Another tournament, another trophy for the Lionesses. Sarina Wiegman’s squad have continued their winning streak, as they became the Arnold Clark Cup 2023 winners last night.
England entered this competition as favourites, due to their recent Euro’s triumph in the summer- especially when competing against lower-ranked teams.
This campaign has been effective for the Lionesses preparations ahead of the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, as many key players have demonstrated their brilliance and compatibility with teammates.
But just how did the Lionesses prove that they are Europe's best?
Thursday 16th February kicked off the tournament, where the Lionesses secured a controlled 4-0 win over Korea Republic.
Georgia Stanway, Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo found themselves on the scoresheet, but it was Lauren James that stole the show with her first goal for Lionesses. James’ clinical and technical ability throughout the game saw her take away the Lionesses first Player of the Match award of the tournament.
Despite a respectable battle from Italy in the Lionesses second match, Rachel Daly’s two goals pushed England to their second win.
The final game saw an impressive 6-1 win for Leah Williamson’s side, in which the skipper and Chloe Kelly joined Rachel Daly’s two goal tally in one game.
Throughout the Arnold Clark Cup Wiegman used experimentation and heavy rotation to offer exciting combinations of players- including new signings since the European competition.
With all eyes on Sarina’s decisions, the last game line-up has struck an element of excitement, as the strength throughout the formation could be a potential for the World Cup.
Although these matches were simply testers ahead of the grand stage in the summer, the reassurance in retaining their Arnold Clark Cup title is a positive step in the history makers’ journey.