England moved to the top of Group A3 in the Women’s World Cup 2027 qualifiers after defeating defending champions Spain 1-0 at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday.
Lauren Hemp scored early in the first half to give the Euro champions a crucial win. The result marks England’s third successive victory in the qualifying campaign.
According to aljazeera.com, the goal came just three minutes into the match. Alessia Russo scooped the ball into the path of Hemp, who hooked it past goalkeeper Cata Coll before Alexia Putellas could clear the ball off the line.
England took the lead in a match that was the first meeting between the sides since the Lionesses' penalty shootout victory in last year’s European Championship final. Only the winners from each League A group will earn direct passage to the tournament in Brazil.
Dominant performances across Europe
Spain threatened an equalizer when Irene Paredes headed the ball just over the bar. Hemp nearly doubled the lead in the 19th minute when she clipped the post following a backheel pass from Lucy Bronze.
Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton played a vital role in preserving the clean sheet. She denied Patricia Guijarro at the near post before making a final save against Edna Imade in the closing minutes.
Keira Walsh captained the side in the absence of Leah Williamson, who is currently recovering from injury. Walsh also celebrated her 100th cap for England during the match.
The night also featured a retirement ceremony for Euro 2022-winning goalkeeper Mary Earps.
Other results in the qualifying rounds saw significant margins. Norway thrashed Slovenia 5-0 in Group A4, fueled by two goals from Ada Hegerberg. Germany also remained unbeaten in the same pool after a 5-1 win over Austria.
In Group A2, the Netherlands took the top spot from France after a 2-1 victory. Renee van Asten and Esmee Brugts scored for the Dutch, while Sandy Baltimore provided the lone goal for France.
In Group A1, Denmark secured a late 2-1 win over Sweden thanks to a stoppage-time goal by Janni Thomsen. Meanwhile, Italy recorded a 6-0 victory over Serbia to move level with the Swedes in second place.
