Kendall scored quickly on her second start for the national team.
“Her celebration was worthy of a Champions League triumph,” noted England manager Sarina Wiegman with a smile.
And for Lucia Kendall, it felt incredibly close.
This comment came as Wiegman recalled the young midfielder’s ecstatic reaction to her maiden England goal – early in a triumph over Ghana at St Mary's Stadium.
“They are still doing some treatment on the grass!” she joked, poking fun at Kendall’s perfect knee slide.
Rising to her feet among her celebrating colleagues, the young player wore an expression of overwhelming happiness.
Kendall was “a fixture” at Southampton – a club where she had been for ten seasons, coming through their academy and making 103 appearances before moving to Villa in July.
Consequently, netting at her old stomping ground in only her third game for England was an magical moment.
“It was a truly special moment to achieve this here, in my hometown. This place made me into the player I am,” Kendall stated.
“It seemed destined to happen. It was so special. I got overwhelmed with emotion really.”
While Southampton played a key role in her development, a life-altering choice at 15 set her on her path.
Despite being a capable cricketer (her father played for Hampshire), the impending demands of senior football at Southampton necessitated a decision. She went with football.
“It was an interesting one. There was no time for me to do both anymore,” Kendall said in a October media conference.
“I adored cricket as a child. Making the choice was very hard. I went back and forth, but when the time came, I realised I enjoy football a bit more.”
A Chelsea supporter, her childhood hero was the prolific England midfielder Frank Lampard, and Kendall’s early career is mirroring that goalscoring trend.
Juggling life at Southampton with a psychology degree at university, it was clear early on that Kendall had the work ethic and dedication to become a star.
The second-tier club retained her for as long as they could, but when her contract expired in the summer, Villa pounced to put her in the Women's Super League limelight.
Her rapid progress has seen her become a WSL fixture and an England international in a short space of time.
“She shows consistency and that's not easy when you just come into a new environment and into the WSL with Aston Villa,” said Wiegman.
“Everything has happened at breakneck speed, but her ability to sustain her high standards is truly notable.”
Kendall certainly enjoyed herself at St Mary's, striking the crossbar later in the first half and almost setting up Villa team-mate Missy Bo Kearns for a goal, before Alessia Russo added a second with an injury-time penalty.
She was substituted after an hour to a roar from the home crowd and the enthusiastic voice of the stadium announcer boasting that she was “Southampton's very own”.
With 29 Southampton goals to her name, she noted, “The faith and regular playing time I received from 16 made all the difference.
“Their unwavering belief in my abilities made me feel prepared for the challenge ahead.
“I understood the need to justify my selection at international level, where the tempo is higher, akin to moving up a league.”
Prior to her summer switch, Kendall played 103 games for Southampton.
At the highest level, she has immediately looked the part, described as a natural midfielder who “gets it”.
Wiegman is keen to shield her, saying the media can play a role in that and so can Villa, but she has no concerns because of how “down-to-earth” Kendall conducts herself.
In her early interactions with the press, she emphasized her willingness to fulfill any role for the benefit of the team.
According to Russo, Kendall’s integration was so smooth it seemed she’d was a veteran presence.
“{This team's just gone on to win back-to
