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“She reacted like a Champions League winner,” remarked England boss Sarina Wiegman with a grin.

And for Lucia Kendall, it was a near-equivalent experience.

Wiegman was describing 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.

“The ground staff might need to repair that turf!” she quipped, poking fun at Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

As the 21-year-old got to her feet, exhaling deeply and engulfed by her team-mates, a wide smile spread across her face.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Kendall was “a mainstay” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, graduating from their academy and making 103 appearances before joining Villa in July.

Therefore, scoring at St Mary's upon her homecoming and during just her third international match felt dreamlike.

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

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got overwhelmed with emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

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

The talented youngster was also a accomplished cricketer – her dad Will represented Hampshire – but eventually had to pick one of the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She chose football.

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

“I adored cricket as a child. Making the choice was very hard. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I understood I enjoy football a bit more.”

A Chelsea supporter, her idol was the prolific England midfielder Frank Lampard, and Kendall’s early career is following that goalscoring trend.

Balancing her football at Southampton with university studies in psychology demonstrated the focus and dedication needed to excel.

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

Her rapid progress has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a short space of time.

“Maintaining her level immediately in a new league and club is difficult, yet she has done so,” said Wiegman.

“Everything has happened at breakneck speed, but her ability to sustain her high standards is truly notable.”

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

She came off after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

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.

“Their unwavering belief in my abilities made me feel prepared for the challenge ahead.

“I knew that I had to go in [to England] and prove why I should be playing at this level. The speed of the game is quicker and it was like going up a division.”

Praise for a Complete Midfielder

At the highest level, she has appeared comfortable, described as a natural midfielder who “understands”.

Wiegman is eager to protect her, saying the media can play a role in that and so can Villa, but she has no concerns because of how “grounded” Kendall acts.

In her early interactions with the press, she stressed her willingness to fulfill any role for the benefit of the team.

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

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