England vs USA LIVE: Result and final score as Lionesses seal Wembley win

England claimed victory in the clash of European and world champions as Sarina Wiegman’s side beat the United States 2-1 in a friendly at Wembley.

The Lionesses went ahead through Lauren Hemp’s 10th-minute finish before Sophia Smith equalised in the 28th minute after Georgia Stanway lost possession near her own box.

England then benefited from two VAR checks - one resulting in the penalty from which Stanway restored their lead after 33 minutes, and another soon after that saw Trinity Rodman’s strike for the visitors disallowed, with Smith ruled to have been offside.

VAR also ensured a late penalty award against England for handball, with the ball having struck Hemp’s legs, was overturned as they saw out only a third victory in their last 17 meetings with the US.

It is the first time they have beaten the world number ones since 2017 and represents yet another big plus for the team under Wiegman - whose undefeated tenure now shows 21 wins from 23 games - as they work towards next summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

A crowd of 76,893 was in attendance for England’s return to the scene of July’s historic Euros triumph, and those present included a host of former Lionesses as the team’s 50th anniversary was marked.

England vs USA

• England and USA both unbeaten this year after winning continental titles

• England XI: Earps, Bronze, Bright (c), Greenwood, Daly, Stanway, Walsh, Kirby, Kelly, Hemp, Mead

• USA XI: Naeher, Huerta, Rodman, Cook, Fox, Lavelle, Horan (c), Sullivan, Smith, Girma, Rapinoe

• GOAL! Lauren Hemp puts England in front, 1-0

• GOAL! Sophia Smith fires US level after Stanway error, 1-1

• GOAL! Georgia Stanway converts from the spot to restore lead, 2-1

Miguel Delaney’s report from Wembley

22:17 , Lawrence Ostlere

A game that had almost everything was, rather appropriately, many things at once. It was a celebration, a show of solidarity for much more serious issues, and a marker for the World Cup through another England win.

The players will of course say that 2-1 victory doesn’t matter too much given everything else going on around this landmark match, but the competitors in them will also know it will frame much of what is to come on the pitch over the next few months.

It was an issue dominating the present that framed the game itself, with both teams wore armbands to stand in solidarity with sexual abuse survivors, as the USA team so creditably played amid the fall-out from the Sally Yates report detailing emotional and sexual abuse in the country’s domestic league.

This itself came amid a celebration of the past, as England celebrated 50 years of the national team. As Megan Rapinoe said before the match, though, a natural love for the game and competitiveness takes over.

That’s what was so visible here, in a fine England victory. It was a superb game between the two best sides in the world, the first half especially enchanting, as Sophia Smith again showed she may just be the best player in the world right now.

The fact it was even better than expected also made it all the more unpredictable, so fittingly going right to the end.

England edge Wembley thriller with USA to lay down World Cup marker

Full-time: England 2-1 USA

21:56 , Lawrence Ostlere

It wasn’t a totally dominant display but England did enough to get the win and beat the world champions and world No1 side.

England 2-1 USA

21:55 , Lawrence Ostlere

90+2 min: Final throw of the dice for the US with a corner curled into the box, but it’s well cleared, and Smith’s subsequent shot is off target.

England 2-1 USA

21:53 , Lawrence Ostlere

Not quite a full house at Wembley tonight but not far off, for a game played out in a fantastic atmosphere.

England 2-1 USA

21:52 , Lawrence Ostlere

88 min: England are steadying the ship with some good passing around at the back, taking the sting out of the game.

England 2-1 USA

21:49 , Lawrence Ostlere

85 min: England continue to create more threatening situations without scoring, as the US ring the changes in search of an equaliser.

England 2-1 USA

21:46 , Lawrence Ostlere

81 min: Penalty to USA! Or is it? The referee thinks the ball hit Lauren Hemp’s hand in the box, but the replay shows it struck her backside as she tried to block a shot. VAR suggests a check of the monitor, and the decision is rightly reversed.

