The FIFA Women’s World Cup European Qualifiers Are Under Way

Matchday 1 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup European Qualifiers featured a stoppage-time winner for Portugal.

League A

Group 1 – Italy 0-1 Sweden, Denmark 3-1 Serbia
Group 2 – Republic of Ireland 1-2 France, Poland 2-2 Netherlands
Group 3 – Spain 3-0 Iceland, Ukraine 1-6 England
Group 4 – Austria 0-1 Norway, Germany 5-0 Slovenia

Filippa Angeldahl’s 22nd-minute goal gave Sweden victory in Italy. Denmark defeated Serbia 3–1, with Pernille Harder completing the scoring from the spot.

Katie McCabe had the Republic of Ireland ahead against France for almost an hour, but Melvine Malard came off the bench to turn the game around with a quick double.

Ewa Pajor put Poland one up, but the Netherlands hit back through Veerle Burman and Jill Roord before Paulina Tomasiak equalised on 84 minutes.

Alessia Russo, Georgia Stanway and Jess Park all bagged second-half braces for England, with Yana Kalinina replying for Ukraine. Clàudia Pina also scored twice as Spain beat Iceland 3–0.

Lisa Naalsund got the only goal for Norway away to Austria, and Lea Schüller rounded off Germany’s 5–0 score over Slovenia.

League B

Group 1 – Czechia 2-2 Wales, Montenegro 1-2 Albania
Group 2 – Switzerland 2-0 Northern Ireland, Türki̇ye 3-0 Malta
Group 3 – Portugal 2-0 Finland, Slovakia 3-2 Latvia
Group 4 – Luxembourg 0-5 Scotland, Israel 0-3 Belgium

Wales twice levelled for a point in Czechia, as Hannah Cain and – deep in added time – Elise Hughes scored. All the goals came in a nine-minute spell, while Montenegro lost at home to Albania.

Svenja Fölmli sealed Switzerland’s win over Northern Ireland in stoppage time, adding to Riola Xhemaili’s opener. Türkiye’s 3–0 result against Malta saw Maria Farrugia concede an own goal after just seven minutes.

Portugal pipped Finland with two goals after the 90 minutes were up, Lúcia Alves and Carolina Santiago the scorers. Slovakia edged Latvia 3–2, with Kristína Košíková netting their decisive third goal.

Caroline Weir scored three of Scotland’s five goals in Luxembourg, and a Tessa Wullaert goal set Belgium on the way to a 3–0 victory over Israel, played in Hungary.

League C

Group 1 – Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-1 Estonia, Liechtenstein 1-6 Lithuania
Group 2 – Kosovo 6-0 Gibraltar, Bulgaria 0-1 Croatia
Group 3 – Azerbaijan 2-0 North Macedonia, Andorra 0-0 Hungary
Group 4 – Greece 3-0 Georgia
Group 5 – Romania 1-0 Moldova
Group 6 – Kazakhstan 3-0 Armenia

Rimantė Jonušaitė scored four times for Lithuania against Liechtenstein, Lucija Vunić grabbed an 80th-minute winner for Croatia away to Bulgaria, Ioana Bălăceanu gave Romania victory over Moldova, and Andorra held Hungary to a goalless draw.