Mead’s magic casts spell over Wembley
Beth Mead’s hat-trick heroics off the bench has left Lionesses boss sarina Wiegman with one of the first major selection headaches of her reign. the arsenal forward seized her moment in the emphatic win over Northern Ireland — with Wiegman using the star’s cameo as an example to her squad that everyone has a part to play ahead of a crucial two years.
Mead made history by becoming the first englishwoman to score a treble at Wembley as Wiegman’s side also entered the record books by winning for the first time at the national stadium.
‘We have a squad of 24 and in a game we can only have 23,’ Wiegman said after her side kept up their 100 per cent start to World Cup qualification.
‘everyone just has to be ready. We’re professional players, we want to win games, qualify for the World Cup and prepare for the euros.
‘everyone is very excited about it but also working on their own development within our team, so yes, you have to be ready to show what you can bring to the team.’
after kick-starting her Women’s super League season in style with two goals in the Gunners’ win over Chelsea last month, Mead scored with her first touch here before going on to seal a 14-minute second-half hat-trick in Group d.
the Lionesses did everything but score in the first period and with no breakthrough by 63 minutes, Wiegman turned to Mead. Within seconds, the 26-year-old had fired them ahead.
Mead played the full 90 minutes in the first match with Wiegman (right) at the helm and scored the final goal in the 8-0 thrashing of North Macedonia. But she was dropped to the bench for the 10-0 hammering of Luxembourg and was left out once more on saturday.
the former holland boss has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to forwards, with Nikita Parris, ellen White and Lauren hemp chosen as the triumvirate in the last two matches, forcing Chelsea striker Bethany england to wait in the wings, too.
england came on at the same time as Mead and made her mark by scoring the Lionesses’ second goal after an excellent ball by hemp.
Manchester City forward hemp, who was a constant threat and supplied two assists, hailed the impact of the substitutes.
‘It’s great having people like that who can come on and change the game,’ she said. ‘It just shows the depth and the quality that we have in this team. It’s an exciting time to be part of the women’s football team, especially with the euros and the World Cup coming up.’
the Lionesses continue their qualifying campaign for the sport’s flagship tournament in australia and New Zealand in two years’ time in Latvia tomorrow night. Wiegman’s record reads 22 goals for, zero goals against and three wins out of three, while fierce competition for places is a healthy issue to have. ENGLAND (4-3-3): Earps 6; Daly 6 (MEAD 64min, 9), Bright 6, Greenwood 7 (Staniforth 80), Stokes 6 (Walsh 46, 6); Kirby 7 (Wubben-Moy 80), Williamson 7, Toone 6; Parris 7 (England 63, 8), White 6, Hemp 8. Scorers: Mead 64, 74, 78, England 72. Manager: Sarina Wiegman 8. NORTHERN IRELAND (5-4-1): Burns 5; McKenna 6, Nelson 6, McFadden 6, Burrows 5 (Watling 73, 6), Vance 6; Hamilton 6 (McGuinness 64, 5), McCarron 7, Furness 6 (McDaniel 74), Wade 6 (Beattie 81); Callaghan 6 (Wilson 81). Booked: Burrows. Manager: Kenny Shiels 6. Referee: Ivana Martincic (Croatia) 6. Attendance: 23,225.