LEICESTER, England — The Lionesses eased past Jamaica 7-0 on Sunday to give themselves a winning send off as they head to Switzerland for Euro 2025 looking to defend their crown.
England were dominant against an underpowered Jamaica team. Ella Toone scored twice, while there were also goals for Lucy Bronze, Georgia Stanway, Alessia Russo, Aggie Beevor-Jones and Beth Mead.
In a further boost to England, Lauren James played 30 minutes off the bench as she made her comeback from a hamstring injury she suffered back in April.
This was England’s final match before they start their Euro 2025 campaign against France on July 5 and Sarina Wiegman has given a hint of what the starting team will be for the match in Zurich next week with Alex Greenwood partnering Leah Williamson at centre back, Jess Carter getting the nod at left-back and Toone getting a start in midfield.
It was a straightforward match for England in front of 25,088 spectators against a Jamaica team who were without Manchester City’s star forward Khadija “Bunny” Shaw.
England dominated the first half, playing much of the match on the edge of Jamaica’s box. They pressed high, forcing Jamaica back and that pressure eventually told in the 10th minute as Toone guided a beautifully judged shot from the edge of the box into the corner of Liya Brooks’ net for her first England goal since February 2024.
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Despite England’s dominance, Jamaica thought they’d made it 1-1 nine minutes later as Kayla McKenna’s shot deflected off Greenwood and past Hannah Hampton. But with the help of VAR, the goal was ruled out as Kiki van Zanten was standing in an offside position and blocking Hampton’s sightline.
From there, England reasserted their dominance and a perfectly weighted Carter cross found Bronze who headed home in the 32nd minute. Lauren Hemp and Russo then had shots hit the woodwork before Toone made it three before the break as her curling effort clipped the left post and rolled in to make it 3-0 at half time.
The second half started at a lower tempo in the early evening sun, but Stanway got England’s fourth with a powerful effort from 12 yards out to make it four. England were dominating every facet of the match and in the 63rd minute, Wiegman started ringing the changes with James making her comeback from injury as she replaced Toone.
Hemp and Greenwood were also withdrawn, with Chloe Kelly and Esme Morgan coming on.
James put her stamp on the match seven minutes later as her cross found Russo to nod home and get the goal she deserved for all her efforts up front.
Wiegman used her remaining substitutions in the 74th minute with Beevor-Jones, Niamh Charles and Grace Clinton all getting their opportunities.
Beevor-Jones then had a shot well-saved by Brooks after another pinpoint James cross, but Jamaica’s relief was short-lived with Chelsea’s Beevor-Jones adding England’s sixth in the 84th minute. Mead looked to have suffered a knee injury in the closing stages of the match, but after a spell on the turf, returned to the field and scored England’s seventh in added time.
