Women's World Cup: England practising penalties - Alex Scott

England have been practising penalties for the past month, defender Alex Scott has revealed.

England lost to France on penalties in the 2011 quarter-finals.

"That day was heartbreaking. We have been practising penalties ever since we [met up to train] at St Georges Park," 30-year-old Scott said.

"We feel like we are in a different state of mind.

"There is a real buzz around this team and I don't think we are looking back at previous tournaments, where we failed and what went wrong.

"It's very much about this group of players wanting to do well and progress as far as we can in this tournament so even though it's a pressure game against Norway, we don't feel like it is.

"We want to go all the way to the final."

The World Cup has a last-16 round for the first time as the tournament has been expanded to 24 teams.

England have never been past the last eight but have gained momentum with victories against Mexico and Colombia following their opening defeat by France.

Mark Sampson's team now face 1995 World Cup winners Norway, who are unbeaten after their group games, which included a 1-1 draw with world number ones Germany.

The Welshman has used all 20 outfield players in England's group games, with Scott frustrated as she missed out against Mexico as Lucy Bronze, 23, took her place.

Scott has never been dropped in five previous major tournaments and has 126 caps.

But despite feeling like she had "let her family down", she believes squad rotation is part of a positive new identity under Sampson.

"It was really hard phoning home," Scott said. "But it's about the team effort so you have to deal with it and then regroup."

Scott's Arsenal team-mate Lianne Sanderson is another player who has been frustrated by sitting on the bench, but she made her first appearance of the tournament in the 2-1 win over Colombia last Wednesday in Montreal.