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“She reacted like a Champions League winner,” noted England manager Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

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

Wiegman was recalling the moment the Aston Villa midfielder raced away into the corner after scoring her first Lionesses goal – six minutes into a 2-0 victory over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she added, in reference to Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall looked around with cheeks puffed and a huge grin.

A Dream Return to St Mary's

Southampton was her home for a decade; she was a core player there after coming through the academy and racking up 103 appearances prior to her July move to Aston Villa.

Consequently, netting at her old stomping ground in only her third game for England was an magical moment.

“To do it here, where I was raised, was an immensely special moment. This place forged the player I am,” Kendall stated.

“It appeared as though it was fate. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

‘Things Have Gone So Quickly’

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

A skilled cricketer as well, with a father who played county cricket for Hampshire, she was forced to decide between the two pursuits as her football career took off. Football was the choice.

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

“I loved playing cricket growing up. It was a really difficult decision. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I realised I enjoy football a bit more.”

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

Her ability to handle first-team football alongside a psychology degree signaled the drive and commitment required for the top level.

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

Within months the Winchester-born player has risen to prominence, becoming a regular in the top flight and breaking into the England squad.

“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.”

Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, hitting the crossbar later in the first half and almost setting up Villa team-mate Missy Bo Kearns for a goal, before Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.

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

Having scored 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she reflected, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 was invaluable experience.

“It was the consistent trust they showed in me as a player and the belief. I felt like I was ready for [the next step].

“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.”

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

Her seamless transition to the international stage has led to praise for her innate midfield qualities and effortless demeanour.

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

Days after being called up by the Lionesses for the first time, Kendall was sitting in front of the media saying she was eager to impress, but also understood the need for the team's greater good and whatever role she needed to play in that.

Teammate Alessia Russo remarked that Kendall settled as if she’d always been there.

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