Hemp goal gives Lionesses win over Belgium

Lauren Hemp's first-half volley was enough to give England a 1-0 victory over Belgium when the teams clashed in the UEFA Nations League group stage for the first time at Leicester's King Power Stadium on Friday .

The win gets England back on track following a loss to the Netherlands last time out and puts the Lionesses second in the group behind the Dutch on goal following their 4-0 win over Scotland also on Friday. Belgium are two points back in third, ahead of hosting England when the two teams meet again on Tuesday.

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The Lionesses bossed the possession from the outset in Leicester, piling on the pressure against opponents happy to play in a low block.

As Belgium surrendered the ball, it was England who were looking to pack the final third in search of openings on a night when the hosts racked up 12 corners. The breakthrough came from one of those set-pieces, when Hemp fired the ball in from point-blank range after Millie Bright's initial header had cannoned off the upright in the 13th minute.

The action wasn't all one-sided and the Red Flames managed to carve out 12 shots over the course of the game as, like the hosts, they looked most dangerous at set-pieces.

Although not the most convincing performance from England, the Lionesses managed to get over the line with all three points and a clean sheet for Mary Earps. The other good news of the night was the return to international action for Fran Kirby after 15 months away from the national team.