Women's Football: World Cup boost as Yankey sees off US

(REUTERS)

First-half goals from Jess Clarke and Rachel Yankey earned England a 2-1 victory over United States in Saturday's women's international at Leyton Orient.

Megan Rapinoe halved the deficit six minutes before the interval but the visitors could not find an equaliser after the break as England secured a confidence-boosting victory ahead of this year's World Cup.

Clarke went close with a flicked header before she drilled home an eighth-minute opener for England. Yankey then doubled the lead in the 26th minute, firing a a left-footed shot across goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and into the top corner.