England Women got back to winning ways in the UEFA Nations League with a nail-biting 1-0 triumph over Belgium Women in League A Group 1 at the King Power Stadium.
With last month's excruciating loss to the Netherlands still fresh in the memory, the European champions got back on track courtesy of Lauren Hemp's close-range effort, although they squandered a surfeit of chances to make the result more emphatic and had to endure a few concerning moments in their defensive third as well.
Straight from the first whistle, the Lionesses began to put the Belgian backline under the cosh and ought to have got their noses in front in the fourth minute, as Hemp's effort was kept out by Nicky Evrard before Ella Toone missed with a header on the follow-up.
Once Belgium managed to venture out of their own half, Mary Earps was called into action to deny Justine Vanhaevermaet's header from a 10th-minute corner, but any Belgian momentum would be quickly halted.
Having been denied once by Evrard, Hemp was not to be kept at bay a second time, as with 13 minutes on the board, Millie Bright's header from a Chloe Kelly corner rattled the post and bounced back into the six-yard box, where Hemp reacted quickest and clinically finished with her left boot.
England's advantage was merited, but Belgium continued to ask a few questions of Sarina Wiegman's defensive shield, as both Tessa Wullaert and Kassandra Missipo came close in quick succession in the 29th minute.
Nevertheless, the Lionesses clung onto their slender advantage at the break, although having boasted 75% possession and 13 shots on goal - five of which were on target - the King Power faithful were miffed not to have seen the hosts add to their lead.
Following up with the opener ⚽️
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) October 27, 2023
🙌 @lauren__hemp pic.twitter.com/jvrp1AJp71
Seeking to rectify those first-half shortcomings, England came out for the second half in similarly explosive fashion, but wastefulness was still prevalent as Lucy Bronze and Alessia Russo both missed the mark inside the opening five minutes.
However, as was the case in a frenetic first half, England also had to be bailed out by the gloves of Earps, who did well to deny Sarah Wijnants's long-range corker in the 56th minute as the Lionesses allowed the Anderlecht attacker space and time to pick her spot.
Wiegman soon brought fresh blood into the attack, as Rachel Daly and Fran Kirby - whose last appearance for the Lionesses came in October 2022 - were introduced, and the latter was unsurprisingly given an especially warm welcome by the King Power crowd.
Despite shuffling her offensive resources, Wiegman's formula for a second goal was not paying dividends, although Hemp almost doubled her tally in the 78th minute, surging into the box before being kept out by a staunch Evrard.
With 84 minutes played, Jess Park replaced Kelly in a final throw of the attacking dice, but Wiegman's side would ultimately declare at one as they moved up to second place in the section, two points above the Red Flames and behind the Netherlands on head-to-head points.
England and Belgium will reunite at Den Dreef in four days' time, after which the Lionesses close out their inaugural Nations League group-stage campaign against the Netherlands and Scotland on December 1 and 5 respectively.
Ben Knapton
