As Beyonce's voice asked a raucous and packed-out Ashton Gate over the stadium intercom who ran the world at half-time of England’s final Arnold Clark Cup clash, the only accurate answer felt increasingly more like the Lionesses, who ultimately claimed a successive Arnold Clark Cup title in back-to-back years with a 6-1 over Belgium.
Goals from Chloe Kelly, Leah Williamson and Lucy Bronze and an own goal from Belgium’s Janine Biesmans fired England into their third trophy lift in exactly a year. But it was the manner in which England so coolly dispatched Belgium that felt most daunting for opposition teams, another foe so easily checked off a long but increasingly shortening list of opponents on the road to the summer’s World Cup.
While manager Sarina Wiegman will more than likely temper any suggestions of a procession heading into July, her side's final Arnold Clark Cup match had all the look and feel of such. By the match’s end, England boasted 71% possession and 30 shots, with 12 target, while keeping Belgium to a measly two.
