England Women 2-1 Brazil Women: Beth Mead stunner seals win

By Blake Welton

England Women's head coach Phil Neville was delighted his side found a way to win having gone behind to Brazil.

Beth Mead's stunning strike helped England Women come from behind to beat Brazil 2-1 and open their SheBelieves Cup account with victory.

In a lacklustre first half for Phil Neville's side, Brazil took a well-deserved lead through a 16th-minute Andressa penalty after Marta was fouled by Lucy Bronze.

However, England were improved in the second period and levelled four minutes after the interval through Ellen White, who finished excellently from a tight angle.

Player ratings

England Women: Telford (6), Bronze (6), McManus (6), Houghton (6), Greenwood (7), Christiansen (6), Walsh (6), Carney (7), Kirby (7), Parris (7), White (7)

Subs: Daly (6), Mead (7), Duggan (6), Staniforth (NA)

Brazil Women: Aline (7), Leticia (6), Jucinara (6), Erika (6), Andressa (7), Miraildes (6), Marta (6), Adriana (6), Beatriz (6), Ludmila (6), Monica (6)

Subs: Debinha (6), Raquel (6), Geyse (6), Kathellen (NA)

Player of the match: Beth Mead

The victory was confirmed in the 75th minute when substitute Mead curled her effort into the top corner from the right-hand side to seal the comeback.

Ahead of the game, Neville was adamant the competition was a perfect dress rehearsal for this summer's World Cup - a tournament the Lionesses' boss has repeatedly said his side are determined to win.

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England Women forward Beth Mead insists she meant her impressive winning goal against Brazil.

If that is to be the case then the opening 45 minutes will have given him plenty of cause for concern as his side were sloppy and below-par throughout.

Although Brazil's penalty may have been a soft decision from the referee, there was no disputing they warranted their lead as England offered little in the first half - a Nikita Parris header and Fran Kirby effort the closest.

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Carly Telford was preferred in goal, ahead of Mary Earps and Karen Bardsley while Toni Duggan was left on the bench after a nightmare journey to America.

For Brazil, Ludmila and Adriana played wide of strikers Beatriz and Marta.

It was a complete contrast in the second period though as England were full of intensity and purpose and were quickly level through White's clinical finish from a lovely Kirby through ball.

England sensed blood and the fresh legs of Mead proved decisive as, wide on the right, the Arsenal forward curled an unstoppable ball into the top corner.

Whether it was a cross or shot is perhaps debatable - what is not though is that, despite the win, Neville has a lot to think about if his side are to lift the World Cup in France on July 7th.

Image: England Women came from behind to beat their Brazilian counterparts 2-1 in tonight's SheBelieves encounter

Player of the Match - Beth Mead

The Arsenal forward will be one of the fringe players who will be using this tournament to stake her claim for Phil Neville's World Cup squad.

She will have done her chances no harm at all in this 25-minute cameo - not only for her spectacular strike but her creativity, intensity and movement which caused Brazil no end of problems.

What's next?

England face hosts USA at the Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday March 2nd (kick-off 9:30pm) while Brazil face Japan at the same venue earlier in the day (kick-off 7pm).

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