England's new Maidstone-born No.9 Alessia Russo helps Lionesses finish World Cup qualification with a perfect record
14:12, 07 September 2022
updated: 14:22, 07 September 2022
Alessia Russo helped England Women complete World Cup qualification with a perfect record.
Maidstone-born Russo - England’s new No.9 following the retirement of Ellen White - opened the scoring in the Lionesses’ 2-0 win in Austria on Saturday.
Having scored four times from the bench as England won the Women’s Euros, she marked her first start by volleying home in the seventh minute after Lauren Hemp met a cross from Alex Greenwood.
Nikita Parris added the second as England secured qualification for next year’s World Cup in Australia.
Russo was at it again on Tuesday night as the Lionesses played on home soil for the first time since their Euro 22 success.
A crowd of 26,000 at Stoke’s Bet365 Stadium were treated to a 10-0 victory over group minnows Luxembourg.
Russo scored England’s second on the night - her 10th goal in 15 caps - as Sarina Wiegman’s side made it 10 wins out of 10 in Group D.
They scored 80 goals in qualification, conceding none.
Striker Russo gets her club campaign under way this weekend when Manchester United visit Tottenham in the Women’s Super League on Saturday (12.30pm).