England kick-off their World Cup against Scotland on June 9
Monday 27 May 2019 10:22, UK
Goals from Nikita Parris and Jill Scott either side of half-time gave England Women a 2-0 win in their World Cup warm-up friendly with Denmark on Saturday.
England took a while to get going in Walsall, but took the lead on the stroke of half-time as Parris, who signed for Lyon from Manchester City in the week, struck home from 15 yards (45+1).
It was 2-0 just before the hour mark as Jill Scott headed in from a superb Beth Mead cross from the left (59), meaning England have won two on the trot with one warm-up game to go.
England now face New Zealand in Brighton on June 1, before their first World Cup game against Scotland on June 9.
Sanne Troelsgaard nearly gave Denmark the lead early on, seeing her shot from a Sofie Svava cut-back blocked superbly by Jade Moore, before Ellen White dinked over the goalkeeper and wide having been played through one-on-one via a fine Scott through ball.
Denmark had a goal controversially disallowed as Signe Bruun was adjudged to have handled before turning home from close range, and their misery was compounded just three minutes later.
Mead's free-kick was cleared as far as Parris in first-half stoppage time, allowing the forward to fire into the bottom left corner from just inside the box.
Karen Bardsley was faultless throughout in goal for England, stopping Pernille Harder at close range just after the break, while at the other end England doubled their lead through Scott's close-range header having galloped onto player-of-the-match Mead's pinpoint delivery.
Harder struck inches wide from a free-kick midway through the second half, but that was as close as Denmark came to a goal as England saw out the game.
England's final warm-up game is against New Zealand on June 1 at the Amex in Brighton, before the World Cup begins on June 7. England's first group game is against Scotland on June 9.
