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“She celebrated as if she had won the Champions League,” said England manager Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

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

Wiegman was reflecting on the moment the Aston Villa midfielder dashed into the corner after slotting 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, referring to Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

As the 21-year-old got to her feet, with a look of disbelief and surrounded by her team-mates, a wide smile appeared on her face.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Having been “an integral part” of Southampton for ten years, where she progressed from the youth ranks to play over a century of games, her summer switch to Villa was a significant change.

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

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. 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’

It may have been Southampton who “shaped” Kendall, but a crucial decision at the age of 15 proved crucial to her future.

Despite being a talented cricketer (her father had a career with Hampshire), the looming demands of senior football at Southampton forced her hand. She went with football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall explained in a recent 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.”

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

Her ability to manage first-team football alongside a psychology degree was evidence of the drive and dedication required for the top level.

Southampton kept their prized asset for the maximum time, but upon her contract expiry, Villa brought her in to the WSL.

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

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

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

The midfielder was influential, later rattling the bar and nearly creating a goal for Kearns, prior to Russo’s late penalty.

She was substituted after an hour to a ovation from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer proclaiming 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 gave me a great foundation.

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

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

‘Technically and Tactically, She Is a Very Strong Midfielder’

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “got it” as a midfielder and looks like a “natural”.

The England manager aims to safeguard her exposure, citing the roles of both media and club, but is reassured by the player’s humble nature.

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was addressing the media saying she was keen 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