Lionesses 1-0 Spain
by Layth Yousif 
at Wembley Stadium

ENGLAND WOMEN beat Spain 1-0 in their World Cup qualifying clash on Tuesday night.

Lauren Hemp’s third minute goal was enough for the Lionesses to claim victory in a compelling World Cup qualifier at Wembley Stadium.

In front of 62,306 in north-west London — an attendance far bigger than both men’s Champions League quarter-finals being played at the same time — the home side made it three wins from three in their bid to qualify for the 2027 World Cup finals in Brazil. 

The Lionesses hosted Spain in the first clash between the sides since Sarina Wiegman’s England beat their opponents to lift their second European Championship in succession on a memorable night in Basel in July 2025.

Fittingly Keira Walsh was named Lionesses captain in honour of her 100th cap. Rightly so, with two European titles and a World Cup runners-up medal amassed during a stellar career so far, it was due testament to a true legend, a great player and a genuinely humble footballer.

It was also fitting that the 29-year-old Walsh — along with so many others — earned the right to be lauded by standing on the shoulders of giants of the women’s game.

As such, it was apt that 1972 Lionesses trailblazers Pat Davies and Morag Kirkland-Pearce were presented to the crowd before the game. It was also heartening that the pre-match guard of honour featured more than 50 former Lionesses from across the decades who were in attendance, with the majority forming a guard of honour for both teams as they walked out onto the pitch before kick-off.

It was also apposite that representatives from Lynda Hale’s family, the former Lioness who scored in the first-ever official England women’s fixture in 1972, and who recently passed away, were also present for the occasion.

Heroes duly honoured, it was back to the future, as the team that topped the four-nation A3 group were guaranteed to qualify for the World Cup — meaning this game had a massive bearing on who makes it to Brazil for the global jamboree next year, with the runner-up in the group having to face a play-off match in a bid to qualify for the 2027 World Cup.

Wiegman’s Lionesses topped Group A3 on goal difference with England and Spain winning their first two matches before their clash at Wembley — the home side having beaten Iceland and Ukraine last month.

Arsenal’s legendary centre-back Leah Williamson had been working overtime in a bid to be fit for this mouth-watering clash, but sadly was ruled out after missing the Gunners’ last five matches with a hamstring issue. 

Clubmate Lotte Wubben-Moy took her place at the heart of the backline, partnering Washington Spirit’s Sheffield-born Esme Morgan. Aston Villa’s 21-year-old midfielder Lucia Kendall also started for her sixth cap, while Alessia Russo featured up front.

Of course, prior to last summer’s Euros triumph, the Lionesses beat La Roja at Wembley in February 2025 in the Nations League. Spain won the reverse fixture, and went on to win the entire tournament, defending their title — their first silverware under new manager Sonia Bermudez, and despite England’s memorable victory in the final of Euro 2025, Spain remain the international yardstick, not least by coming into the game unbeaten in their last 17 games, winning 15 of them. And that’s without mentioning the fact Spain are the current world champions, having beaten England in Sydney back in 2023.

However, England are never daunted by mere statistics, which was heartily underlined after only three minutes, when Hemp hooked the ball past keeper Cata Coll to put England 1-0 ahead, as Wembley celebrated the Lionesses’ quickest-ever goal when playing at the national stadium.

Shortly after the restart, Lauren James fired over as England dominated the opening stages.

The Lionesses hit the woodwork after a sweeping move on 19 minutes that saw Lucy Bronze execute an imperious back heel in the Spanish box, to tee up Hemp, whose left-footed shot evaded Coll, but struck the far post.

As we approached the half-hour mark the visitors attempted to gain a foothold, when the dangerous Vicky Lopez fired wide following a spell of Spanish pressure.

On 32 minutes, Spain No 2 Ona Batlle took the ball on the turn superbly well to power into the box, but her shot narrowly flew over Hannah Hampton’s bar, as the visitors sought an equaliser.

Moments later, Walsh’s effort sailed high over Coll’s bar, the shot following a melee in the box — prior to Russo testing Coll with a fierce near-post drive that the Spain keeper did well to turn away for a corner, that duly came to nothing.

Olga Carmona’s effort was deflected by the indefatigable Lucy Bronze, whose two-footed last-gasp block somehow managed to steer the ball onto Hampton’s bar, before the keeper pushed it out for a corner. No wonder the Spain No 7 held her head in her hands after Bronze’s last-gasp defensive heroics.

England swept up the other end only for No 10 Lucia Kendall’s shot to fly over the bar when well-placed. It was then Russo’s turn to go close, as her low shot flew across Coll’s goal as well as the Spain keeper’s far post.

As the match opened up, Lopez dovetailed well with Batlle, whose ball back inside saw the No 14 clip Hampton’s far post. Moments later, on 58 minutes, James found herself in space in the box, but her left-footed shot lacked sufficient curl to find the net, as somehow the score remained 1-0 to Wiegman’s side after a flurry of chances for both sides.

With the game still in the balance, on 64 minutes Lopez just failed to get on the end of No 20 Claudia Pina’s tantalising cross deep into the box. 

Three minutes later, the dangerous Lopez tested Hampton, who blocked her stinging shot. As Spain pushed England deeper and deeper, Irene Paredes headed over from Pina’s corner moments later.

As the clock ticked down, substitute Edna Imade’s header missed the target, before Hampton’s outstanding full-stretch save from Imade at point blank range, to help England seal a memorable victory. 

The sides meet again in the return fixture in Mallorca in June, but for now England are in the ascendancy.

“At the moment it’s a really good result,” said Wiegman after the match, adding: “we’re really happy — but we need to keep that significance by getting a result on Saturday against Iceland.”