England 2-1 USA

21:42 , Lawrence Ostlere

79 min: Hemp surges upfield and sparks a threatening English counter-attack, but it runs out of steam when Mead miscontrols.

England 2-1 USA

21:39 , Lawrence Ostlere

76 min: A chance for Stanway to seal it as she shifts on to her left foot and unleashes a shot from the edge of the box, but it’s wayward.

England 2-1 USA

21:36 , Lawrence Ostlere

73 min: Toone has helped inject a little energy into this England side, although her appeals for a penalty are waved away after she was sandwiched between defenders in the box.

England 2-1 USA

21:31 , Lawrence Ostlere

68 min: Ella Toone, scorer of England’s first goal in the Euro 2022 final, replaces Fran Kirby.

England 2-1 USA

21:30 , Lawrence Ostlere

66 min: The US are continuing to press for an equaliser but they have struggled to carve out any clear chances in this second half. England look a little short of energy and might need their manager Sarina Wiegman to bring on some reinforcements.

England 2-1 USA

21:27 , Lawrence Ostlere

62 min: Rodman flies down the right wing but her cutback is well defended by Bright. Coffey and Dunn are on from the bench for the US.

England 2-1 USA

21:23 , Lawrence Ostlere

58 min: Rodman hangs a high cross into the box but it misses everybody. The US are starting to maintian some pressure but England are defending doggedly, epitomised by a Bright block from Rapinoe’s shot.

England 2-1 USA

21:19 , Lawrence Ostlere

55 min: Big chance for England! Lauren Hemp pinches the ball on the wing and suddenly she’s surging into the box. She cuts a pass across for Lucy Bronze arriving from right-back, who smashes a shot goalwards but it’s the wrong side of the post.

England 2-1 USA

21:17 , Lawrence Ostlere

53 min: Chloe Kelly has a try from range, cutting inside on to her right foot and bending a shot towards the far post, but she can’t curl it enough to test Alyssa Naeher.

England 2-1 USA

21:15 , Lawrence Ostlere

51 min: A big cheer goes up as Rapinoe miscontrols a fast pass and it runs off the pitch for a throw.

England 2-1 USA

21:11 , Lawrence Ostlere

47 min: Rodman slides through Rachel Daly’s ankle and gets booked.

England 2-1 USA

21:09 , Lawrence Ostlere

England get the second half under way.

Half-time: England 2-1 USA

21:08 , Lawrence Ostlere

Another look at that disallowed goal – so tight:

Half-time: England 2-1 USA

20:52 , Lawrence Ostlere

England edge a thrilling half of football at Wembley. What a treat that was, and there’s still 45 minutes to come.

England 2-1 USA

20:47 , Lawrence Ostlere

42 min: Chloe Kelly can’t quite get on the end of a throughball and it runs away for a US goal-kick.

Disallowed! England 2-1 USA

20:43 , Lawrence Ostlere

Trinity Rodman thought she had scored for the US, but VAR spots an offside in the build-up against Smith – by the narrowest of margins – and a huge roar goes up at Wembley as the equaliser is disallowed.

GOAL! England 2-2 USA (Rodman)

20:40 , Lawrence Ostlere

Wow, what a breathless game this is. A slick move by the US culminates in Smith crossing from the right towards Rapinoe, who lets it run, and there’s Trinity Rodman at the back post to slot into the opposite corner.

GOAL! England 2-1 USA (Stanway, pen)

20:37 , Lawrence Ostlere

Georgia Stanway makes up for her earlier error with a cool finish into the bottom-right corner.

England 1-1 USA

20:35 , Lawrence Ostlere

Penalty! VAR has spotted a high boot by Mace on Lucy Bronze, and England will have a spot-kick.

GOAL! England 1-1 USA (Smith)

20:32 , Lawrence Ostlere

Stanway is caught on the ball trying to play out from the back, and finally USA’s high press pays off as their most threatening player, the young talent Sophia Smith, picks up the loose ball and fires past Earps from the edge of the box.

