Alexia Putellas’ brace helped Spain thrash England 4-0 in Mallorca to top League A3 to put automatic qualification for 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in their hands.
Patricia Guijarro fired Spain in front from Mariona Caldentey’s 19th-minute pass, before Caldentey set up Putellas’ first goal in the 37th minute.
Putellas completed her brace with a 55th-minute rebound finish from Lucy Bronze’s goal-line clearance, before Claudia Pina sealed the victory with a 78th-minute finish, which condemned the Lionesses to their largest defeat under manager – Sarina Wiegman.
Spain’s win moved them top of League A3 and they will automatically qualify for the World Cup if they win away to Iceland in Reykjavik, but a draw or defeat would be enough if England fail to better their result.
Aware that only victory would prolong their automatic qualification aspirations at kick-off, Spain unsurprisingly began on the front foot but Putellas put a 10th-minute header wide, whilst Edna Imade’s header was saved by Hannah Hampton a minute later.
England however had small periods of possession as Keira Walsh fired wide in the 17th minute from the edge of the box.
Spain continued to pile on the pressure which proved the difference two minutes later as Caldentey played Guijarro forward unmarked, and the 28 year-old calmly rifled low on her right foot past Hampton into the bottom right corner via a deflection from Esme Morgan.
Imade saw another header saved whilst Putellas put a shot wide and saw another saved by Hampton as the world champions continued their dominance, which was nearly doubled by Vicky Lopez but her mistimed 35th-minute shot was saved.
England’s resistance again was undone two minutes later as Caldentey teed up Putellas into the box to break forward with a shot into the top right corner, which put Spain in firm control of the group and match at half time.
Spain almost heaped further misery on England as a 51st-minute cross was whipped across to the right post yet Salma Paralluelo lashed a volley wide across the face of goal.
England’s hope of retaining control of the group in the event that they suffered a high-scoring defeat by an one-goal margin were finished four minutes later, as Guijarro teed up Putellas whose initial shot was cleared off the line by her ex Barcelona teammate, Bronze.
Putellas however was alert to smash in the rebound to net her second goal and consolidated Spain’s new-found grip on the summit of the group.
Guijarro nearly completed her own brace in the 61st minute after she met Lopez’s knockback header across goal and put her own header towards the top right corner, only for Hampton to flap it away on the line.
Lopez then fired wide two minutes later from Guijarro’s pass as the hosts continued to build their intensity and control over the European champions.
Spain eventually added further consolidation of their victory in the 78th minute as substitute, Aitana Bonmati fed Pina forward to cut into space, from which she bent a tightly-angled shot into the right corner to leave their fate in their own hands on the final matchday.
What’s Next?
Spain conclude their campaign with a trip to Reykjavik to face Iceland on Tuesday 9 June at 9pm CEST.
England wrap up their campaign at home to Ukraine at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, with their clash also kicking off at 8pm BST (9pm CEST).
Teams
Spain: Cata Coll, Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Mapi Leon, Lucia Corrales (Carmona 84′), Mariona Caldentey (Serrajordi 84′), Patricia Guijarro, Alexia Putellas (Bonmati 77′), Vicky Lopez (Pina 68′), Edna Imade (Gonzalez 76′), Salma Paralluelo
Substitutions: Fiamma Benitez, Aitana Bonmati, Olga Carmona, Laia Codina, Esther Gonzalez, Maria Mendez, Adriana Nanclares, Eva Navarro, Claudia Pina, Misa, Clara Serrajordi, Athenea del Castillo
England: Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze (Charles 85′), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Carter 85′), Esme Morgan, Alex Greenwood, Ella Toone (Mead 59′), Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo, Lauren James (Kelly 59′)
Substitutes: Sophie Baggaley, Laura Blindkilde Brown, Jess Carter, Niamh Charles, Grace Fisk, Freya Godfrey, Chloe Kelly, Lucia Kendall, Maya Le Tissier, Beth Mead, Anna Moorhouse, Jess Park
Referee – Ivana Martincic
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