A quintet of goalscorers saw Sarina Wiegman secure her 50th win as England manager in style.

The Lionesses took a two-goal lead in the space of two minutes through Beth Mead, the winger controlling and firing a Lucy Bronze delivery past Hongyan Pan before tapping in her second while unmarked at the far post.

Lauren Hemp soon added a third, following in a ball from across the face of goal by midfielder Georgia Stanway. 

While China used England’s goal celebrations as a chance to perform a team huddle, their message of damage limitation was quickly lost in translation as the Lionesses added a fourth in the 23rd minute.

A cross into the 18-yard box from the lively Hemp could only be palmed into the danger area by Pan, with the ball falling kindly to Stanway to strike through the flailing bodies of the China defence.

The midfielder added a fifth before half time with a cool conversion from the penalty spot, as China right-back Li Mengwen was deemed to have committed a handball offence following an England free-kick by referee Alina Pesu. 

While Lionesses’ boss Sarina Wiegman rang the changes, the hosts continued their dominance with Stanway finishing off a one-two with Toone to clinch her hat-trick just seven minutes into the second half.

China were the masters of their own downfall for England’s seventh as Pan surrendered possession to Toone while under pressure, allowing the midfielder to easily slot home. 

Alessia Russo then secured a goal for her efforts in the 78th minute, the striker sliding in to latch onto a pass from Toone in what concluded England’s goalscoring rout.

Tenacious Lionesses run riot 

Ahead of hosting China PR for only the third time in the side’s history, England manager Wiegman labelled the friendly as a chance for her players to “go out, show what they’re good at and enjoy themselves”.

And in a rampant first 45, the Lionesses did just that. England immediately probed China’s “very disciplined backline” – described as such by Wiegman – with their tenacity proving too much for the Asian Champions.

Right-back Bronze was the first to lead the charge, characteristically advancing high and looking to outpace China’s Qiaozhu Chen. The defender’s efforts were soon rewarded as a half-volley from Mead turned in one of Bronze’s threatening deliveries. 

It was the same intent from Hemp which saw the winger wrestle the ball from China’s Li Mengwen. The 25-year-old then delivered a cross which eventually fell to Stanway to fire past the Steel Roses’ wilting defence.

England’s first-half dominance allowed Wiegman to also fulfil her wish of giving minutes to many players, with Lucia Kendall receiving her second senior cap as she replaced Keira Walsh.

The Aston Villa midfielder was involved in England’s eighth goal of the evening, playing in Toone who then provided the cut-back for Russo. Fellow substitute Taylor Hinds also impressed in her late cameo, supplying several crosses as England searched for a double figure scoreline.

Asian Champions overpowered in harrowing defeat

With five players in defence, the visitors had evidently set out to frustrate the European Champions, however, in a dismal defeat China did anything but.

While two swift pieces of play saw Mead put China to the early sword, the side’s defensive frailties were later shone a light on with right-back Mengwen and goalkeeper Pan at the forefront.

The former lost possession to a determined Hemp for England’s fourth, before later conceding a penalty for extending her arm to block Russo’s shot.

Pan also made a costly error while under pressure from the Lionesses striker, clearing the ball into the path of Toone for the midfielder to lay into the net. 

The 20-year-old later failed to deny Russo’s finish with her outstretched leg, the deflection merely helping the ball into the goal. 

In the absence of their leading goalscorer Wang Shuang, the Steel Roses also struggled offensively with their counter attacks typically culminating in an offside flag. 

A speculative long-range effort from Wei Yao in the closing stages momentarily offered the side a glimmer of hope, but that soon too faded as the strike sailed narrowly over the bar.