Report: England WU19s 3-0 Wales

England women’s under-19s' hopes of reaching this summer’s 2022 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship Finals were boosted with a 3-0 victory over Wales on Wednesday afternoon.

It was the Young Lionesses’ first game of their mini-tournament at St. George’s Park to see which team from their group will qualify for this summer’s EURO Finals in Czech Republic.

After a goalless first half, quick-fire goals from Mia Ross and Deearna Goodwin soon after the restart put Gemma Davies’ side in the driving seat before Lucy Watson rounded off the victory late on.

Next up for WU19s will be Iceland on Saturday 9 April before the group is concluded against Belgium on Tuesday 12 April, with both games starting at 1.30pm.

The 2022 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship Finals will take place in Czech Republic between June 27 and July 9 and feature the hosts plus seven group winners from this month’s round two qualifying.

The Young Lionesses had several chances in the first half but had to wait until the 54th minute to take the lead, when some neat play at a short corner saw Ross meet the cross with a well-placed header.

The advantage was then doubled three minutes later when Grace Clinton’s through ball released Goodwin to score.

The victory was then rounded off late on when Goodwin turned the provider and drove the ball in to tee up Watson to score.

England: 13 Natalia Negri (Charlton Athletic and Arsenal dual signing); 12 Lucy Parry (Liverpool), 5 Ruby Mace (Manchester City), 15 Neve Herron (Sunderland), 3 Anouk Denton (University of Louisville); 8 Maisie Symonds (Brighton & Hove Albion) ©, 14 Mia Ross (Charlton Athletic), 10 Grace Clinton (Everton); 17 Deearna Goodwin (Leicester City), 9 Emily Murphy (University of North Carolina), 18 Lucy Watson (Sheffield United) 

Substitutes: 2 Jorja Fox (Charlton Athletic, loan from Chelsea) for Denton 61, 19 Laura Blindkilde Brown (Aston Villa) for 70, 20 Olivia McLoughlin (Aston Villa) for Watson 87

Substitutes not used: 1 Khiara Keating (Manchester City), 4 Charlotte Wardlaw (Liverpool, loan from Chelsea), 6 Tara Bourne (Blackburn Rovers, loan from Manchester United), 7 Aggie Beever-Jones (Bristol City, loan from Chelsea), 11 Freya Gregory (Leicester City, loan from Aston Villa), 16 Caitlin Smith (Clemson University)

Goals: Mia Ross 54, Deearna Goodwin 57, Lucy Watson 84

Head coach: Gemma Davies