Georgia Stanway and Alessia Russo each scored five goals as England Women’s U17s stormed to a 13-0 win over Croatia in their opening Euro qualifier.
Manchester City schemer Stanway fired the Young Lionesses ahead just before the quarter-hour mark and completed her treble shortly after to give John Griffiths’s side an early, and ultimately unassailable, lead.
Chelsea forward Russo then netted her first before Stanway notched her fourth and fifth goals – the latter from the penalty spot – in a rampant first half.
England 13-0 Croatia
UEFA Women's U17 Championship
First Round Qualifying
Rakvere, Estonia
Thursday 1 October
But, amazingly, it got even better after the break as Russo scored three goals in eight minutes at the start of the second half, with Sheffield United’s Hannah Cain also getting on the scoresheet as England reached double figures by the hour mark.
And Blackburn Rovers’ Ella Toon, on for Cain, netted a brace either side of Russo’s fifth goal to complete a remarkable afternoon in front of goal.
The second Euro qualifier is against host nation Estonia on Saturday, with Poland last up on Tuesday 6 October.
England (4-3-3): 1 Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City); 14 Flo Allen (Bristol Academy), 12 Anna Patten (Arsenal), 6 Lotte Wubben-Moy (captain; Arsenal), 3 Taylor Hinds (Arsenal); 10 Georgia Stanway (Manchester City), 4 Hollie Olding (Brighton & Hove Albion), 15 Laura Hooper (Arsenal); 7 Hannah Cain (Sheffield United), 9 Alessia Russo, (Chelsea), 16 Tinaya Alexander (Arsenal).
Substitutes: 18 Isabella Sibley (Chelsea) for Stanway 55, 17 Ella Toon (Blackburn Rovers) for Cain 55, 5 Riva Casley (Oxford United) for Patten 64
Substitutes not used: 13 Katie Startup (Gillingham), 2 Lois Joel (Chelsea), 8 Jessie Jones (South West Regional Excellence Camp), 11 Niamh Charles (Liverpool).
Goals: Stanway 14, 17, 22, 34, 40pen, Russo 26, 52, 59, 60, 75, Cain 55, Toon 68, 80.
Head coach: John Griffiths
