Kazakhstan Women vs England Women. Women's World Cup Qualifying Group A.
Astana ArenaAttendance6,842.
Tuesday 4 September 2018 18:36, UK
England Women put six past Kazakhstan Women to finish their World Cup qualifying campaign in style.
Having secured their place at next year's tournament in France with victory over Wales on Friday, a much-changed side had too much for Kazakhstan.
Beth Mead, one of seven England players making their full international debut, won and then converted a penalty after nine minutes, and Rachel Daly added a second in the 35th minute before England ran riot after the break.
Izzy Christiansen made it three (54), Lucy Staniforth (66) finished off a fine team move and, after hitting the post with her second penalty of the match, Mead slotted the fifth eight minutes from time.
Lucy Bronze completed the rout in the 87th minute as England finished five points clear of Wales at the top of Group 1.
Despite fielding such an inexperienced side, England were on top from the first whistle and had already had a Daly header ruled out for offside before Mead was brought down in the box.
The Arsenal forward coolly put away the spot kick and from that point, the game was played almost exclusively in Kazakhstan's half.
The second started with Leah Williamson finding Hannah Blundell on the right side of the box and the full-back squared the ball to Daly, who slotted home.
The pattern of the game remained much the same after the break and when Lauren Bruton's cross-cum-shot was parried by Oksana Zheleznyak, Christiansen was waiting to hammer in the rebound.
Staniforth made it four 12 minutes later, smartly finishing off a move involved Bronze and Blundell for a well-deserved debut goal and soon after Mead was upended in the box for the second time.
The striker's penalty came back off the woodwork this time but she made amends late on, sliding the ball past the onrushing Zheleznyak to make it five.
Bronze, on as a substitute, turned in Bruton's cross three minutes from time to add to Kazakhstan's misery; the home side condemned to last place in the group, while England can now start planning for next year's World Cup.
