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, defeating Spain 1-0 in a thrilling match at Wembley. The win marks the first time the two teams have met since the Euro 2025 final, where England emerged victorious on penalties. Lauren Hemp scored the winning goal within three minutes, which was confirmed by goal-line technology. England dominated the first half, with Keira Walsh and Alessia Russo coming close to scoring. Spain improved in the second half, but England's defense held strong, with Hannah Hampton making a crucial save late in the game. The victory 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 the team had to defend well and be compact against Spain's skilled players. England midfielder Keira Walsh, who earned her 100th cap, praised the team's strategy and acknowledged the difficulty of competing with Spain for possession. The win sets England up for their next qualifier against Iceland on Saturday, while Spain faces Ukraine in Cordoba.