New Zealand has battled to delay the inevitable but England eventually hurried to an eight wicket win in the first test and a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Brydon Carse bowled England to a commanding victory in the first Test against New Zealand, underlining his status as a rising star in Christchurch. Carse caught the eye on unhelpful pitches in Pakistan in his debut series,

Defensively, the U.S. kept the Lionesses at bay mostly through a stranglehold on possession combined with an organized structure. When that structure did break down, the likes of Casey Krueger, Naomi Girma and the Emilys — Fox and Sonnett — were there to put out fires.

Emma Hayes witnessed a dominant display from her players at a packed Wembley stadium, but the U.S. coach could not taste victory on her return to England.

Saturday's 0-0 draw wasn't a classic by any means, but some USWNT players -- like Yazmeen Ryan and Naomi Girma -- did impress.