England has taken a significant step towards automatic qualification for the Women's World Cup after defeating Spain 1-0 at Wembley. This was 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 dominate the first half, with Keira Walsh and Alessia Russo coming close to scoring.
Spain improved in the second half, with Olga Carmona and Vicky Lopez hitting the woodwork, but England's defense held strong. The win puts England three points clear at the top of Group A3, ahead of Spain. England manager Sarina Wiegman expressed her happiness with the result, stating that her team had to defend well against a strong Spanish side. The Lionesses will face Iceland in their next qualifier on Saturday, while Spain will play Ukraine in Cordoba.
England midfielder Keira Walsh, who earned her 100th cap, praised her team's strategy and acknowledged the challenge posed by Spain. The win is a significant step forward for England's World Cup qualification campaign, and they will need to maintain their spirit to end the campaign as Group A3 winners.