England's hopes of automatic qualification for Euro 2025 were kept alive by a rousing 2-1 win over Ireland at a soggy Carrow Road.
Sarina Wiegman, who bemoaned "sloppy moments" post-match, will have been happy with her side's blistering start, scoring inside five minutes as a Beth Mead flick-on found Alessia Russo, and she rounded Courtney Brosnan smartly.
But that efficiency was not symptomatic of England on the whole.
The hosts struggled for fluency against an Irish side who are yet to win a point in their respective qualifying campaign. Jess Park probed, Russo harried, but nothing was coming off as attempts on goal wracked up - 16 in total.
Wiegman looked to her bench for an injection of inspiration - introducing Millie Bright and Niamh Charles at half-time - but actually found it via the misfortune of Ireland defender Niamh Fahey.
Lauren Hemp forced Fahey into a fateful mistake inside her own box, allowing Georgia Stanway the chance to ease pressure from the penalty spot. She did just that, sending Brosnan the wrong way, before Julie-Ann Russell scored a stoppage-time consolation for Ireland.
