England Women 1-0 Belgium Women: Lauren Hemp scores winner in dominant win
England got back to winning ways in the Women's Nations League with a dominant performance in a 1-0 win over Belgium on Friday night.
The Lionesses made a strong start at Leicester's King Power Stadium and took the lead after 13 minutes when Lauren Hemp pounced after Millie Bright's header from a corner had cannoned off the inside of the right-hand post.
Sarina Wiegman's side continued to control possession throughout and mustered 19 shots, but while they held off the visitors - who grew in confidence after initially sitting back - they could not find a second to put the game beyond doubt.
The game saw the long-awaited return of Fran Kirby, who played the final half-hour to earn her 66th England cap more than 13 months after the last.
A second victory in three games in Group A1 lifts England back up to second, level on points with, but with an inferior goal difference to the Netherlands, who beat Scotland 4-0 in Nijmegen.
England had beaten Scotland and lost to the Netherlands in September, with an understandable hangover following the heart-breaking World Cup final defeat to Spain the month prior hanging over them. With Team GB able to qualify for next year's Olympics if the Lionesses reach the final, bouncing back at the King Power was imperative.
Sarina Wiegman's side understood their assignment. With Belgium happy to sit back and invite pressure, the hosts made such a strong stand and, inside three minutes, Niamh Charles had shot just over, with an Ella Toone header bouncing just past the post.
Before the 15-minute mark, they took the lead their intense pressing deserved. Bright - often playing so high it looked as though she was part of the midfield - headed a corner onto the woodwork, with Hemp on hand to lash in the
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