When the half-time whistle sounded during England Women’s World Cup win over Colombia, all 12 substitutes ran onto the pitch to congratulate goalkeeper Karen Bardsley for a save she had made moments earlier.
As the clocked ticked into added time at the end of the first period of the Lionesses’ final Group F match, the 30-year-old leapt from her line to foil Carolina Arias and deny what would have been an almost certain goal – and it prompted an outpouring of gratitude from Bardsley’s team-mates.
It was an impulsive reaction to a crucial block and it spoke volumes of the team spirit in Mark Sampson’s World Cup squad.
England v Norway
FIFA Women's World Cup 2015
Second Round
10pm BST, Monday 22 June
Lansdowne Stadium, Ottawa
Live on BBC Three
Bardsley said: "I think we are all just really excited and really proud of each other.
"We are going to need every single person on the team throughout this tournament. We are going to need people to be in the right frame of mind, feeling confident and feeling good.
"We support each other every day, it was just that the TV cameras picked up on that one aspect at half-time.
"We’ve become a really cohesive unit and I’m really proud of the girls. We have brought out the best in each other and been really honest with each other.
Bardsley started all three World Cup group games
"We are willing to do anything for each other off the pitch and that puts us in a really good place.
"Football is a team sport. We all need to pull in the right direction and that is exactly what we are doing."
Head coach Sampson has said throughout his side’s World Cup campaign that he will need to use all 23 of his squad if he is to get them to the latter stages.
So far he has been true to his word, having called upon all 20 outfield players during the group stage.
Only Bardsley, captain Steph Houghton and midfielder Fara Williams started all three group matches, and the goalkeeper believes Sampson’s faith in his players is paying dividends.
She added: "I think it’s great to give players these fantastic experiences in major tournaments like this.
"The fact that we’ve got such a [strength in] depth on the pitch, the fact that Mark’s got so much confidence in his players, it has to be a confidence boost to the whole team.
Bardsley has earned 47 England caps since making her debut in 2005
"It’s also an advantage in another way because it’s keeping everyone fresh."
England finished second in Group F to set up a last-16 tie against Norway.
The Scandinavians, runners-up at Euro 2013, are ranked 11th in the world and they held Germany to a 1-1 draw last week.
And Bardsley is expecting an extremely tough encounter in Ottawa on Monday.
She said: "They are a fantastic side who obviously drew with Germany in the group stages.
"They have scored some great goals and are good at set pieces. We know they have got some good technicians.
"But in order to win the World Cup you’re going to have to play some great teams at every stage of the competition.
"We are building momentum. We have won the games we needed to win to get through and now we are focusing on Norway.
"Hopefully we’ll put on our best performance yet."
