Alisha Lehmann featured as Switzerland got their FIFA Women's World Cup campaign off to a flying start on Friday morning.
Goals from PSG's Ramona Bachmann and Zürich's Seraina Piubel capped a 2-0 win against the Phillipines, and their assertive will please them heading into their final two group games.
Lehmann came on with a little over 20 minutes remaining to help see out the game.
Despite starting the game on the substitutes bench, our number seven will have felt immensely proud to be representing her country at a major tournament again.
The forward missed last summer's European Championships but returned to the fold during the 2022/23 campaign after a string of impressive performances for Aston Villa.
Alisha watched on as her teammates made a commanding start to their World Cup campaign.
They perhaps should have gone ahead on 15 minutes when Eintracht Frankfurt's Géraldine Reuteler latched onto a long ball before attempting a lob from inside the area.
The attempt, however, was comfortably kept out.
Just a minute later, though, Switzerland were let off the hook.
Philippines produced a long ball of their own that caused all kinds of problems.
The ball eventually found its way into the back of the net but VAR quickly ruled out the effort for offside.
Switzerland missed several key opportunities to take the lead but finally did so on the stroke of half-time.
Servette's Coumba Sow was felled inside the area and Bachmann made no mistake in dispatching the spot kick.
Shortly after the break, the lead was doubled when Piubel slammed home from close range after a superb double save from the Philippines goalkeeper.
Alisha then entered the fray just shy of the 70-minute mark and almost got herself on the scoresheet.
Her headed attempt at the back post, however, was blocked.
The 24-year-old will be hoping to have made a case to start her country's next game in Group A, which is against Norway on Tuesday morning.
Congrats on the opening game win, Lish!
