And City duo Alex Greenwood and Laura Coombs also featured for the Lionesses as they maintained their 100% win record in this year’s prestigious tournament.
The European champions made the perfect start at Australia’s Hindmarsh Stadium when Hemp burst down the left and sent a teasing ball into the box which broke to Alessia Russo who hit a powerful low drive into the bottom corner.
Sarina Weigman’s side’s goal inside four minutes didn’t dampen China supporters’ spirits as they continued to passionately support their players.
However, the Asia nation almost had a mountain to climb on 13 minutes when the Arsenal forward broke down the left and drilled the ball across the goal but a stretching Hemp couldn’t make meaningful contact which would’ve doubled her side’s advantage.
Having won their previous two matches against Haiti and Denmark 1-0 respectively, England doubled their tournament tally with their second goal of the evening when our skilful winger latched onto a pass from Lauren James and slotted home.
The Lionesses had clearly found their groove and almost scored their third when Rachel Daly curled a dangerous cross into the box which was met by Lucy Bronze whose header cannoned off the post.
But the third did arrive on the cusp of half-time when Chelsea’s James collected the ball on the edge of the area and nonchalantly swept past Yu Zhu.
Then, deep into first-half stoppage time, James thought she’d doubled her tally in the match with a venomous effort into the top corner from range, before the officials consulted VAR and spotted an offside in the build-up and ruled out her sublime effort.
With China harbouring their own ambitions of reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup ahead of the match, they were fast out of the blocks after the interval and won a penalty for a handball on Bronze in the 55th minute.
Wang Shuang stepped up and slotted past Mary Earps to decrease the deficit.
Buoyed by their strike, China pushed for a second - but their hopes were extinguished by James’ brilliance when she hit a sensational volley into the top corner from just inside the area with 35 minutes remaining.
After being introduced from the sidelines with less than 20 minutes remaining, Kelly wasted little time to stamp her authority on proceedings by scoring England’s fifth and her first at the World Cup.
James played an inviting ball behind the China defence and City’s clinical attacker read the flight of the bounce to tap into an empty net.
Wiegman’s side weren’t finished there, though, and Daly added a sixth to the scoreline when she was unmarked at the back post and able to fire into the net after the ball fell her way.
Next up for England is their last-16 meeting with Nigeria on Monday 7 August at 8:30 (UK).
