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

For Lucia Kendall, the feeling was comparable.

Wiegman was describing the moment the Aston Villa midfielder dashed 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 quipped, in reference to Kendall’s flawless knee slide.

Getting up from her slide, Kendall took in the moment with cheeks puffed and a radiant grin.

A Scripted Moment at a Familiar Ground

Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had been for ten seasons, graduating from their academy and playing 103 appearances before joining Villa in July.

So when she scored at St Mary's Stadium on her return, and on only her third England appearance, it was the pinnacle of her career.

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

“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got flooded with emotion really.”

A Meteoric Ascent

While Southampton played a key role in her development, a critical choice at 15 set her on her path.

The talented youngster was also a accomplished cricketer – her dad Will played for Hampshire – but ultimately had to choose between the sports just as she was earning a place in Southampton's first-team squad. She opted for football.

“It presented a dilemma. Juggling both became impossible,” Kendall said in a previous 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 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 ability – and Kendall has begun her career 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 dedication to become a star.

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

Her rapid progress has seen her become a WSL regular and an England international in a very brief period.

“Maintaining her level immediately in a new league and club is difficult, yet she has done so,” said Wiegman.

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

Her performance was notable; she came close to scoring again and was instrumental in another chance, preceding Russo’s spot-kick.

She was substituted after an hour to a cheer from the home crowd and the excited voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.

With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she commented, “The trust and consistent playing time I received from 16 was crucial.

“The constant faith they placed in me gave me the confidence to take the next step.

“I understood the need to justify my selection at international level, where the tempo is higher, akin to moving up a league.”

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

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

Wiegman is eager to protect her, saying the media can play a role in that and so can Villa, but she has no concerns because of how “down-to-earth” Kendall acts.

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.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo said it felt like Kendall had “was an old hand” as she integrated seamlessly into the squad.

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