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“She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League,” noted England boss Sarina Wiegman with a grin.

To Lucia Kendall, the moment was just as monumental.

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder raced away into the corner after scoring her first Lionesses goal – during the opening stages of a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she joked, in reference to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

Rising to her feet within her celebrating colleagues, the young player wore an expression of utter disbelief.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Kendall was “part of the furniture” at Southampton – a club where she had devoted ten years, coming through their academy and making 103 appearances before joining Villa in July.

Consequently, scoring at her old stomping ground in only her third game for England was an incredible moment.

“A really special moment for me to be able to do it here, where I grew up. This place forged the player I am,” Kendall stated.

“It appeared as though it was fate. It was so special. I got flooded with emotion really.”

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

Southampton built her foundation, yet a important decision made when she was 15 proved to be a turning point.

A skilled cricketer as well, with a father who was a cricketer for Hampshire, she was forced to decide between the two pursuits as her football career took off. Football won out.

“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall explained in a previous media conference.

“Growing up, I had a passion for cricket. The decision was genuinely tough. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder famed for his goalscoring ability – and Kendall has begun her career in a comparable fashion.

Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the determination and commitment to become a star.

The club fought to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa moved decisively to bring her to the top flight.

Within months the Winchester-born player has established herself, becoming a consistent starter in the top flight and earning a place in the England squad.

“She shows consistency and that's not easy when you just come into a new environment and into the WSL with Aston Villa,” said Wiegman.

“The pace of her rise has been breathtaking, yet she maintains her performance standard, proving her quality impressively.”

Her performance was eye-catching; she struck the woodwork and nearly crafted another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

Exiting the pitch to acclaim, the announcer emphasized her deep connection to the club and city.

Kendall scored 29 goals for the club in more than a decade of service and added: “Being at Southampton for so long, I played regular senior football from the age of 16 and that was incredibly beneficial.

“The constant faith they placed in me gave me the confidence to take the next step.

“Entering the England setup, I was aware I had to demonstrate my worth. The increased pace felt like a step up in class.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

Her smooth transition to the international stage has led to praise for her innate midfield qualities and effortless demeanour.

While mindful of shielding her young star, Wiegman is unworried due to Kendall’s grounded and focused attitude.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing the media saying she was eager to impress, but also understood the need for the team's greater good and whatever role she needed to play in that.

According to Russo, Kendall’s integration was so smooth it seemed she’d was a veteran presence.

“{This team's just gone on to win back-to