England 6-0 Northern Ireland: Ellen White hat-trick in Hege Riise's first game

Ellen White scored a hat-trick as England thrashed Northern Ireland in Hege Riise's first game as temporary Lionesses boss.

In a friendly played at England's St George's Park training base, Norwegian Riise, overseeing the Lionesses squad until Sarina Wiegman takes charge after the summer Olympics, saw her side overwhelm the visitors in blustery conditions.

White's superb treble, a Lucy Bronze tap-in, Rachel Daly's close-range finish and an Ella Toone penalty made for a resounding win in England's first game in almost 12 months and first since the departure of manager Phil Neville.

And midfielder Jill Scott put in a commanding performance to mark her 150th England appearance, becoming only the second women's player to reach that tally after Fara Williams.

Kenny Shiels' depleted Northern Ireland failed to register a shot of any description but will now focus on the more pressing task of qualification for next year's Euros, when they play in April's play-off.

They had Becky Flaherty to thank for keeping the scoreline down, with the Sheffield United keeper making a string of superb saves, but the result reflected the 43 places between the sides in the world rankings.

Riise gets her attacking desire

Brought in to the plug the gap between Neville and his successor Wiegman - who will take the reins after leading her native Netherlands at the Olympics - Riise had spoken of trying to bring attacking intent to this England team. They had stuttered to just three wins from Neville's final nine games in charge before a long period without matches as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

And the Norway legend got precisely what she asked for, with the Lionesses moving the ball quickly from the back to create a flurry of opportunities.

White was the main beneficiary, moving on to 39 international goals, first by capitalising after being gifted the ball by the Northern Irish defence, nodding in Bronze's cross and then finishing a pass from Scott, who was given the captain's armband on her landmark 150th cap.

Bronze, the Fifa Best Women's Player of 2020, had tapped in Lauren Hemp's low cross before half-time and later rolled the ball across for Daly to bundle in, before debutant Toone scored from the spot after Rachel Holloway brought down Chloe Kelly.

England, who were also able to bring on Sandy MacIver, Ebony Salmon and Lotte Wubben-Moy for debuts, have one more friendly, against Canada in April, before a Great Britain team will head to Japan for the Olympics, although the Football Association is yet to name who will manage the team in Tokyo.

Bigger games to come for Northern Ireland

Riise could well be on the coaching staff when it comes to selecting the Team GB squad, although few of the Northern Ireland team would have made a convincing argument for inclusion based on this game alone.

This result should not detract from the impressive progress Shiels' side have made, winning all four of their final group qualifiers at the end of last year to raise the prospect of reaching the European Championship.

Northern Ireland women will go to their first-ever major tournament if they can win April's two-legged play-off, against an as yet unknown opponent, but they will need a stronger performance and a more experienced squad to give themselves the best chance possible.

Northern Ireland arrived at St George's Park with a large swathe of their squad unavailable through injuries and work commitments, with sisters Kirsty and Caitlin McGuinness, first-choice keeper Jackie Burns and midfielder Demi Vance all missing out.

That meant there was a spot for 16-year-old Ella Haughey on the bench along with Holloway's first start at left-back and, while Burns' replacement Flaherty impressed between the sticks, the visitors hardly laid a glove on England, barely getting into the home side's half.

There were snippets of Shiels' continued desire to see his side play out from the back, but it frequently led to gifting the ball to England and ultimately led to a thumping defeat.

'We showed character' - what they said

England interim manager Hege Riise, speaking to BBC Sport: "Obviously [I'm pleased with] six goals, four players getting their first cap and that we pushed for 90 minutes and wanted more goals. We tried to find the pockets in between, run at them and I think we showed character.

"We probably could've scored more goals but the performance and energy that we put into the game was good."

On goalscorer Ellen White: "She's a leader and she always wants to score goals. She's always looking for runs into the box. Three goals and great goals."

Jill Scott, who won her 150th England cap, speaking to BBC Sport: "The game was really enjoyable. Really happy for Ella Toone and the other girls who made their debuts, so it's been a great day all round.

"Massive thanks to Steph [Houghton] for letting me have the captain's armband today. She's made so much effort to make sure it was a special day for me.

"I've been overwhelmed by all the messages, I was just trying to concentrate on the game but now I can finally relax. Everything I do is to just make my family proud but I don't think this has sunk in yet."

Northern Ireland manager Kenny Shiels: "There were some positives and some negatives. England are stronger and quicker than us and that was a big obstacle for us to overcome.

"We lost the toss and they had the wind in their favour. That took away our opportunity to get some confidence. They were all over us and we couldn't get up the pitch.

"When we had the wind in the second half, we have so many part-time players that we used up their energy. It was unfortunate but the result doesn't matter. We found out about each other and the understanding how how we want to play."

