Women’s World Cup play-off: England sweep past Greece to keep tournament hopes alive

Women’s World Cup play-off: England sweep past Greece to keep tournament hopes alive England did not leave much room for doubt this time. After a 3-1 win over Greece in Crete left questions about their finishing and defensive concentration, the Lionesses responded with a ruthless display at Leicester’s King Power Stadium. A blistering first half put the tie beyond Greece, with England eventually securing a 5-0 (8-1 aggregate) win to advance to the next round of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 European play-offs. For Sarina Wiegman’s side, this was about more than progressing. It was a chance to show that the wastefulness of the first leg was not going to become a recurring problem. Lauren James sets the tone as England take control The breakthrough arrived just three minutes in, and it was a glimpse of the understanding between two of England’s most influential attacking players. Lauren James collected the ball in midfield, drove forward and threaded a pass into Alessia Russo’s path. The Arsenal striker held off her marker and calmly found the net to give England the start they wanted. James soon took centre stage herself. In the 16th minute, she controlled Maya Le Tissier’s pass inside the penalty area before unleashing a powerful left-footed finish. Greece had barely recovered when Georgia Stanway rose to meet Lauren Hemp’s cross in the 30th minute, directing her header into the far corner. Embed from Getty Images James completed England’s first-half rout five minutes later. Hemp supplied another dangerous ball from the left, and James arrived unmarked to turn it home from close range. Four goals inside 35 minutes left Greece with a mountain to climb and England with the breathing room they had lacked in the first leg. The performance was a marked improvement on the meeting in Crete. England had dominated possession in the first leg but struggled to turn that control into a more decisive scoreline, allowing Greece to pull a goal back late on. This time, the Lionesses were sharper in their movement, more direct in the final third and far more clinical when chances arrived. Russo puts the finishing touch on a complete performance England continued to press after the break, although the second half brought a little more resistance from Greece. England debutant Lexi Potter briefly thought she had added a fifth before the referee ruled out her effort for a foul in the build-up. Stanway also had a second goal disallowed for offside following a VAR review. Wiegman took the opportunity to rotate her side, introducing Beth Mead for James at half-time before making further changes as the game progressed. With the tie firmly under control, England could manage minutes while continuing to test Greece’s defence. Embed from Getty Images The fifth goal finally arrived in the 75th minute. Keira Walsh played a perfectly weighted pass into Russo’s path, and the forward raced through, rounded goalkeeper Styliani Katergiannaki and rolled the ball into an empty net. Her second goal of the night completed the scoring and capped an increasingly confident attacking display. A step closer to Brazil 2027 The result sends England into the second round of the European play-offs, where they will face Ukraine across a two-legged tie in November and December. The stakes are clear: win that tie, and the reigning European champions will secure their place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. There is still work to do before qualification is secured. Greece offered a different level of resistance from the opposition England will face at the tournament itself. Tuesday’s performance gave Wiegman plenty to build on. James brought the creativity and individual quality, Russo supplied the finishing and Hemp’s delivery repeatedly unsettled Greece’s back line. Just as importantly, England responded to the shortcomings of their first leg performance with purpose rather than frustration. The Lionesses have moved one step closer to Brazil. Now they must carry that sharper edge into the tie that will decide whether their World Cup preparations can truly begin. Related articles from Her Football Hub: Women’s World Cup play-off: Five-goal thriller sees Scotland beat Czechia England beat Greece but still leave room for improvement Sydney Sweeney’s Novig ad: What does it mean to represent women’s sports?