England thrash Wales to reach Euros quarters

Heartbreak for Wales as the Lionessess win 6-1

Alessia Russo opened her Euro 2025 account for England as the defending champions cruised into the quarter-finals with a 6-1 victory over tournament newcomers Wales, who bowed out of the competition in St Gallen.

Georgia Stanway opened the scoring with a 13th-minute penalty before Ella Toone, handed her second start in Switzerland, doubled the scoring in the 21st minute, and also contributed two assists.

Lauren Hemp made it three inside the opening half hour, Russo got on the scoresheet in the 44th minute and substitute Beth Mead made it five before Hannah Cain clawed one back with Wales’ second-ever goal in a major tournament.

Substitute Aggie Beever-Jones then struck her first goal of the competition for an assured England, who will face Sweden in Zurich on Thursday after finishing as runners-up to France in Group D.

England boss Sarina Wiegman named an unchanged starting line-up, while Rhian Wilkinson made three changes for Wales.

Olivia Clark was preferred in goal, Rhiannon Roberts returned to the defence and Carrie Jones – whose goal against the Republic of Ireland in December helped Wales qualify for Switzerland – was handed her first start of the tournament.

England were initially awarded just a free-kick when Stanway was tripped by Jones, but given a penalty after a lengthy VAR review concluded the foul had been committed inside the area.

Clark guessed right, but, diving to her right, could not stop the Bayern Munich midfielder from firing England one step closer to the quarters.

Jess Fishlock, who on Wednesday night became the first Welsh woman to score a goal in a major tournament, then tried for a second, firing over the crossbar from distance.

Toone made it two after Roberts’ clearance caught Stanway, falling favourably for Russo to dig out and round Clark before finding the Manchester United midfielder.

Toone’s first attempt was cleared off the line by Lily Woodham but came straight back, and she delivered at the second time of asking.

Wales captain Angharad James called Hannah Hampton into a save, but it was not long before Toone turned provider, whipping in a cross for Hemp to nod home at the back post to make it three on the half hour.

Russo, who contributed three assists against the Netherlands on Wednesday night, then made it four, Toone adding another assist after latching onto a pass from Lauren James before picking out the unmarked Arsenal striker, who took her time before planting the ball into the bottom left.

Wales had a few opportunities to claw a goal back in added time, first from Rachel Rowe, whose attempt was just high, then Fishlock, who could not take advantage after Hampton gifted her the ball.

Wiegman had already replaced Hemp with Mead and handed Jess Park – who came on for Toone – her first minutes of the tournament to start the second half.

The England boss made more changes before the hour, introducing Chloe Kelly and Beever-Jones for James and Russo.

And it was a pair of substitutes who combined for England’s fifth, when Beever-Jones pivoted before finding Mead, who side-stepped Roberts and added her name to the scoresheet with a bottom-right finish.

Wales were running out of time to make more history, but seized on the opportunity, when Fishlock added the first major tournament assist in Wales women’s history with a superb threaded pass to substitute Cain, who found the top corner with the most stylish goal of the night.

Beever-Jones then made it six with her maiden major tournament goal, assisted by Mead, while an excellent Clark save denied Keira Walsh late on.

Published: 14/07/2025 by Radio NewsHub