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“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” noted England coach Sarina Wiegman with a smile.

And for Lucia Kendall, it wasn't far off.

Wiegman was describing the moment the Aston Villa midfielder sprinted off into the corner after scoring her first Lionesses goal – six minutes into a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.

“I think the pitch needs some attention after that!” she joked, referring to Kendall’s perfect knee slide.

As the 21-year-old stood up, with a look of disbelief and engulfed by her team-mates, a beaming smile spread across her face.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had spent a decade, rising through their academy and making 103 games before moving to Villa in July.

So when she saw the ball hit the back of the net at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England appearance, it was the material of fairy tales.

“It was a truly special moment to achieve this here, in my hometown. This place forged the player I am,” Kendall remarked.

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got consumed by emotion really.”

A Rapid Rise to Prominence

Southampton laid the groundwork, yet a formative decision made when she was 15 shaped her destiny.

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 was a tough call. I simply couldn't manage both,” Kendall commented in a recent media conference.

“Growing up, I had a passion for cricket. The decision was genuinely tough. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I knew I enjoy football a bit more.”

Her idol growing up as a Chelsea fan was Frank Lampard – an England midfielder famed for his goalscoring prowess – and Kendall has started out in a similar fashion.

Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the determination and commitment to become a star.

The club did their utmost to keep her, but with her deal up, Villa seized the opportunity to introduce her to the top flight.

Her rapid progress has seen her become a WSL fixture 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,” noted Wiegman.

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

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.

Her substitution on the hour mark was met with a loud reception from fans and an announcer proudly declaring her local roots.

Having scored 29 times for Southampton during her long tenure, she reflected, “My early exposure to senior football there from 16 set me up perfectly.

“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.”

Acknowledgment of Her Football Intelligence

Kendall has made an immediate impression at international level, with observers stating she has just “understands the game” as a midfielder and looks like a “born talent”.

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

In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to play her part for the benefit of the team.

According to Russo, Kendall’s assimilation was so smooth it seemed she’d been part of the group for ages.

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