England has significantly improved their chances of automatic qualification for the Women's World Cup with a tightly contested 1-0 victory over Spain at Wembley Stadium. This match marked the first encounter between the two teams since the Euro 2025 final in July, where England emerged victorious on penalties.
England made a strong start, with Lauren Hemp scoring the opening goal within the first three minutes, which was confirmed by goal-line technology. Despite Spain's attempts to equalize, England maintained their lead, thanks in part to Hannah Hampton's crucial save in the final moments of the game.
The win puts England three points clear at the top of Group A3, ahead of Spain, with only the top team qualifying automatically for the World Cup in Brazil. England's manager, Sarina Wiegman, expressed her happiness with the result, acknowledging that the team had to defend diligently against a skilled Spanish side. The Lionesses are set to play their next qualifier against Iceland on Saturday.