England women beat Italy to finish fifth in Cyprus Cup
By Tony Leighton
White scored the decisive goal for England deep into stoppage time
A last-gasp winner by captain Faye White gave England revenge over Italy in the play-off for fifth place at the Cyprus Cup.
Right-winger Alex Scott twice put England in front in Nicosia, only for Italy to hit back and draw level.
But Arsenal central defender White struck the winner two minutes into stoppage time to clinch a 3-2 win.
"It was a pleasing end to a really demanding week," England coach Hope Powell commented.
Fifth place in Cyprus was a disappointment after winning the tournament last year, but Powell said: "We've lost only one of four games and winning this last one will help confidence levels for the World Cup qualifiers we've got coming up against Austria and Spain.
"We spoke before today's match of taking the best bits out of our first three games into this one, and that's what the girls did.
"We're still conceding too many goals, but it was good to put three in the net and we might have had more with the chances we created."
England lost 2-1 to Italy in the opening group game of last year's European Championship finals in Finland.
But they made a great start this time when Scott rounded goalkeeper Anna Maria Picarelli to score the opener in the eighth minute.
And she went close to a second goal when her 35th-minute angled shot thudded into the side netting.
But the Italians drew level when goalkeeper Rachel Brown misjudged an Elisa Camporese cross to palm the ball into her own net two minutes before the interval.
Scott headed home Jess Clarke's cross to restore England's lead after the break.
But just six minutes later, Camporese was given time and space to guide an 18-yard shot into the corner of the net for Italy's second equaliser.
And only a fine diving save by Karen Bardsley, on as substitute for Brown, prevented Camporese from hitting an 82nd-minute winner.
Rachel Yankey should have clinched victory two minutes from time, but after jinking her way beyond the defence the winger dragged a shot wide of the far post.
But White sealed the win when she swept home a well struck 18-yard shot from substitute Lianne Sanderson's neat pass.
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