Lauren James is the England player "everyone has been waiting years for", said Lucy Bronze after the Chelsea forward netted her first international goal on Thursday.
James, the sister of Chelsea and England men's right-back Reece, scored the final goal in a 4-0 win against South Korea in the Arnold Clark Cup.
The 21-year-old, earning her sixth senior cap, had won the penalty Georgia Stanway netted for the opener.
James has had to bide her time for opportunities at both club and international level, having dealt with injury issues both before and after her move from Manchester United.
But she has shown this season why she is considered perhaps the most talented England player of her generation.
James has scored four goals and provided one assist in 10 Women's Super League matches. She has thrilled fans with her exciting playing style, completing more dribbles (21) than any other player in the division.
Now, after making an impact for England, Bronze – previously The Best FIFA Women's Player – is looking forward to seeing what more there is to come from James.
"Everyone knows the quality that LJ's got," the right-back said. "Technically, on the ball, she's probably one of the best there is.
"It's fun for me to play with her, because I know she's always going to get the ball in the right place.
"It's crazy that she's so young, because this is the player that everyone has been talking about for five years now.
"Everyone has been waiting for this superstar, and it's exciting to be here now at the start of her England career."
James added: "I'm lost for words really. I just like to stay humble, continue giving to the team and continue improving."
England manager Sarina Wiegman said: "She has been a talent for a long time. She just needed to be available and needed some time at Chelsea.
"She worked really hard at Chelsea. That's what you have seen this season, then she can take the next step to the national team.
"Now, when she starts playing at this level with Chelsea and in the Champions League and on this international level and gets those minutes, she can improve.
"I hope now she gets consistency, she stays fit and keeps enjoying herself."
Referees have to help themselves – Forest’s Steve Cooper frustrated by decisions
Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper felt it was another bad day for the Professional Game Match Officials Limited after some controversial decisions in his side’s 1-1 draw with Brentford.
The PGMOL were forced to stand intended fourth official Darren England down at the City Ground after his mistake on Saturday night when, as VAR in Tottenham’s game against Liverpool, he failed to act properly in overturning the decision to rule out Luis Diaz’s goal for offside.
And both managers were left complaining after the draw as Nicolas Dominguez’s header cancelled out Christian Norgaard’s opener, which came immediately after Moussa Niakhate was sent off.
That is the decision that irked Cooper the most, the boss insisting that his defender’s tackle, where he raked his studs down Yoane Wissa’s calf, was accidental.
Cooper said: “Honestly, if he doesn’t give him a second yellow, nobody mentions it. All of your colleagues on TV and radio have said the same.
“With it being the only Premier League game of the day, the PGMOL needed a real clean day and unfortunately they have got the opposite. We want to help referees, we will moan and complain as much as anyone else, it is just the nature of it.
“We’ll try and do it respectfully, but sometimes it’s hard. They have got to help themselves. I’m annoyed with the first yellow, he shouldn’t have lunged in. The second yellow would not even have been mentioned…of course it was accidental.
“You need football understanding to see that. It’s a contact game.
“Some have gone for us, so I’m not sitting here saying we’re hard done by. We all want refereeing to be at the right level and we all want to help them and they have to help themselves. The last thing they needed today was talking points about decision-making, but that’s what they’ve got.
“Come on, let’s work together and we will help. Some things have gone in our favour, not as much as have gone against us. This league is amazing and every part of it needs to be at that level.”
Brentford boss Thomas Frank says he is “tired” of talking about VAR after he thought his side were denied a clear penalty.
Frank believes Wissa was fouled by Matt Turner early in the second half when he closed down the Forest goalkeeper and was caught by Turner’s follow through, while Brentford also had two penalty appeals turned down.
Referee Paul Tierney did not give anything and the incident was not even checked by VAR Michael Oliver.
“I am tired of talking about it, I understand you guys need to ask the question,” he said.
“I just want to talk about performances.
“I think the two handball situations, some managers would claim them as penalty, I won’t. I think I would really hate that if they were given against my team.
“But the Wissa one is a clear penalty, you can’t go through the man, that is an unfortunate mistake from VAR, especially when that is clear and obvious.
“Unfortunately our players are too honest, we need to be a little bit more nasty, I would never say that to the players, I like honest players.”
Liverpool beat Arsenal in front of record WSL crowd as Man Utd grab late winner
Liverpool pulled off a shock 1-0 win at Arsenal in front of a record Women’s Super League crowd.
