Football: England overcome Canada to win Cyprus Cup

England Women have won the Cyprus Cup for a third time courtesy of Lianne Sanderson’s second-half goal against Canada. The win could provide Mark Sampson’s squad with a timely boost ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

England reached the Cyprus Cup final after group stage wins over Finland and Australia and a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands.

After a tense start, the game opened up as both goalkeepers were called into action. Manchester City midfielder Jill Scott forced Erin McLeod to tip her side-footed shot over the bar, while Arsenal stopper Siobhan Chamberlain got down smartly to save Christine Sinclair’s low effort from 12 yards.

The irrepressible Sinclair was the focal point of Canada’s attacking play and she might have done better than head wide a cross from Adriana Leon, who replaced Melissa Tancredi midway through the first half.

The game’s only true moment of quality came on 67 minutes when Sanderson finished off a tidy England move.