Alessia Russo set out her ambition to start every game after coming off the bench to score twice in England’s 5-0 win over Northern Ireland.
Russo came on as a half-time substitute for first-choice striker Ellen White, and immediately made an impact by heading home three minutes after the break before adding a second just four minutes later.
And now the Manchester United forward has her sights set on claiming the starting berth for Sarina Wiegman’s side as they approach their Women's Euro 2022 quarter-final fixture on Wednesday.
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“I enjoy every game in an England shirt and to come on and score is great,” said Russo, who now has three goals for the tournament. “I’m buzzing to get the three points and move onto the next stage of the tournament.
“I just got in the right place at the right time, and was able to put it in the back of the net. Obviously I want to play in every game for England but I know I have to be patient. I should have finished that last one but we will move on to the next game.”
Despite the score line, it took 40 minutes for England to open the scoring through a terrific Fran Kirby strike from outside the box.
That seemed to breathe confidence into the Lionesses, with Beth Mead netting her fifth of the tournament two minutes later before Russo bagged her brace after the break.
“The girls did brilliant first-half and second, it took a while to break them down but we knew that they were going to put a block on and sit deep,” added Russo.
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Kirby’s strike finally broke down a dogged Northern Irish defence, who had already blocked a Georgia Stanway effort off the line earlier in the first period.
And the Chelsea midfielder was full of praise for both England’s opponents on their major tournament debut, and her side’s patience in breaking them down.
“They [Northern Ireland] always make it difficult,” said Kirby. “They have a strong team, they know their setup, they know their game plan.
“It’s a massive credit to them for getting here, getting qualified, and showing an amazing account of themselves – not just them but their fans as well who I think were incredible.
“They made it tough for us but we know we’re going to get chances and if we can put them in the back of the net then we’re in a good place.”
England finish top of Group A and will face either Denmark or Spain in the quarter-finals. However Kirby believes her side are more than ready for whoever comes their way on Wednesday evening.
“The way everyone has handled themselves in this tournament so far has been amazing,” she added.
“Everyone has put a shift in when they needed to, subs have come in off the bench and made a massive impact on games. This is what we need in order to get to these places.
“Tournament football is so different, it’s a case of who can be the freshest for longest and who can take their chances.
“We need to get over this win, get our recovery right, and get ready for the next game.”
Tickets are on sale now for fans to experience a history-making tournament that aims to unite football and communities and amplify the growth of the women’s game. www.uefa.com/womenseuro/ticketing
