Carrow Road held a successful day of international women’s football as England, Spain, Canada and Germany battled it out in the Arnold Clark Cup.
The tournament, which is warm up ahead of the European Championships which will be held this country in the summer, saw England take on Spain in the opening game at 3.15pm before Canada played Germany in the evening kick-off at 8.15pm.
England, back by a crowd of more than 14,000 started their match against Spain strongly, with Jill Scott sending an early shot wide from 20 yards out.
However, Spain had a chance of their own on 17 minutes when England keeper Hannah Hampton, making her debut, came to clear a ball at the edge of the area inviting a long-range shot from Aitana Bonmatí, but her effort was off target.
There was a loud cheer at the start of the second half as Lauren Hemp, who started her footballing journey off at Norwich, replaced Nikita Paris.
And it could have been a special homecoming for the North Walsham-born striker as she picked up the ball 30 yards from goal and sent a left-foot shot off the inside of the post with her first action of the game.
That chance lifted England as Ellen White was sent through on goal moments later, from a good Beth Mead through ball, but just as she was about to pull the trigger Miria Pilar León Cebrián got back to make a superb sliding challenge.
The pressure continued though as the impressive Lucy Bronze chipped a ball down the channel that allowed Mead to send an effort fizzing across the face of goal, but Spain hit back as Lucia García fired wide from eight yards out before Ona Batlle Pascual curled an effort just over the upright on the hour mark.
Jennifer Hermoso then fired an effort straight at Hampton before White mistimed a header at the near post following a good cross from the right before Ella Toone misfired when the ball dropped to her in the box.
The game ended with man-of-the-match Athenea Del Castillo putting a shot into the side netting and then firing an effort from the edge of the box that Hampton saved well.
That meant going into the second game Canada or Germany could take pole position in the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup on matchday two with a victory against their opponent.
And it was Olympic champions Canada who started the better, opening the scoring after seven minutes when a corner routine was headed home by Vanessa Gilles.
Germany had a good chance to level four minutes before the break when Klara Bühl turned and fired a shot from inside the box that brought a good save out of Kailen Sheridan in Canada’s goal.
However, Germany were then given a lifeline early on in the second half when Nichelle Prince appeared to be taken out by Germany keeper Ann-Katrin Berger as she attempted to move the ball around her, only for the referee c to turn down any appeals for a free kick.
And substitute Giulia Gwinn almost profited from that decision but when she got clear down the left side of the box her shot was well saved by the legs of Sheridan.
In the end Canada defended resolutely in the minutes that remained as Germany piled on the pressure and as a result they go to Molinuex top of the group.\
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England now have to beat Germany at Molineux on Wednesday and hope that result of the other game goes their way to pick up the trophy.