Key Takeaways
- Alessia Russo’s first-half goal gave England a 1-0 away win over Iceland.
- Hannah Hampton made several vital second-half saves to protect the narrow lead.
- The victory keeps England three points clear of Spain at the top of their qualifying group.
England stayed on course for automatic qualification to the 2027 Women’s World Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 win against Iceland in Reykjavík on Tuesday.
A cool finish from Arsenal forward Alessia Russo just before the break proved enough for the Lionesses, who had to withstand strong Icelandic pressure after half-time.
Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was the standout performer in the second period, twice denying the hosts when the game was on a knife-edge. Manager Sarina Wiegman hailed the Chelsea stopper as “world-class” and praised the team’s resilience.
“We always want to play better football, but winning while not at your best is also a skill,” Wiegman told reporters. “Hannah showed why we trust her in big moments.”
Russo’s goal came against the run of early Icelandic resistance. A swift counter-attack, started by Lauren Hemp, ended with the striker turning smartly and firing low past keeper Cecilia Rúnarsdóttir.
Despite enjoying more than 70 percent of possession, England could not add to their tally, and Iceland grew braver after the restart. Hampton blocked a close-range effort with her legs and later clawed away a dipping volley as the hosts pushed for a point.
The result leaves England on 12 points from four matches in League A Group 1, ahead of Spain on goal difference before the sides meet again in June.
In other qualifiers involving Home Nations, Wales edged Albania 1-0 through Rhiannon Roberts’ first-half strike to stay joint-top of Group B1. Northern Ireland made it back-to-back wins over Malta with a 4-2 success in Ta’ Qali, while Scotland played out a goalless draw in Belgium to remain first in Group B4.