Substitute Ellen White’s final-reel strike lifted England to a stunning 1-0 victory over the United States in the SheBelieves Cup on a frigid Saturday evening in Harrison, New Jersey.
White’s 20th goal in 60 appearances for the Lionesses came in the 89th minute after Lucy Bronze’s half-volley off a corner kick caromed off the crossbar into the area. The 27-year-old muscled through American defenders Julie Johnston and Becky Sauerbrunn and fired the winner into the roof of the net, shocking the World Cup holders and silencing the announced sellout crowd of 26,500.
“To get the win, to get the goal, to beat USA on home soil; I’m pretty ecstatic to be honest,” White said afterward. “We needed a big win in this tournament. I’m buzzing, absolutely buzzing.”
It marked England’s first win over the United States since a 2-1 victory in a friendly at London’s Matchroom Stadium ahead of the 2011 Women’s World Cup. For the United States, currently No1 in the Fifa world rankings, it snapped a run of 26 straight matches without a defeat stretching back to a 1-0 defeat to China in December 2015.
The 27-year-old, who plays for Birmingham City in the FA Women’s Super League, entered the match in the 76th minute.
England coach Mark Sampson made seven changes from the starting XI which suffered a 95th-minute defeat to France in Thursday’s opener, abandoning the 3-5-2 for a 4-4-2 formation.
USA coach Jill Ellis also made seven changes, retaining only Sauerbrunn, Samantha Mewis, Crystal Dunn and Carli Lloyd, the two-times world player of the year who made her 234th international appearance.
Goal-scoring chances were at a premium on a blustery evening that made the 26F (-3C) temperature at kickoff feel like 10F.
Rose Lavelle, the 21-year-old making her first appearance for the three-time World Cup champions, nearly scored in the 19th minute, but England keeper Siobhan Chamberlain’s hair-trigger save kept matters scoreless.
England had their best chance up until the shock finish in the 32nd when USA goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris parried Nikita Parris’ shot from three yards.
White’s late strike was the lone goal in both of Saturday’s contests. France played Olympic champions Germany to an scoreless draw in the opener with French goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi saving a penalty in the first half.
France lead the four-team round-robin tournament after two matches with four points ahead of England and the United States (three points apiece) and Germany (one). The event concludes on Tuesday at RFK Stadium in Washington, where Germany will face England and the US will meet France.
