Sarina Wiegman’s side ended their FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 group-stage qualifying campaign with a professional 3–0 win over Ukraine at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Goals from Jess Carter, Georgia Stanway and Beth Mead got England back on track after the bruising defeat in Spain
But on a night when England needed help elsewhere, none arrived.
After Friday night’s 4–0 thumping by Spain in Majorca knocked the Lionesses off top spot, the equation was brutally simple: beat Ukraine and hope Spain slipped, or somehow wipe out a nine-goal goal-difference gap.
England did their part, but Spain’s 6–1 win away to Iceland in Reykjavik meant it did not matter, leaving Wiegman’s side second in Group A3 and heading for the play-offs.
Still, Wiegman will have been pleased with the reaction. This was not a night of panic or hangover football. England were sharper, braver and far more assertive than they had been in Majorca. Ukraine were disciplined, organised and stubborn, but the Lionesses controlled the contest from the opening stages.
Lauren James was central to almost everything early on. She struck the bar with a curling effort from a short-corner after 11 minutes, giving Ukraine an early warning they failed to learn from.
Two minutes later, England went back to the same source. Another short corner found James on the edge of the area, and her clipped delivery to the far post was met by Carter, who nodded in to make it 1–0. In doing so, the defender became the first England player to score at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Lionesses kept coming. Lauren Hemp forced Kateryna Boklach into a save, Alessia Russo had a header kept out, and James continued to drift into pockets between Ukraine’s defensive lines.
The second arrived eight minutes before half-time. Keira Walsh fed Russo down the left, and the striker showed excellent awareness to square across goal. Stanway arrived on cue, sliding into an empty net to double England’s lead.
It was not a demolition, but it was control. England moved the ball with purpose, pressed with conviction and carried far more threat than they had shown against Spain. Ukraine offered resistance, but very little in the way of danger.
Wiegman made changes at the break. James, having already made her mark, was replaced by Beth Mead, while Alex Greenwood came on for Esme Morgan.
England kept pushing. Niamh Charles found space from a Maya Le Tissier free-kick but could only guide her effort wide from a tight angle. Boklach then denied Hemp at close range before parrying a powerful Russo strike as Ukraine clung on.
Then came Mead’s moment.
On 67 minutes, the Arsenal forward stood over a free-kick just outside the area and bent a low effort into the bottom corner. It was her 40th goal for England, moving her level with Fara Williams in fifth place on the Lionesses’ all-time scoring list.
Mead almost added another late on, but Boklach pushed away her long-range effort. Ukraine’s discipline prevented the scoreline from becoming heavier, yet the result itself was never in doubt.
England got the win. They got the clean sheet. But they did not get top spot.
Match Highlights
Group A3 Final Standings
Match Stats
Lineups & Player Ratings
Up next, Greece
England will now face Greece over two legs in October, with the Lionesses seeded to play the second leg at home.
On paper, it is a favourable draw, but Greece are not arriving as passengers: they won all four of their League C Group 4 qualifiers, scoring 11 goals, conceding four and earning promotion as group winners.
Victory would send England into a second-round tie against either Slovakia or Ukraine, but after a group campaign that slipped from automatic qualification to the play-offs, Wiegman’s side know there is no more margin for drift. The job in Liverpool was done; the job of reaching Brazil is not.
Playoff Fixtures
- Wed 7 October, 20.00 – Greece vs England (TBC, ITV1/X, TBC)
- Tue 13 October, 20.00 – England vs Greece (Wembley, ITV1/X, Tickets)
Live Standings
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