off it was announced Kelly would be returning to her Arsenal, where she is loan from Manchester City for treatment on a foot injury
This means Kelly will also miss England’s away duel with Belgium on Tuesday.
And the Gunners are likely to be sweating on her fitness before their mammoth Champions League first-leg semis clash with Lyon on April 27.
With Kelly absent Wiegman turned to fit-again Beth Mead who played in a front three with striker Alessia Russo and Lauren James.
England began brightly causing problems with their threat from set-pieces
Forward James was among the players who impressed with few of her crosses into the box wreaking havoc.
Her fine lofted delivery found Bronze in the box with the right-back, making her 130th appearance,, glancing a 21st-minute header beyond Belgium keeper Nicky Evrard.
Belgium were undone again by another dangerous delivery to a Chelsea and England player.
This time centre-back Bright was there to bundle the ball home on the stroke of half-time.
The visitors shuffled their deck in the second-half in the hope of upping their game in midfield with Feli Delacauw replacing Kassandra Missipo.
And the Belgian midfielder had a strike deflected onto the roof of the net in the 66th minute.
However any hope of the visitors trying to get anything from this game were blown away by cameo appearances from two rising Lionesses stars.
Beever-Jones made it 3-0 with Mead laying the ball for her to tap in her first senior England goal with 23 minutes of normal time remaining.
And Jess Park made it 4-0 soon after with a slotted finish before Walsh’s thumped shot from distance rounded off the rout.