England has taken a significant step towards automatic qualification for the Women's World Cup with a narrow 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 after defending their title.
England made a strong start, with Lauren Hemp scoring the opening goal within three minutes, which was confirmed by goal line technology. Hemp had an opportunity to score a second goal soon after but hit the post.
England continued to dominate the first half, with Keira Walsh and Alessia Russo coming close to scoring, while Spain struggled to find their rhythm, managing only one shot on target. The second half saw a more evenly contested match, with both teams creating scoring opportunities.
Olga Carmona and Vicky Lopez both hit the woodwork for Spain, with Carmona's attempt also requiring goal line technology confirmation. At the other end, Lucia Kendall, Lauren James, and Russo all missed chances to extend England's lead.
England's goalkeeper, Hannah Hampton, made a crucial save late in the game to deny Edna Imade from a corner, securing England's victory. This win puts England three points clear at the top of Group A3, ahead of Spain. Only the team that finishes top of the group will qualify automatically for the World Cup in Brazil next summer, with the runner-up entering a playoff.
England's manager, Sarina Wiegman, expressed her happiness with the result, stating that the team had to defend well against Spain's possession-based game. Wiegman also praised Keira Walsh on her 100th cap, highlighting her development and importance to the team. Walsh herself acknowledged the difficulty of playing against Spain and the team's strategy of sitting deep and counter-attacking. The victory has significant implications for England's World Cup qualification campaign, and they will look to build on this momentum in their next match against Iceland on Saturday.