Spain Dominates England as Chelsea Stars Face Mixed Results
Spain 4–0 England: Chelsea core outgunned in Mallorca
Sarina Wiegman leaned heavily on Chelsea’s backbone in Mallorca. Four Blues in England’s starting XI, a statement of trust and of status: Hannah Hampton in goal, Lucy Bronze at right-back, Keira Walsh wearing the armband in midfield, Lauren James in the front line.
Spain tore straight through it.
The world champions arrived with a swagger and left with a 4-0 win that underlined the current gap at the very top of the women’s game. Patri Guijarro struck first, Alexia Putellas followed before the interval, and England, who came into the night on four straight World Cup qualifying victories and top of Group A3, suddenly looked exposed.
The pattern barely shifted after the break. Spain kept the ball, kept the pressure, and kept scoring. Putellas added her second on 55 minutes, the kind of ruthless finish that drains belief from an opponent. Claudia Pina then stepped off the bench and whipped home a fourth, a substitute’s strike that felt like a flourish rather than a necessity.
For Hampton, it was a long evening under siege, 90 minutes that demanded concentration and resilience despite the scoreline. Walsh also completed the full match, trying to stem the red tide in midfield and carry England forward when the rare chance arose. James’ night ended on 59 minutes, withdrawn with the game already racing away, while Bronze made way late on for fellow Chelsea defender Niamh Charles. Aggie Beever-Jones did not make the match-day squad.
Nüsken leads Germany to Brazil
Where England’s Chelsea contingent ran into a red wall, Sjoeke Nüsken enjoyed the opposite feeling: control, clarity, and a ticket to the World Cup.
Handed the captain’s armband, Nüsken steered Germany to a decisive win over Norway, their closest rivals in Group A4, to lock in qualification for Brazil next year. The stakes were simple: win and you’re in. Germany played like a side that never doubted the outcome.
Marie Müller opened the scoring inside 20 minutes, settling any nerves. Carlotta Wamser quickly doubled the lead, and although Norway carved out chances, Germany never surrendered their grip. The margin stayed at two, but the significance was far greater: job done, World Cup place secured, and Nüsken at the heart of it.
Cuthbert shines, then suffers in Scotland rout
Erin Cuthbert’s night in Scotland colours had everything: goals, assists, dominance – and then a worrying end.
Scotland dismantled Israel 6-0 in World Cup qualifying, with the Chelsea midfielder driving the performance. She opened the scoring on 17 minutes, collecting the ball 20 yards out and lashing a superb strike from the edge of the area into the net, a finish that set the tone for what followed.
After the break, Cuthbert turned provider. She slipped the pass for Caroline Weir’s second of the game, Scotland’s third, as the hosts cut through Israel at will. Once Weir had completed her hat-trick, Cuthbert picked out Lauren Davidson to add another, a second assist on a night when she seemed involved in everything.
Kirsty Hanson added further gloss to the scoreline. Then the mood changed. Deep into second-half stoppage time, Cuthbert went down after an innocuous-looking challenge. The game paused, treatment dragged on, and the 27-year-old eventually left the pitch on a stretcher. On a night that should have been remembered purely for brilliance, the image of Scotland’s playmaker being carried off lingered.
Baltimore beauty caps France control
France had to work for their breakthrough against Poland, but once they found it, the result felt inevitable.
Melvine Malard finally cracked Polish resistance early in the second half, giving France the platform they had been probing for all evening. Then Sandy Baltimore provided the moment that will replay longest in the mind.
Just after the hour mark, the Chelsea winger shook off her marker, exchanged passes with Malard, burst into the box and buried a confident finish. One move, sharp and decisive, sealed a 2-0 victory and underlined France’s authority in their qualifying campaign.
Rytting Kaneryd scores, Harder has the last word
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd found the net for Sweden, but the night belonged to Denmark – and to a familiar face.
Cecilie Floe put Denmark ahead in the first half of their World Cup qualifier, only for Sweden to respond after the interval. Rytting Kaneryd pounced from close range early in the second half to drag her side level, a poacher’s finish that briefly swung momentum Sweden’s way.
Then Pernille Harder stepped in. The former Chelsea forward, so often decisive on big nights, struck in the 65th minute to restore Denmark’s lead. Sweden pushed, but Harder’s goal stood as the winner in a 2-1 home victory, leaving Rytting Kaneryd’s contribution as a bright note in a losing cause.
Peng steady as Switzerland hit six
For Livia Peng, it was a different kind of assignment: stay alert while your team runs riot at the other end.
The Chelsea goalkeeper played the full 90 minutes as Switzerland thrashed Malta 6-1 in World Cup qualifying. The result kept Switzerland on top of their group after five matches, three points clear of Turkey and firmly in control of their route to the finals. Peng had little chance with Malta’s solitary goal but watched her teammates slice through with regularity in a statement win.
Dutch duo suffer late heartbreak in Cork
Veerle Buurman and Wieke Kaptein both started for the Netherlands in Cork, but a wild finish left them empty-handed.
Kyra Carusa fired the Republic of Ireland in front, a lead they clung to deep into the second half. With 20 minutes remaining, Dominique Janssen hauled the Dutch level, a goal that seemed to tilt the contest towards the visitors.
Ireland hit back immediately. Abbie Larkin restored the hosts’ advantage almost at once, only for Victoria Pelova to equalise with ten minutes to play. At 2-2, the game looked set to drift towards a draw.
Then came the sting. As the clock ticked down, Amber Barrett reacted quickest in the box and prodded home from close range. A 3-2 defeat for the Netherlands, and a harsh lesson in concentration for a side – and a Chelsea pair – with ambitions of being in Brazil, not just chasing it.
