Women's Euro 2017: 5 talking points around England 2-0 Spain

England areon the brink of ridding the demons of their group stage exit at Euro2013 after a 2-0 win over Spain, thanks to goals from Fran Kirby and Jodie Taylor. The winmeans Englandnow only require a point against Portugal on Thursday to top their group.Englandhad to play large parts of the game without the ball and Spain will be disappointed to have created so little, despite having dominated possession for long stretches.But Mark Sampson's side, who won with ease against Scotland four days ago, showed another side to their game tonight,grinding out a result at a soggy RatVerleghStadion in Breda.Here are the main talkingpointsfrom England's win.1. Sampson's faithDuring his spell as England manager, which now spansthree and a half years, Mark Sampson has become renowned for tinkering with his team – thanks largely to the huge pool of players he has to select from, andto ensure no player gets too comfortable.Naming an unchanged side after a 6-0 win might not be seen as a particularly bold move, but it was a statement by Sampson as it was the first time he had named the same XIin 55 games in charge.Themessage isclear:if any player wants to break into this team, they are going to have to impress off the bench, orsimplybe patient.With two wins under their belt and only a point needed in their final game to guarantee qualification, the unchanged line-up could well be a one off, especially with the game against Portugal being their third in eight days. But the balance of the side is exactly why England are one of thefavouritesto win Euro 2017, so don't expect too much tinkering.2. Early goal playedinto England's handsIt took England nine minutes to score their first against Scotland, andtonightagainst Spain, it took under two.Importantly, Mark Sampson will have known that his side will have had to play a lot of the game without the ball, with Spain adopting the 'tiki-taka' style we are so familiar with from the men's side.The early goal ensured that the Lionesses could afford tohavelong periodswithout the ball, because with alead to defendand a solid back four, it was always going to be tough for Spain to break them down.England need to be careful later on inthe tournament though,shouldthey qualify, because teams likeGermany, who also like to keep the ball, will be more of a threat in attacking areas. Spain rarely troubled England in the 18-yard box, and striker JenniferHermosowas given little to no service. But as long as England are continuing to score early, they will be incredibly difficult to break down.3. Millie Bright is becomingirreplaceableChelsea's 23-year-old was named alongside captain Steph Houghton in defence once again in Mark Sampson's unchanged side, and she again showed why she is held in suchhighregard.Sampson has been big onincreasingthe athleticism and strength of his England side, and Bright fits themouldwith a presence that matches up with the most physical of forwards.Bright marshalled the Spain forward line well alongside Houghton, andwith the likes of the experienced pair Casey Stoney (currently injured)and Laura Bassett, there's plenty of competition for her place in that back four.Bright has played as a striker in her career and that almost works to her advantage, being able to read the movements of the opposition and positionherself in the right areas. She's also a threat from set pieces, which was evident when she wrongly had a goal ruled out for offside after five minutes.4. The dark artsMark Sampson warned his players of the 'dark arts' of the Spanish team, suggesting in thebuildupto the match that Spain's players would perhaps go down tooeasily,and be in the referee's ear.The move was unquestionably an opportunity to try and gain a psychological advantage over his team's opponents, and to get into the head of the referee.But what we saw from Spain was anything but dark. Their five in midfield were a joy to watch and the interchange in positions ensured they had a lot of ball throughout the match.Former Arsenal Ladies player, Vicky Losada (nowof Barcelona),covered almost every blade of grass as she looked to link the play betweendefenceand attack. The pouring rain meant for a skiddy surface, which Spain used to their advantage, zipping the ball all over the park.The one issue -and it has been a common theme for teams who have dominated possession in this tournament - is thatthey didn’t create enough.5. The penalty that was, then wasn'tOne ofthe most astonishing decisions we've seen at an international women's tournament took place when refereeCarinaVitulanoawarded a penaltyto Spain with 15 minutes remaining, only to then change her mind and reverse the decision.The call came after forward Ellen White slippedat a crucialmoment, with the ballbouncingoff her knee onto her arm.A penalty was given, but after some confusion and pleading from England players, it was revoked and the Lionesses were given a major let-off.Youcouldsee why the penalty was given, but the argumentwill be that the handball was accidental, which is ultimately why the referee made the final call.New features you'd love on FourFourTwo.com