Women’s EURO 2022: Sensational England thrash Norway 8-0 to progress to next round
England produced a sensational, record-breaking performance to stun rivals Norway as they progressed to the knockout stages of the European Women’s Championship as group winners.
England had scored once in six qualifying matches against Norway in UEFA Women’s EURO history, and their meeting with the six-time finalists had been billed as a closely contested battle for supremacy in Group A.
After a cagey start, England made the breakthrough when Maria Thorisdottir was adjudged to have fouled Ellen White, allowing Georgia Stanway to confidently convert from the penalty spot.
White almost got in on the act four minutes later after Beth Mead had raced free inside the penalty area, only for Lauren Hemp to beat England’s all-time record goalscorer to a low cross and make it two.
Worse followed for Thorisdottir. White dispossessed the defender, surged into the penalty area and slotted a finish under Guro Pettersen. In front of a faintly disbelieving home crowd, Mead then added two more within five minutes, heading Hemp’s delivery in and rolling a shot past Pettersen. Not to be outdone, White added a sixth before the break.
Martin Sjögren encouraged his players to persevere as they left the field after a chastening first half, and they held on for almost half of the second period before substitute Alessia Russo calmly nodded in from Lucy Bronze’s delivery to make it seven.
Substitute Alex Greenwood was only denied by the crossbar with a superb long-range strike in the 74th minute, and Mead tapped in for her hat-trick seven minutes later to cap an extraordinary night for English football.
