Ellen White scored a hat-trick to become England Women’s All-Time Top Scorer as the Lionesses obliterated Latvia 20-0. England bombarded the away side with 63 shots, 30 on target and with 20 of those beating the stricken goalkeeper.
Ellen White Becomes England Women’s All-Time Top Scorer
White Has 47 England Goals
A record-breaking scoreline was coupled with a record-breaking performance by White, who helped England extend their perfect World Cup qualifying run.
White scored in the sixth and ninth minute with two well-worked goals. The first goal was all down to White’s eye for goal. On the edge of the box she smashed home a shot into the top corner. The second was a low finish in the box after a great cross from Georgia Stanway – who set up six of England’s goals and grabbed a goal from the spot, an equally impressive haul. Then, for the hat-trick, down the other end in the second half. Edge of the box, it was almost a replica of her second – White looked up and then struck home. It was one of four England hat-tricks on the night, the others scored by Arsenal’s Beth Mead, Manchester City’s Lauren Hemp and Manchester United’s Alessia Russo. It was a special night for Russo, scoring her first three goals for England.
Take a look at White’s record-breaking goal (UK only – ITV):
🚨 The @Lionesses have a new record scorer! 🚨
Massive congratulations to @ellsbells89, who has just netted her 47th international goal 🌟#ITVFootball | #Lionesses pic.twitter.com/M9F3Hzlnyb
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 30, 2021
White is now two goals ahead of previous all-top England top scorer Kelly Smith (46 goals in 117 caps).
White Hunts Down Next Goalscoring Record
This England record is another brilliant accolade to White’s name. The 32-year-old is hunting down another, in the Women’s Super League. Over 126 WSL matches, White has scored 58 goals and is keeping pace with prolific Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema, who currently has 64 goals.
White has vast goalscoring experience, including scoring six goals for Great Britain at the Olympics in 2012. She has also scored for various teams under different managers and systems, including Arsenal, Notts County, Birmingham City and her current club Manchester City.
Injury has dogged White despite her impressive scoring records. In April 2014, White suffered an ACL injury which sidelined her for the whole season. It took White successive seasons to fully recover before she again hit her stride as WSL top scorer in 2017/8. There’s no doubt that this ACL injury has held White back from reaching these top scorer ranks sooner. But, as White is proving, she’s not done yet.
There’s still plenty of work for White to do in helping her team climb the WSL this season. Manchester City sit in seventh, some 12 points behind Miedema’s Arsenal, who are unbeaten.
Just the one goal for White thus far, in sixth starts for the Citizens. But the ridiculous downpour of goals against Latvia should no doubt give White the impetus to kick on for the rest of the campaign.
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