England take control of World Cup play-off with win in Greece — SkimNews
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- England Women beat Greece 3-1 in the first leg of their Women's World Cup qualifying play-off at Pankritio Stadium in Crete on Friday 9 October 2026, with goals from Georgia Stanway (39th minute), Maya Le Tissier (63rd) and Alessia Russo (67th)
- Calliste Brookshire, who plays for Rangers in Scotland, pulled a goal back for Greece in the 77th minute with neat footwork in the box to give the 58th-ranked side a foothold ahead of the second leg
- Sarina Wiegman said her side played well at moments but were "not tight enough" and that the ball "wasn't moving quickly enough," insisting England "could have scored so many more goals" after Lauren James saw a long-range chip ruled out for offside
- The winner of the tie faces Slovakia or Ukraine in round two on the road to Brazil 2027, with the second leg scheduled for Tuesday in Leicester
- Greece nearly shocked England when Ioanna Papatheodorou struck Hannah Hampton's crossbar from 35 yards, while Jess Park hit the underside of the bar in stoppage time — underlining the firepower Wiegman hopes to unlock in the return
- England were forced into the play-offs after finishing behind Spain in qualifying, raising the stakes of a tie they are now favourites to navigate
Why it matters: England head to Leicester with a two-goal cushion and a place at Brazil 2027 within reach, but Wiegman's own admission that her side were "not tight enough" and squandered chances tempers the 3-1 scoreline — a lesson that Greece's late away goal and Papatheodorou's crossbar strike show the tie is not yet sealed.
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