England on the brink of World Cup qualification following victory over Northern Ireland | OneFootball

England are just a point away from qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 after Sarina Wiegman’s side defeated Northern Ireland 5-0 at Windsor Park in Belfast this evening.

Lauren Hemp and Georgia Stanway both scored twice while Ella Toone was also on target as the Lionesses moved to within a point of qualification.

England were dominant throughout and they should have been ahead after just seven minutes but Ellen White flashed a header wide before Northern Ireland defender Sarah McFadden superbly blocked a Beth Mead shot on the line. Toone and Lucy Bronze then went close before White saw a goal correctly ruled out for offside.

An England goal seemed imminent and it soon came when Toone cut the ball back for Hemp and she looped her shot over Northern Ireland keeper Jackie Burns into the far corner of the net.

The Lionesses added to their lead early in the second half when Bronze’s low pass across the six-yard box found Toone who tapped home.

At the other end, Lauren Wade forced a good save out of England keeper Mary Earps before Hemp took the ball around Burns to make it 3-0 after a neat through ball by captain Leah Williamson.

Stanway then struck England’s fourth goal, drilling home from 12 yards, before the same player made it 5-0 with another composed finish from a similar position.

England now need just a single point from their remaining fixtures away in Austria and at home to Luxembourg to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023.