Lucia Kendall reflects on 'special' moment at St. Mary's

Lucia Kendall reflected on a dream return to St. Mary’s on Tuesday night, as the midfielder scored her first senior goal for England in the 2-0 win over Ghana.

The Lionesses ace, winning her third cap after being handed a place in the starting line up by Sarina Wiegman, slotted home from close range after just six minutes.

And having been born just up the road in Winchester and growing up in Hampshire before starting her career with Southampton and coming through the youth ranks there, it was a moment which left the current Aston Villa star almost speechless.

“It was a really special moment for me,” said Kendall.

“To be able to do it here, where I grew up, this place made me what I am so to be able to give that back - it felt like it was written today which was really nice.

“I just saw the ball fall in the box and it was a tap in really. The groundsmen won’t be happy with me though [for my kneeslide celebration]. I get in those positions, I just need to score more.

“It was so special. It took a couple of seconds for it to really hit me, I just felt overwhelmed with emotion.

“It was special to get that here today, in front of family and friends, and there’s hopefully many more.”

The 21 year old is one of a number of players to have made the senior breakthrough this season over the last two camps, having previously featured through the England development pathway.

And she believes the experiences she has picked up with those teams has helped both herself and the others in their transition to the senior squad.

“That pathway has really helped me make that transition but also the players here, they’re so easy to play with,” she explained.

“You’ve got some incredible players in that midfield and it’s so easy to slot in and play alongside them. I just try to pick up little bits from them here and there.

“But they do make it so easy to play with them.”