Player of the match

WhiteEllen White

with an average of 8.38

England
Northern Ireland

England

Squad number9Player nameWhite
Average rating
8.38
Squad number8Player nameScott
Average rating
7.96
Squad number2Player nameBronze
Average rating
7.71
Squad number14Player nameToone
Average rating
7.55
Squad number10Player nameNobbs
Average rating
7.52
Squad number6Player nameWilliamson
Average rating
7.47
Squad number11Player nameHemp
Average rating
7.41
Squad number4Player nameStanway
Average rating
7.39
Squad number3Player nameGreenwood
Average rating
7.33
Squad number7Player nameDaly
Average rating
7.32
Squad number5Player nameHoughton
Average rating
7.31
Squad number17Player nameKelly
Average rating
7.30
Squad number15Player nameWubben-Moy
Average rating
7.14
Squad number19Player nameEngland
Average rating
7.11
Squad number13Player nameSandy MacIver
Average rating
6.95
Squad number20Player nameSalmon
Average rating
6.92
Squad number1Player nameRoebuck
Average rating
6.82

Northern Ireland

Squad number2Player nameBurrows
Average rating
4.53
Squad number22Player nameWatling
Average rating
4.48
Squad number3Player nameMcKenna
Average rating
4.35
Squad number18Player nameMcDaniel
Average rating
4.25
Squad number15Player nameKelly
Average rating
4.21
Squad number14Player nameFinnegan
Average rating
4.20
Squad number12Player nameFlaherty
Average rating
4.17
Squad number11Player nameWade
Average rating
4.08
Squad number17Player nameHolloway
Average rating
4.07
Squad number5Player nameNelson
Average rating
4.05
Squad number7Player nameMcCarron
Average rating
4.04
Squad number13Player nameMagee
Average rating
4.02
Squad number4Player nameRobson
Average rating
3.90
Squad number16Player nameCaldwell
Average rating
3.87
Squad number9Player nameMagill
Average rating
3.80
Squad number8Player nameCallaghan
Average rating
3.73
Squad number10Player nameFurness
Average rating
3.60

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

England

Formation 4-2-3-1

1RoebuckSubstituted forMacIverat 61'minutes
2Bronze
5Houghton
6WilliamsonSubstituted forWubben-Moyat 75'minutes
3Greenwood
8Scott
4Stanway
7DalySubstituted forSalmonat 84'minutes
10NobbsSubstituted forTooneat 45'minutes
11HempSubstituted forKellyat 61'minutes
9WhiteSubstituted forEnglandat 76'minutes

Substitutes

13MacIver
14Toone
15Wubben-Moy
16Turner
17Kelly
18Mead
19England
20Salmon
21Hampton

N Ireland Wom

Formation 4-4-2

12Flaherty
13Magee
5Nelson
4RobsonSubstituted forKellyat 84'minutes
17HollowaySubstituted forFinneganat 83'minutes
11WadeSubstituted forMcDanielat 73'minutes
7McCarronSubstituted forMcKennaat 57'minutesBooked at 90mins
16CaldwellSubstituted forBurrowsat 84'minutes
8CallaghanSubstituted forWatlingat 58'minutes
10Furness
9Magill

Substitutes

2Burrows
3McKenna
6Hutton
14Finnegan
15Kelly
18McDaniel
19Wilson
20Howe
21Haughey
22Watling
23Harvey-Clifford

Referee:: Lorraine Watson

Match Stats

Home TeamEnglandAway TeamN Ireland Wom

Possession: Home59%; Away41%

Shots: Home25; Away0

Shots on Target: Home12; Away0

Corners: Home5; Away1

Fouls: Home11; Away11

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, England 6, Northern Ireland Women 0.
90'+5'
Full Time
Second Half ends, England 6, Northern Ireland Women 0.

90'+4'
Post update
Attempt saved. Beth England (England) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Lucy Bronze with a cross.
90'+4'
Booking
Rebecca McKenna (Northern Ireland Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90'+4'
Post update
Chloe Kelly (England) wins a free kick on the right wing.
90'+4'
Post update
Foul by Rebecca McKenna (Northern Ireland Women).
90'+1'
Post update
Foul by Jill Scott (England).
90'+1'
Post update
Toni Leigh Finnegan (Northern Ireland Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90'
Post update
Foul by Lucy Bronze (England).
90'
Post update
Rachel Furness (Northern Ireland Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
89'
Post update
Charlotte Wubben-Moy (England) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
89'
Post update
Dangerous play by Abbie Magee (Northern Ireland Women).
88'
Post update
Offside, England. Stephanie Houghton tries a through ball, but Ebony Salmon is caught offside.
87'
Post update
Foul by Georgia Stanway (England).
87'
Post update
Julie Nelson (Northern Ireland Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
85'
Post update
Corner, England. Conceded by Toni Leigh Finnegan.
84'
Substitution
Substitution, England. Ebony Salmon replaces Rachel Daly.
84'
Substitution
Substitution, Northern Ireland Women. Samantha Kelly replaces Sarah Robson.
84'
Substitution
Substitution, Northern Ireland Women. Kelsie Burrows replaces Nadene Caldwell.
83'
Substitution
Substitution, Northern Ireland Women. Toni Leigh Finnegan replaces Rebecca Holloway.

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