Whisper it, but the Lionesses might finally be getting their act together.
With ten goals across their last two games and safe passage secured from the trickiest group at the competition, England are starting to look like a team finding their rhythm – just as Sarina Wiegman has been calmly promising all week.
The problem for England fans over the last few months is that seeds of doubt can grow from supposedly simple tasks, including the ability of the defending champions to get past the lowest-ranked team at the tournament – all this said with respect to Wales, who have been no pushovers at these Euros despite their unflattering scorelines.
But on this occasion, England brushed those doubts aside with one swift performance. Six different goal scorers underlined a proper team display – composed, clinical, and cohesive.
The Lionesses will take huge confidence from these back-to-back victories – and they’ll need every bit of it for what lies ahead.
By finishing runners-up in their group, a more favourable path to the final has unexpectedly opened up. They avoid the side of the draw featuring Spain and Germany, and will instead face Sweden next.
England cruised to a thumping 6-1 victory over Wales to qualify for the Euros quarter-finals
After finishing runners-up behind France in Group D, England face Switzerland on Thursday
Sarina Wiegman’s side will luckily avoid the side of the draw featuring Spain and Germany
That, however, is no small challenge. Sweden swept aside Germany with ease on Saturday evening and have conceded just once all tournament.
Still, England are growing into this competition, and Wiegman appears to have settled on her best side.
Ella Toone, who was the Lionesses’ best player on Sunday, was a force to be reckoned with in midfield. She added two assists to her goal to cap off another industrious night linking up with Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway.
The Welsh support has been the envy of Europe in the last couple of weeks and here, in the sleepy Swiss city of St. Gallen, the dragon flew high and proud, marching into Kybunpark and nearly blowing the roof of the modest 20,000-capacity stadium.
The English crowd responded in kind, bringing some life to a tournament which has at times felt lacking in genuine rivalry.
And England started with as much energy and intent as in the previous game, railing against Wales’ early attempts to slow the tempo down.
Ten minutes had barely passed when the Lionesses broke the deadlock. Georgia Stanway was clipped by Carrie Jones in the box and after a lengthy VAR delay, the referee pointed to the spot. Stanway buried it in the bottom left corner.
Moments later Stanway charged at the Welsh defence and Alessia Russo picked up the loose ball, squaring it across the face of goal to Ella Toone whose shot rang true on the second try.
The defending Euro champions have now won back-to back matches by four goals or more
Sunday’s emphatic result saw six different goalscorers for England – Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo, Beth Mead, and Agnes Beever-Jones
The reigning champions were in full flow when Toone teed up Lauren Hemp for England’s third before Russo finally got her name on the scoresheet of this competition with a toe-poke for the fourth before half-time.
Wiegman wrung the changes early into the second half, giving Aggie Beever-Jones, Jess Park, Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead a run out.
Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones’ goals were sandwiched by a late Welsh goal.
A willing consolation on an otherwise perfect evening.