GOAL POWER
This being England, it all started with heartbreak. At the 2015 Women’s World Cup, the Lionesses exceeded expectations and then some. After losing their opening fixture 1-0 to
France, 2-1 victories against Mexico and Colombia secured England’s second-place passage from Group F and into the last 16.
They battled back from 1-0 down against Norway, then stunned the Vancouver crowd of 54,027 with two first-half goals to knock out the hosts, Canada.
And a nation started to believe. The country had taken to the players: Fara Williams, who spent seven years homeless and hid it from team-mates; Fran Kirby who was struck by depression aged 14 following the death of her mum; Alex Scott who washed the kits of the Arsenal men’s side to be able to afford to play.
They played with heart, desire and an almost simple joy that had become slightly divorced from the men’s national team, where the cult of celebrity ruled supreme.
So there was an air of anticipation before the semi-final against holders Japan.
A staggering 2.4
