Everton's Emily Ramsey saved two penalties to secure victory for England Under-23s against Italy in Rome.
The 21-year-old shot stopper joined the Blues on loan from Manchester United in the summer, and has made two appearances for Brian Sorensen's side so far this term. Ramsey kept a clean sheet when the Young Lionesses triumphed over the Netherlands in Walsall last Thursday and she put in another commanding performance at the Stadio Tre Fontane to shut out Nazzarena Grilli's Italy team.
The two sides were evenly-matched over 90 minutes, with England's Freya Gregory and Italy's Chiara Miriam Longo both seeing their shots cleared off the line in the second half. However Ramsey made herself the hero in the shootout, saving from Elisa Mariani and Alice Regazzoli to seal the victory for the Lionesses.
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Ramsey's Everton teammate, striker Aggie Beever-Jones, was brought on in the closing stages and coolly slotted her penalty to hand the advantage to Mo Marley's side. Beever-Jones, on loan at Walton Hall Park from Chelsea, has featured four times for the Blues this season, netting her first goal for the club in Everton's Conti Cup clash with Aston Villa in October.
It was in the tie with Aston Villa that Ramsey first exhibited her shootout credentials; the 21-year-old denying Anna Patten and Laura Blindkilde-Brown from 12 yards to secure the Blues a bonus point to kick off their Conti Cup campaign.
Liverpool's Missy Bo Kearns and Charlotte Wardlaw were also named in Marley's squad for Monday's clash but didn't feature at the Stadio Tre Fontane. Elsewhere, Reds defender, Hannah Silcock, started for England Women's Under-19s as they were beaten by two goals to nil by the Netherlands in Portugal.
The young Liverpool and Everton stars will now return to Merseyside ahead of their clubs' Women's Super League clashes at the weekend. Everton's Jess Park and Gabby George will return to their club later this week, with the senior Lionesses set to take on Norway in Spain on Tuesday evening.
Park, who is on loan from Manchester City, has been a standout performer for the Blues this season and scored just 79 seconds into her senior international debut against Japan on Friday.
Reflecting on her first England cap, Park said: "I don’t think words can actually describe how I feel. I’m so proud and honoured to have been able to represent my country and finally get some minutes as well so it’s been unbelievable."
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