Rachel Daly’s double gives England Arnold Clark Cup win over Italy

With an opening victory safely under their belt, a much-changed England side edged to a win over Italy in the Arnold Clark Cup. In front of 32,128 fans in Coventry, the Lionesses retained their unbeaten run despite conceding controversially. Rachel Daly headed home a brace as she continued her claim for a striker’s role while Sofia Cantore scored for the visitors.

As a manager renowned for her stable selection, it was perhaps a little surprising to see so many changes from Sarina Wiegman. Just two players remained from the opener against South Korea, with Jess Carter in defence and Alex Greenwood captaining the team.

Then again, England’s squad depth is no secret and with just one international window left after this tournament before the World Cup, this encounter presented the perfect opportunity to look at those knocking on the door. Young talent Katie Robinson, Jess Park and Maya Le Tissier all added to their caps while Laura Coombs started after making her first appearance since 2015 on Thursday.

Wiegman’s counterpart, Milena Bertolini, was equally in the mood for changing things up with eight alterations to her team. Italy had fallen to a disappointing defeat to Belgium in the first game and it was time to call on her more established players as they faced the European champions. It was a landmark occasion for stalwart Cristiana Girelli, who further established her status in Italian football with her 100th appearance.

Wiegman had anticipated a different tactical game with Italy’s adaptability between a high-press and low block well known. It was, therefore, important for the Lionesses to hit the ground running. In front of a favourable crowd, they dominated the ball in the first half with Park enjoying space in the