England 2 Colombia 1: Mark Sampson salutes his squad’s versatility after reaching last 16

Head coach Mark Sampson hailed England’s versatility after they sealed a place in the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup.

First-half goals by winger Karen Carney and midfielder Fara Williams, who scored from the penalty spot, set up the victory, although Colombia’s Lady Andrade pulled a goal back with the last kick of the match.

The win left England second in Group F, behind France on goal difference, and they will now face Norway in Ottawa on Monday as they bid for the quarter‑finals.

Sampson said: “That was an excellent performance and we’re building a real momentum. We’ve shown how adaptable we are by playing different formations in each game, and we’ve used every outfield player in the squad now.

“We’re in a good place with a strong winning mentality. We’re confident and we’ve got a lot of different weapons. Now it’s a case of choosing the right ones.”

Sampson proved his point with a team selection that showed five changes from last Saturday’s 2-1 win over Mexico.

Norway are ranked 11th in the world — five places below England — but have already shown their worth in this tournament.

Sampson said: “We’re going to face a good, high quality team who have drawn with Germany, the best team in the tournament. But I know that this side’s ready.”