England may have left Crete with a commanding first-leg win, but the night was not quite the statement performance Sarina Wiegman would have wanted. The Lionesses defeated Greece 3-1 in the Women’s World Cup qualifying play-off, taking a strong lead into Tuesday’s return leg in Leicester while still leaving a hint of unfinished business.
England seize the advantage in Crete
Georgia Stanway, Maya Le Tissier and Alessia Russo scored the goals that put England in control, while Calliste Brookshire’s late effort gave Greece a valuable lifeline. On paper, the result looks comfortable. On the pitch, it felt more complicated, with England showing flashes of quality but also periods of frustration against a disciplined underdog side.
The tie matters because the winner will face Slovakia or Ukraine for a place at Brazil 2027. That means there is still plenty at stake, and England know Tuesday’s second leg will need to be handled with focus, authority and a sharper attacking edge.
Early warning signs for the Lionesses
England created chances early, but Greece were not simply sitting back and absorbing pressure. Lauren James saw a brilliant chipped finish ruled out for offside, and Greece nearly shocked the visitors when Ioanna Papatheodorou smashed a long-range strike against the crossbar from 35 yards.
Those moments gave the match an edge. England had the ball for long spells, but the hosts threatened whenever the Lionesses lost structure or concentration.
Stanway opens the scoring after England settle
The breakthrough arrived in the 39th minute, and it came through a slick team move. Laura Blindkilde Brown and Alessia Russo combined neatly before Stanway finished with control to give England the lead. It was the kind of goal that underlined what England can do when their passing is crisp and their movement is synchronized.
That goal shifted the mood of the game. England were no longer chasing control; they had established it. Yet even then, Greece stayed in the contest, keeping the scoreline close enough to preserve belief.
“At moments we played really well,” Wiegman said after the match. “We stayed calm. That’s what I’m most pleased with, but there are a couple of things we need to work on.”
Second-half burst stretches the lead
The second half brought England’s decisive spell. Maya Le Tissier doubled the advantage in the 63rd minute, thumping home from an angle after having already seen two efforts repelled. Just four minutes later, Russo made it 3-0 with a tidy finish into the bottom corner after Beth Mead squared the ball across goal.
That quick burst looked like it had settled the tie. In a few minutes, England had gone from in control to comfortably in command, and it seemed the return leg would become a formality.
Brookshire gives Greece hope
But Greece were not finished. Brookshire, who plays for Rangers in Scotland, produced a smart finish in the 78th minute after some neat footwork in the box. It was a deserved reward for a side that had worked hard all evening and refused to let the occasion overwhelm them.
The goal changed the tone again. Instead of a clean, emphatic away win, England were left with a reminder that the second leg still matters. Jess Park nearly restored a three-goal cushion in stoppage time, striking the underside of the crossbar, but the score remained 3-1.
Numbers tell one story, but not the whole one
England finished with clear statistical control, yet their performance was not as smooth as the numbers suggested. They held 74 per cent possession and produced 26 shots, but the rhythm was often slower than expected and Greece were able to shape the match into a more awkward contest than England would have preferred.
| Stat | Greece | England |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 1 | 3 |
| Possession | 26% | 74% |
| Shots | Not stated | 26 |
| Crossbar hits | 1 | 1 |
Wiegman was honest about the performance. She praised England’s calmness and improved moments of play, but also pointed to the lack of sharpness, the offside issues and the frustration of conceding. Her message was clear: the job is only half done.
“We could have scored so many more goals,” she said. “I’m not happy with the goal we conceded.”
What it means for the second leg
England are still in a strong position heading into Leicester, but the tie is not beyond doubt. A 3-1 lead is valuable, especially away from home, yet Greece have shown enough courage to believe they can make the return leg uncomfortable if England are not at their best.
For the Lionesses, the mission now is simple: be sharper, move the ball faster and avoid giving their opponents any early momentum. If they do that, their place in the next round should be secure. If not, this play-off could yet become more tense than expected.
England’s quality remains obvious, and so does their path forward. But in qualification football, the margins are rarely as comfortable as they first appear.
