Spain Women thrash England 4-0 to leave World Cup qualification in doubt
Sarina Wiegman has demanded an immediate response from her England side after a humbling 4-0 defeat to Spain in Mallorca left automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup out of their hands.
The result marks the heaviest loss suffered by the national team since the Euro 2009 final against Germany.
Goals from Pati Guijarro, Claudia Pina and an Alexia Putellas double condemned the visitors to a chastening evening.
Automatic qualification hangs in the balance
This heavy defeat means the European champions sit second in Group A3 with just one fixture remaining.
Their path to next year’s tournament in Brazil now relies on an unlikely slip-up from the group leaders.
If the Spanish secure a victory in their upcoming match against Iceland, the runners-up will be forced to navigate a precarious play-off route.
Wiegman reflects on painful night
The manager admitted the manner of the performance was deeply disappointing and fell far short of her tactical expectations.
“Of course it hurts,” Wiegman said in her post-match press conference.
“I hoped for a totally different game. I expected a tight game, a very competitive game. But there was a difference tonight.”
The Dutch coach highlighted structural failures, noting her team were repeatedly bypassed when attempting to press high up the pitch.
“We were really struggling to keep the ball and find longer passes, or play it in behind. They played really well, and we didn’t play so well.”
She added that the frustration in the dressing room is palpable, as the squad are completely unaccustomed to losing by such a wide margin.
Ukraine test presents chance for redemption
Attention must now turn to Tuesday night’s crucial final group game against Ukraine at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The former Netherlands boss insisted she is entirely focused on delivering a strong performance to end the group stage on a positive note.
“First of all, we’re really focusing on Tuesday. We want to get a good performance in that game, and win – that’s the most important thing.”
Regardless of results elsewhere, the Lionesses must secure three points to maintain any hope of bypassing the dreaded play-off phase.