England's Lionesses have taken a 2-1 lead against Greece in the first leg of their World Cup qualification playoff. The opening goal came in the 39th minute from Georgia Stanway, who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Fafailia Petaloti after a quick pass from Laura Blindkilde Brown to Alessia Russo, who then flicked it to Stanway.
Despite the win, celebrations were muted, reflecting frustration at taking 39 minutes to score against a team ranked 54 places lower. Alessia Russo acknowledged the challenge of playing against a "low block," stating, "It’s about being patient and then when you do have that moment, it’s about the quality of the pass and speeding the game up just to create half a yard for someone to get a shot off."
The critical second goal for England arrived in the 63rd minute, scored by Maya Le Tissier. Le Tissier, operating as a wing-back, expressed her comfort in switching positions for club and country, saying, "I’ve played the position enough now to know what’s expected of me."
Alessia Russo's goal, England's third, was also significant, marking her third goal in as many games for club and country after a five-game scoring drought. This return to form is considered critical for England's World Cup ambitions, particularly with other players struggling with form or injuries.