England cruised into a second consecutive Women's World Cup semifinal courtesy of a dominant 3-0 win over Norway on Thursday.
After the unsavory narrative surrounding England's ill-tempered last-16 win over Cameroon, the focus was back on football in the quarterfinals and, with defenders Steph Houghton and Millie Bright fit to start, Phil Neville's side controlled the game.
Jill Scott netted in a third different World Cup to put the Lionesses ahead, before Ellen White scored her sixth finals goal – the most ever for an England player – and fifth of this tournament.
The irrepressible Lucy Bronze added a brilliant third and England were able to take its foot off the pedal for the final 30 minutes, running out comfortable winners even with Nikita Parris missing a late penalty.
England was beaten by Japan in the last four in 2015 but will have the opportunity to improve on that performance against either host France or the defending champion United States.
It was a flying start for England, who recorded its fastest ever Women's World Cup goal, timed at two minutes and six seconds.
Bronze stormed down the right and pulled the ball back from the byline for Scott to prod in off the left hand post after White initially missed her kick.
Parris should have done better as she hit the ball wide after working space on her left foot in the area, before White crashed a powerful strike against the post from a similarly promising position.
The two made amends five minutes before the break, though, as Parris squared for White — compared by Neville to Alan Shearer and Michael Owen — to tap into the net.
4 - Ellen White is the second English player to score in four consecutive FIFA World Cup appearances after Gary Lineker between 1986 & 1990 - she is the first English player to do so in a single edition. Unremitting. #FIFAWWC #NOR #ENG #NORENG pic.twitter.com/ycNCfkufZz
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 27, 2019
And a slow start to the second half was quickly forgotten when Bronze powered into the roof of the net from 20 yards following a right-wing Beth Mead free kick in the 57th minute.
Houghton cleared off the goal line from Lisa-Marie Utland in a brief England blip, while Karen Bardsley denied Isabell Herlovsen, but Neville's side could have had a fourth.
Captain Houghton was shoved to the ground in the area by Maria Thorisdottir and Parris took the spot-kick, only for Ingrid Hjelmseth to save well and limit the damage for Norway.
Key Opta Facts:
- England has reached the semifinals of the Women's World Cup in back-to-back editions of the tournament (also 2015); it had never reached the final four in the competition before this.
- Norway has been eliminated at the quarterfinal stage of the Women’s World Cup for just a second time (also 2003 vs. USA), having previously progressed from four of their five ties at this stage.
- Norway has been eliminated from the Women’s World Cup by England in consecutive tournaments (also 2015 last 16); England is the second nation to knock them out of more than one edition of the competition (also USA, 1991 and 2003).
- Ellen White is now England's outright record goalscorer at the Women's World Cup (six goals), with her strike today moving her ahead of Fara Williams (five).
- White is the second English player to score in four consecutive FIFA World Cup appearances after Gary Lineker between 1986 and 1990 — she is the first English player to do so in a single edition.
- Jill Scott (2007, 2011 and 2019) is only the second ever player to score in three separate Women's World Cup tournaments for England, after Fara Williams (2007, 2011 and 2015).