England's Lionesses secured a convincing 3-0 victory against Ukraine but found themselves in the World Cup playoffs due to Spain’s 6-1 win over Iceland. This result marked the first time in nearly 25 years that England failed to top their World Cup qualifying group, dating back to the 2003 World Cup.

Despite finishing the group with 15 points from a possible 18, England missed out on an automatic qualification spot in Brazil due to an inferior head-to-head record against Spain. The Lionesses will be seeded for the 18 June playoff draw, facing a low-ranking side from League C over two legs in October.

England's hopes for automatic qualification were dampened early on, as Spain took a commanding lead in their match. The early goals from Vicky López and Edna Imade left Iceland with just 15% possession, sealing England's fate before they even kicked off against Ukraine.

Against Ukraine, Lauren James shone, creating numerous chances, including a header from Jess Carter that opened the scoring. Georgia Stanway doubled the lead with a well-placed finish after a setup from Alessia Russo. The Lionesses displayed fluid play, dominating the match against a struggling Ukraine side, which ended the qualifiers at the bottom of the group.

Sarina Wiegman made only four changes from the previous match, a decision that raised eyebrows as England maintained control throughout. Beth Mead sealed the game with a stunning free-kick goal, marking her return to scoring after a long absence.

Overall, while the performance against Ukraine was impressive, the looming playoff challenge adds pressure to the squad as they aim for a spot in the upcoming World Cup.