England Moves Closer to World Cup Qualification with Victory Over Spain

England has taken a significant step towards automatic qualification for the Women's World Cup with a hard-won 1-0 victory over Spain at Wembley. This match marked the first encounter between the two teams since the Euro 2025 final in July, where England emerged victorious on penalties. The Lionesses made a strong start, with Lauren Hemp scoring the opening goal within three minutes, which was confirmed by goal line technology. England continued to create better chances in the first half, with Keira Walsh and Alessia Russo coming close, while Spain's attack seemed uncharacteristically blunt. The second half saw an end-to-end battle, with both teams wasting significant opportunities. England's Hannah Hampton made a crucial save late in the game to deny Edna Imade. This win puts England three points clear at the top of Group A3, ahead of Spain. The team will face Iceland in their next qualifier, while Spain will play Ukraine. England manager Sarina Wiegman expressed her happiness with the result, stating that the team had to defend well and be compact against Spain's skilled possession play. Wiegman also praised Keira Walsh on her 100th cap, highlighting her development and importance to the team. Midfielder Keira Walsh noted that the plan was to sit in a low block and counter-attack, acknowledging that Spain's possession-based style made it difficult to match them toe-to-toe. The win demonstrates England's ability to compete with top teams, even without some regular starters, and sets them up for a crucial return leg against Spain in June.