UK

England’s Lionesses beat Brazil in first-ever Women’s Finalissima after penalty shootout

England’s Lionesses have beaten Brazil in the first-ever Women’s Finalissima, after the match went to penalties at Wembley Stadium.

Ella Toone’s 23rd-minute strike put England in front before a late equaliser from Andressa Alves took the game to a shootout, which the hosts won 4-2.

Georgia Stanway scored the first penalty for the home side before Brazil’s Adriana levelled matters. Toone and Brazil’s Tamires both missed their spot kicks, before Rachel Daly scored hers.

Brazil captain Rafaelle then missed, before England’s Alex Greenwood scored. Kerolin kept the South Americans in the shootout until Chloe Kelly scored the winning penalty as Wembley erupted.

Kelly repeated the feat of scoring the winner after the Lionesses were crowned Women’s European champions last July, beating Germany.

Thursday’s win against Brazil means the Lionesses have now gone 30 games without defeat.

The Women’s Finalissima pits the Euro winners against the South American champions.

The Brazilian team became the Copa America winners after beating Colombia 1-0 in the same month that England defeated Germany.

Read more:
England’s Lionesses unveil kit change after concerns about white shorts

PM attends kickabout with Lionesses
Girls granted equal access to sport after Lioness campaign

Sarina Wiegman’s side go on host Australia at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium next week, before they begin their World Cup campaign against Haiti in Brisbane on 22 July.

The Lionesses also debuted their new kits, featuring new blue shorts instead of white in a change encouraged by players’ longstanding concerns about wearing white while on their periods.