Goals from Lucy Bronze and Georgia Stanway made it two wins from two in England’s bid to qualify for the 2027 World Cup, with attention now turning to a hugely important game against Spain at Wembley in April.
England’s aim of avoiding the playoffs by securing top spot in their World Cup qualifying group was never going to be derailed by Ukraine and Iceland. Ukraine was a straightforward affair, once they had found their rhythm in the second half to earn a 6-1 win, and at the City Ground in Nottingham, while Iceland are higher ranked than Ukraine, the Lionesses were still overwhelmingly comfortable.
It is the two games against Spain that all have their eyes on, rematches of the Euro 2025 and 2023 World Cup finals, with one of those two sides laden with world-class players destined for a four-game playoff run.
“I’m really happy with the performance today, and with the camp,” said Sarina Wiegman after the 2-0 win. “Iceland are a very disciplined team, they have a lot of power and are very compact and it’s really hard to break them down … I think we eliminated that really, really well, which is not an easy task. Of course we want to score more goals, but first of all it’s about the win, and to have a clean sheet makes me happy too.”
Wiegman made three changes to the starting XI from Tuesday’s win against Ukraine, with Esme Morgan partnering Leah Williamson at the back instead of Lotte Wubben-Moy, Lauren James returning to the XI and Bronze resuming her position at right-back in place of Maya Le Tissier. It was Bronze’s 145th appearance for England, taking her clear of Karen Carney and into third in the Lionesses’ all-time list behind Jill Scott (161) and Fara Williams (172).
“Lucy has a mindset that is really incredible,” said Wiegman. “But of course, it starts with delivering yourself on the pitch and that’s what she does. She has so much football intelligence, she really gets it and at the same time, she’s helping her teammates.”
The effect of the very familiar and strong starting XI and the benefits of an 11-day international break behind them, which Wiegman said had given them time to “do some more tactical things”, were evident. The Lionesses were slick and the movement and passing between Stanway, James and Alessia Russo on England’s left was a particular highlight. It was no surprise that the opening goal came from that fruitful movement out wide.
They had already shown their threat from the left, with Lauren Hemp first unable to connect with Russo’s ball at full stretch then meeting James’s cross from a similar position but her header came back off a post.
The breakthrough arrived soon after, in the 22nd minute. Stanway’s neat pass found an overlapping James and the Chelsea forward swept it towards the back post where her club teammate Bronze was on hand to head home.
Despite failing to fully capitalise on their dominance, with 31 shots to one, 71% possession throughout and 45 touches in the opposition box to two, England were not troubled defensively. The visiting team’s best and only chance arrived on the hour mark as a note of caution, with Hannah Hampton making a smart save from Sandra Jessen’s header after she rose highest to meet a deflected cross.
There was little need for nerves given their dominance but the goal that gave England a cushion was a welcome one and a fine one, Bronze turning provider, sending a cross into the box from the right that Stanway turned in on the volley.
“In that moment, the timing was really good, the ball was great from Lucy and the touch from Georgia was probably the best thing,” said Wiegman.
It was the Bayern Munich midfielder’s sixth goal in four games for England and she has begun the season in excellent form before a summer of change, with her contract in Germany coming to an end, a departure announced and a move back to the WSL expected. She was given a loud ovation when she exited in added time for Lucia Kendall, the significance of her role not going unnoticed.
Spain are up next for England, before they travel to Iceland for their fourth of six games, and on the basis of this camp they can be full of confidence; this is a team really beginning to rediscover its groove.