England 1-0 USA

20:29 , Lawrence Ostlere

24 min: England are enjoying a spell of sustained possession in their opponents’ half. The hosts have certainly been the better side in this opening quarter.

England 1-0 USA

20:26 , Lawrence Ostlere

21 min: Another puase in play as the USA’s Emily Fox comes off injured with what likes like a shoulder or arm problem. She is replaced by Kansas City’s Hailie Mace.

England 1-0 USA

20:24 , Lawrence Ostlere

19 min: A wonderful pass by Lavelle slips in Smith behind the England defence, whose cross causes a moment of panic at the back for the European champions, but they come away unscathed.

England 1-0 USA

20:20 , Lawrence Ostlere

16 min: A US corner is headed tamely wide for a goal-kick. Meanwhile England’s goalscorer, Hemp, is down and needs a little attention after earlier taking a Rapinoe free-kick to the face.

England 1-0 USA

20:18 , Lawrence Ostlere

13 min: Keira Walsh is getting England’s midfield ticking nicely and helping to control the tempo of the match. Up front, Hemp gets another shot away but it’s well blocked.

GOAL! England 1-0 USA (Hemp)

20:14 , Lawrence Ostlere

Lauren Hemp immediately vindicates the manager’s decision to deploy her through the middle as she pounces on a defensive error in the box by Cook trying to cut out a cross, and slots home from close range.

England 0-0 USA

20:09 , Lawrence Ostlere

4 min: It’s a wide open start at Wembley as both teams surge into big spaces, but finally England calm things down a little with a spell of possession at the back.

England 0-0 USA

20:06 , Lawrence Ostlere

2 min: An early sight of goal for the US as Sophia Smith cuts in from the left flank before letting off a relatively tame shot from a tight angle, which Earps holds.

England 0-0 USA

20:03 , Lawrence Ostlere

Kick-off! The players take the knee before Lindsey Horan gets the contest under way.

England vs USA

20:00 , Lawrence Ostlere

Before the game gets under way, all of the players gather together behind a banner reading “protect the players” – a message to the game’s authorities amid the ongoing sexual misconduct scandal in the US.

England vs USA

19:58 , Lawrence Ostlere

The anthems are up next, and God Save the King is belted out by the home fans. Kick-off is moments away...

England vs USA

19:54 , Lawrence Ostlere

A light show is entertaining the 90,000-strong Wembley crowd as the players prepare to emerge from the tunnel, it’s a fantastic atmosphere.

England vs USA

19:44 , Lawrence Ostlere

Wiegman on the absence of injured captain Leah Williamson: “We’re going to miss her, we’d love to have her here, but it’s also an opportunity for other players to step up.”

And on playing the world champions at Wembley: “It’s a great occasion. It’s a very good moment to play them. It’s the best test we could have. After tonight we will know where we are.”

England vs USA

19:36 , Lawrence Ostlere

Sarina Wiegman speaks to ITV, on why she chose Lauren Hemp as No 9: “All three forward players have played centre forward before, but Lauren Hemp has speed, she can make runs in behind... we did it in training, it went well, so we’re really excited to see what it’s going to look like.”

England vs USA

19:24 , Lawrence Ostlere

Beth Mead says England are hungry to avenge their World Cup heartbreak suffered at the hands of the United States during tonight’s sold-out Wembley showdown.

The Lionesses’ dreams of glory at the 2019 tournament in France were extinguished by an agonising 2-1 semi-final loss to the eventual winners. England responded to that setback to become European champions in the summer and will now seek to lay down a marker against the world’s top-ranked team with the start of the 2023 World Cup just nine months away.

Euro 2022 golden boot winner Mead, who on Thursday was named England Women’s Player of the Year, believes the hosts will be spurred on by past disappointment.

“It was obviously a tough game, a tough result to take,” she said of the narrow loss in Lyon. “We took it hard but looking at it now, it’s made us more hungry and motivated to prove ourselves against a world-class American team. We’re looking forward to the challenge to see where we are and hopefully we can put on a good performance.”

