England’s Lionesses ended their 2025 campaign with a 2-0 victory over Ghana’s Black Queens in an international friendly at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton on Tuesday, marking the first-ever encounter between the two sides.
Aston Villa midfielder Lucia Kendall opened the scoring in the sixth minute with her first senior international goal, latching onto a loose ball and firing home to give the hosts an early lead. England dominated possession throughout, creating numerous chances and striking the woodwork four times, but were repeatedly denied by Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan, who delivered an outstanding performance.
Despite England’s pressure, Ghana’s defensive unit led by captain Portia Boakye, Susan Ama Duah, Comfort Yeboah and debutant Benedicte Simon held firm for long periods. Kim Lars Bjorkegren’s side showed resilience, while midfielders Jennifer Cudjoe, Grace Asantewaa and Stella Nyamekye worked tirelessly to break up play.
The Black Queens also fielded an attacking trio of Alice Kusi, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah and Doris Boaduwaa, although clear-cut opportunities were limited as England maintained control of the game.
Kendall described her milestone moment as emotional, saying, “It felt like it was written for me to score today. It was a really special moment for me.”
England’s captain Alessia Russo, who scored the second goal from the penalty spot in the 95th minute, praised Ghana’s competitiveness in her post-match reflections. “Ghana provided the type of test we wanted. We want to test ourselves against different playing styles, and we definitely got that tonight,” she said.
Her late penalty came after the referee reviewed a handball by Comfort Yeboah, sealing the victory England had long pressed for. The win means England remain unbeaten against African opposition since their 3-0 defeat to Nigeria in 2004.
For Ghana, the match offered valuable preparation ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan emerged as one of the standout performers, producing several saves that kept the scoreline respectable and gave the Black Queens reason for optimism.
England, meanwhile, shift their focus to their qualification campaign for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, having closed out the year with back-to-back wins.
