Lauren James starred as England beat Iceland 2-0 at a sold-out City Ground to maintain their 100 per cent start to their qualifying campaign for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.Lucy Bronze, winning her 145th cap, opened the scoring with a looping header midway through the first half, the right back’s 22nd goal for her country.
The home side needed a second-half Hannah Hampton wonder save to preserve their slender lead, before Georgia Stanway calmed the Lionesses’ nerves by volleying home a second with 12 minutes to play.
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Georgia Stanway celebrates after doubling England’s lead against Iceland
As a result, Sarina Wiegman’s side stay in first place in Group A3 ahead of world champions Spain’s clash with Ukraine later on Saturday, with only one team qualifying automatically for the competition in Brazil.How England stayed top of Group A3Wiegman picked an attacking line-up for the second match of the qualifying campaign in the knowledge that goal difference could be crucial, although Iceland proved far sterner opponents than Ukraine had in England’s first game on Tuesday when the visitors scored six second-half goals.
It took the hosts until the 22nd minute to make the breakthrough as James got free down the left and picked out Bronze’s run to the back post, although the Chelsea full back still had a lot to do to beat Cecilia Runarsdottir with a header that floated into the far corner.
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Lucy Bronze celebrates after giving England the lead against Iceland
England, going in search of a second goal to give them breathing space, hit the post twice before half-time as the elusive James proved impossible to stop down the left – but the visitors defended stubbornly to frustrate the European champions.
And were it not for a world-class save from Hampton, who somehow dived full length to claw away Sandra Jessen’s header that seemed destined for the far corner, Iceland would have drawn level on the hour mark.
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Hildur Antonsdottir in action with England’s Georgia Stanway and Jess Park
That scare woke up a listless England, with Stanway soon doubling their lead with a well-struck volley into the bottom corner having been found by Bronze’s cross from the right-hand byline for her 32nd international goal.However,…
2026-03-07 14:15:00