England ‘hungry and motivated’ to show USA how far they’ve come

England vs USA

19:12 , Lawrence Ostlere

Megan Rapinoe arrives at Wembley:

USA line-up

18:59 , Lawrence Ostlere

The USA XI: Naeher, Huerta, Rodman, Cook, Fox, Lavelle, Horan (c), Sullivan, Smith, Girma, Rapinoe.

England line-up

18:56 , Lawrence Ostlere

The England team is in: Earps, Bronze, Bright (c), Greenwood, Daly, Stanway, Walsh, Stanway, Kirby, Kelly, Hemp, Mead.

England vs USA

18:51 , Lawrence Ostlere

It has been hammering down with rain for the past half hour or so at Wembley, which shouldn’t cause too many problems for the players by the time kick-off comes around and should offer up a slick surface.

Latest news

18:41 , Lawrence Ostlere

Megan Rapinoe said on Thursday she and her fellow US women’s national team members are angry and exhausted in the wake of a scathing report into allegations of abuse and sexual misconduct in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

The independent investigation released on Monday revealed player abuse within women’s professional soccer in the United States was systemic and that the NWSL and governing US Soccer body failed to adequately protect players.

“It’s really sad to say, but in a way I think we are used to having to deal with one thing or another,” Rapinoe said ahead of tonight’s friendly against England at Wembley Stadium. “It seems to bring us closer and definitely unify the team and it’s just one of those sort of intimate environments that we are in that we’re used to taking on a lot and playing in these kind of conditions.”

The twice World Cup winner also felt it was imperative to see accountability and singled out Portland Thorns owner Merritt Paulson and Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler, who were both named in the report. In the aftermath of the report, Paulson removed himself from the team’s decision making while Whisler was ousted as chairman but neither indicated plans to sell the team.

“I don’t think that Merritt Paulson is fit to be the owner of that team. I don’t think Arnim is fit to be the owner of Chicago,” said Rapinoe. “We need to see those people gone. So people who are fit and who will take care of the game and respect the game and help the game grow and the best way possible can replace them.”

England vs USA

18:33 , Lawrence Ostlere

England are back at Wembley for the first time since this iconic Chloe Kelly moment:

How to watch match tonight

18:23 , Lawrence Ostlere

England vs USA will be broadcast live on UK TV on channel ITV 1, and viewers can also stream the contest online via the ITV Hub. Fans in the US can watch via Fox Sports and the Fox Sports website and app.

England vs USA

18:19 , Lawrence Ostlere

England players will join forces with the United States to show solidarity for victims of the abuse scandal ahead of Friday evening’s sold-out international at Wembley.

Football in America has been rocked by an independent investigation which found abusive behaviour and sexual misconduct “had become systemic” in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

Lionesses forward Beth Mead said she was “sickened” by the situation, while head coach Sarina Wiegman called it “horrible” and “unacceptable”.

“We’re in contact with the American team and some of the players,” said Mead. “We’re working on something to show our support for them.

“When I found out, I was sickened by the situation. It’s a worldwide problem but women need to be taken seriously. (I’m) very proud of the victims that actually stood up and said it.

“People need to start doing better, the US governing body needs to be doing better, worldwide we need to be doing better.”

England vs USA

18:11 , Lawrence Ostlere

England are taking on USA in a friendly at Wembley tonight as the Lionesses return to the scene of their glorious Euro 2022 triumph for the first time since that famous extra-time win over Germany back in July.

Since then England have continued their impressive form with a 10-0 win over Luxembourg and a 2-0 victory in Austria to set them on course for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where they will be one of the favourites to lift the trophy. Tonight will be a test of just how far they have come under Sarina Wiegman as they take on Vlatko Andonovski’s American side who, like England, have not lost all year. The USA are the world’s top-ranked team and would be a major scalp if England could earn victory just nine months before the 2023 Women’s World Cup begins.