Beever-Jones hails ‘incredible’ first Wembley start following England hat-trick | OneFootball

Forward Aggie Beever-Jones agreed it was an “incredible” first Wembley start for England after she netted a hat-trick in the Lionesses’ 6-0 Nations League rout over Portugal.

The 21-year-old became just the third woman – and second Lioness after Beth Mead – to score three times at Wembley, where she fired England out to a third-minute lead and Lucy Bronze headed home less than two minutes later.

Beever-Jones struck twice more either side of Beth Mead’s 29th-minute goal to hand England a 5-0 lead in the 33rd minute, while substitute Chloe Kelly added a sixth after the break.

“I’m delighted,” said Beever-Jones. “I don’t even know any of the records and whatever, but I think someone just said it was Beth.

“To be alongside her is something really, really incredible. It’s my first time playing at Wembley for England and I don’t think it could actually get much better than that.

“It was incredible. I think Wembley’s always been a special place. Obviously, we won the FA Cup here, not so long ago with Chelsea.

“I saw the girls win the Euros here. For me it’s such an historic place. I was just focusing on getting into the game and trying to do the basics well – I can’t quite believe that.

“As a team, the first half was incredible. We executed the game plan really well. The girls took the goals really well. I’m just so happy.”

England’s triumph ensures they are still in contention to advance to the autumn Nations League finals, but will need to beat group leaders Spain on Tuesday night.

Build-up to the penultimate group-stage contest was dominated by the shock international retirement of goalkeeper Mary Earps, who was instrumental in England securing their first major silverware with a 2-1 extra-time win over Germany at Wembley, three summers ago.

Head coach Sarina Wiegman is expected to name her squad for that title defence – kicking off in Switzerland in just over a month – on June 5th, with next week’s Spain meeting the last chance for players to make their case for selection.

News of Earps’ retirement on Tuesday had dominated the Lionesses’ discourse leading up to the encounter, in which Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton was England’s number one.

Beever-Jones added: “As cliche as it sounds, Sarina said, ‘It’s a new kit, new England today. Go out there and put a graft in’. I think her words were ‘destroy them’ in her Dutch accent.”

Asked about her hat-trick hero, Wiegman said: “I think she is a goalscorer. She scores goals very easily and very well. She has such quick feet and is keeping them on their weight all the time in good positions.

“She is really tight on the ball. The team did well coming into positions so the connections were really good. I think she played really relaxed.”

But the England boss would not say whether or not Beever-Jones had cemented her place on the Euros squad, only conceding with a smile: “You are putting some words into my mouth. I think she did really well today.”