England began their 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying campaign with a 6-1 victory against Ukraine in Antalya, Ukraine.
Alessia Russo struck twice early in the second half to put England in front after a frustrating opening half, before Georgia Stanway netted a 64th-minute penalty following a foul on Lauren Hemp by Kateryna Korsun.
Stanway added her second goal in the 70th minute before Jess Park wrapped up victory with her 78th-minute close-range finish and 89th-minute curled strike.
England consequently found themselves top of their Qualifying Group on goal difference from Spain after the reigning world champions beat Iceland 3-0, with Claudia Pina’s brace and Edna Imade on the scoresheet for the Spanish.
Placed in a tough group alongside Spain who beat them in the 2023 Women’s World Cup Final and just one automatic qualification spot at stake, England knew that victories against Ukraine and Iceland who are also in this group would be key to their chances of topping the group.
Ukraine however sat deep and let England dominate as Hemp, Russo, Park and Stanway saw shots blocked.
Laura Blindkilde Brown meanwhile hit the underside of the crossbar with a dinking 19th-minute shot, which was subsequently cleared off the line much to the Lionesses’ frustrations.
Russo then saw a 23rd-minute header blocked, whilst Lotte Wubben-Moy’s 31st-minute backheel flicked shot was cleared off the line, as Ukraine eventually kept their superior opposition out until half time.
England manager, Sarina Wiegman consequently opted to switch Hemp across to the right wing whilst Park went vice-versa to the left wing for the second half, whilst Leah Williamson and Taylor Hinds were hooked for Esme Morgan and debutant – Poppy Pattinson respectively.
That gamble soon paid off just three minutes into the second half as a move was worked across to Walsh down the middle, and the midfielder slipped Russo through to sidestep Yana Kotyk and curled her shot into the far-bottom right corner to break the deadlock.
Russo got her second goal just three minutes later after she met Hemp’s cutback pass and swept in from close range to double the Lionesses’ lead.
Ukraine however pulled a goal back in the 58th minute after Veronika Andrukhiv’s free-kick was knocked down for Kalinina to smash into the bottom-left corner.
England however prevented any fears that they could defensively implode as just five minutes later, Hemp was brought down inside the box by Korsun, and Stanway dispatched the spot-kick into the left corner as Kateryna Samson dived the wrong way a further minute later.
Stanway proceeded to wrap up victory with a 70th-minute strike into the top-left corner from Wubben-Moy’s pass.
Park proceeded to heap further misery on Ukraine as she pounced upon Stanway’s low cross and swept her shot into the net to further extend England’s lead.
The 24-year-old eventually proceeded to seal a comfortable winning start to England’s qualifying campaign with a 89th-minute curled finish from substitute, Lucia Kendall’s pass.
What’s Next?
Ukraine remain at Mardan Sports Complex, Antalya, Turkey, as they host Spain on Saturday 7 March at 6pm CET.
England will host Iceland at the City Ground, Nottingham, on Saturday 7 March at 12:30pm GMT in their second qualifier.
Teams
Ukraine: Kateryna Samson, Maryna Shainiuk, Yana Kotyk, Anna Petryk, Kateryna Korsun, Olga Basanska, Veronika Andrukhiv (Hiryn 64′), Yana Kalinina (Vorontsova 65′), Olga Ovdiichuk, Nicole Kozlova (Zaborovets 9′, Olkhova 86′), Roksolana Kravchuk (Hlushchenko 64′)
Substitutes: Kateryna Boklach, Viktoriya Hiryn, Inna Hlushchenko, Dariia Deliushyk, Svitlana Kohut, Iryna Kotiash, Lesia Olkhova, Iryna Podolska, Lyubov Shmatko, Daryna Vorontsova, Lidiia Zaborovets
England: Hannah Hampton, Maya Le Tissier, Leah Williamson (Morgan 46′), Lotte Wubben-Moy, Taylor Hinds (Pattinson 46′), Laura Blindkilde Brown, Keira Walsh (Kendall 79′), Georgia Stanway, Jess Park, Alessia Russo (Beever-Jones 73′), Lauren Hemp (James 73′)
Substitutes: Aggie Beever-Jones, Jess Carter, Grace Fisk, Freya Godfrey, Lauren James, Chloe Kelly, Lucia Kendall, Anna Moorhouse, Esme Morgan, Poppy Pattinson, Ellie Roebuck, Lucy Bronze
Leave a Reply