England Lionesses Kick Off World Cup Qualifying with 6-1 Thrashing of Ukraine
England's women's football team, the Lionesses, launched their World Cup qualifying campaign in emphatic style with a resounding 6-1 victory over Ukraine in Antalya, Turkey. The match, held on Tuesday 03 March 2026, saw Georgia Stanway shine with two goals and an assist, leading a dominant second-half performance after a frustrating first half.
Stubborn First Half and Early Setbacks
Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, the contest was staged in Turkey, where Ukraine put up a resilient defence in the opening 45 minutes. The game began with England applying pressure, as Alessia Russo forced an early save from Ukrainian goalkeeper Kateryna Samson. However, Ukraine suffered an early blow when forward Nicole Kozlova went down off the ball and was stretchered off, disrupting their momentum.
England continued to pile on the pressure, with Stanway delivering a lovely cross that Russo headed over. Laura Blindkilde Brown had an effort blocked and nearly scored on the rebound, cannoning the ball off the underside of the crossbar. Lotte Wubben-Moy almost opened the scoring with a backheel, but Maryna Shaynyuk cleared it off the line just after the half-hour mark.
Despite chances, including a potential penalty appeal when Stanway was tugged back—which the referee waved on without VAR—England could not break through. Leah Williamson's long-range effort was saved by Samson, and Lauren Hemp fired wide after a mazy run, leaving the score goalless at halftime.
Second-Half Surge and Russo's Quickfire Double
Sarina Wiegman made tactical changes at the interval, bringing on Poppy Pattinson for her England debut and replacing Williamson with Esme Morgan, while switching Hemp and Jess Park on the wings. The adjustments paid off immediately, as Russo broke the deadlock just two minutes into the second half. Slipped through by Keira Walsh, Russo stood down her defender and tucked the ball into the bottom corner.
Russo swiftly added a second goal, tapping home from Hemp's cut-back at the edge of the six-yard box, showcasing England's attacking prowess. However, Ukraine clawed a goal back after a miscommunication in England's defence led to a free-kick. Veronika Andrukhiv whipped in the ball, and Yana Kalinina applied the finish after the Lionesses failed to clear, making it 2-1.
Stanway's Star Performance Seals Victory
England quickly restored their two-goal advantage when Hemp was dragged down by Kateryna Korsun, resulting in a penalty. Stanway stepped up and sent Samson the wrong way, scoring from the spot. Just six minutes later, Stanway found the net again, patiently picking out the top corner with a powerful shot that gave Samson no chance.
Stanway then turned provider, squaring a pass for Park to poke home in the 78th minute. Park capped off the scoring in style with a top-corner finish in the final minute, securing a comprehensive 6-1 win. This victory sets a positive tone for England's World Cup qualifying campaign, highlighting their depth and resilience under pressure.