There were 54,115 fans at the Emirates Stadium for the season opener, which was settled by a goal from Miri Taylor early in the second half.
Taylor slotted in a cross from Missy Bo Kearns in the 48th minute to stun the Gunners home support.
The Reds held off plenty of Arsenal pressure but Jonas Eidevall’s side, who were knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers last month, could not find a way back into the match.
Manchester United came from behind to beat Aston Villa 2-1 with a stoppage-time goal from substitute Rachel Williams at Villa Park, where the hosts saw Kirsty Hanson sent off.
Scotland winger Hanson was shown a straight red card in the 74th minute for her high tackle on United midfielder Hayley Ladd.
Villa, though, soon took the lead through England international Rachel Daly, only for Lucia Garcia to quickly have United back on level terms.
Just when it seemed both teams would have to settle for a point, Williams headed in Nikita Parris’ deflected cross to secure United a dramatic victory.
Leicester came from behind to beat newly-promoted Bristol City 4-2 at Ashton Gate.
The Robins, back in the top flight after an absence of two seasons, went ahead through a fine strike from Carrie Jones in the 33rd minute.
New Leicester signing Aimee Palmer, playing against her former club, fired the visitors level in added time at the end of the first half.
View this post on InstagramLeicester took control after the break, as Shannon O’Brien put them in front and German striker Lena Petermann, making her debut, headed a third in the 52nd minute.
Fellow debutant Jutta Rantala increased Leicester’s lead with seven minutes left before Amalie Thestrup scored her first Robins goal from the penalty spot.
Elisabeth Terland scored twice in the first half as Brighton opened their WSL campaign with a 2-0 win at Everton.
Norway forward Terland headed in after the ball came back off the crossbar to give the visitors a third-minute lead and soon added a second after being played in by Katie Robinson.
Everton captain Megan Finnigan reduced the deficit just after the hour, but the home side were unable to conjure an equaliser.
Manchester City won 2-0 at West Ham as Jill Roord scored on her debut.
Lauren Hemp broke the deadlock early in the second half with a curling effort before Chloe Kelly then saw her penalty saved.
Netherlands international Roord, a club-record summer signing from Wolfsburg, slotted in to open her City account in the 55th minute.
City finished a player down after Leila Ouahabi was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Emma Harries, but the Hammers could not get themselves back into the game.
Ali Al-Hamadi’s goalscoring ability was never doubted by Johnnie Jackson
Johnnie Jackson never doubted the goalscoring capabilities of Ali Al-Hamadi, whose impressive hat-trick proved decisive in AFC Wimbledon’s 4-1 win over Tranmere.
The Iraqi international bagged his first career treble, leading the charge as AFC Wimbledon came from behind to pick up their first home win of the Sky Bet League Two season and move into the play-off places.
Prior to Saturday’s contest, Al-Hamadi had found trouble converting his chances and his goal tally for the season sat at just one.
However, Jackson insisted that it was an inevitability that the 21-year-old would find his shooting boots for Wimbledon.
Jackson said: “I always said it was coming, but no one said it more than him.
“No one here was worried about him scoring goals because you’re seeing how well he’s playing, seeing how many chances we’re creating for him as a team, how many he’s creating for himself by his own devilment.
“We knew they’d come for him. It’s ironic how in one week you get one, and then the next week you go and get your hat-trick.
“Delight for Ali, it’ll do him the world of good.”
For Tranmere manager Nigel Adkins, the heroics of Al-Hamadi only brought frustration as his side’s wait for a point on the road this season continues.
Rovers had snatched an early lead through Connor Jennings, but after Armani Little brought AFC Wimbledon level, it all went wrong for the visitors.
Defeat leaves Tranmere in the relegation zone, where they started the day, having won only two of their first 10 games this season.
However, Adkins has nonetheless found encouragement by the start his team made to the game.
He said: “We started both halves really, really well. The first half especially.
“Our intensity, our passing, our movement, our identity, our understanding of what we wanted. For the first 20 minutes, it was spot on.
“And then goals changed the complexion of the game.”
A key moment of the game came eight minutes after the interval, when Josh Turnbull saw red after a rash challenge on Isaac Ogundere.
The challenge was right under the nose of Adkins, who understood referee Daniel Middleton’s decision to dismiss Turnbull.
“It’s a thunderous challenge going in, committed,” Adkins added.
“We want committed challenges going in, but I think in the climate of today, maybe a follow through is just enough [to be a red card].
“It’s a fraction harsh, but the referee had a decision to make and we went down to 10 men.”
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