England 1-0 Spain

A well-taken, first-half goal from Katie Chapman gave England what could prove to be a crucial victory over Spain in World Cup Qualifying Group Five.

On 29 minutes, Chapman received Jess Clarke’s cross inside the box, turned and found the bottom corner with a cool finish under pressure from Ana Maria Escribano.

England had chances to settle the game even before the half-time whistle and the Spain Coach, Iganacio Quereda Lavina, will be disappointed his side were unable to offer more of an attacking threat, having scored 21 goals in their four Qualifiers so far.

Both sides came into the match nurturing 100 per cent starts to their Group Five campaign so something had to give at The Den. After a battling performance, punctuated with a crucial moment of quality from Chapman, this evening it is England’s impeccable record that is still very much intact. And how crucial these three points could be come next August.

After an understandably cagey opening, it was England who fashioned the first chance of note through Chapman, but her side-footed effort, from an Eniola Aluko cut-back, bent just wide of Ainhoa Tirapu’s far post.

On 25 minutes Aluko again attempted to turn provider with a deep cross from the right which Rachel Yankey tried to cushion back across goal, but Smith was unable to retrieve. There was a brief moment of concern almost immediately after, when Adriana Martin went down in the box after a collision with Brown, but the referee, Christina Westrum saw nothing in the challenge.

Then came the breakthrough that England so desired. A surging Aluko run from the centre of the field took her beyond Amaia Olabarrieta, allowing the forward to play the ball wide to Clarke. The winger sent the ball into Chapman on the penalty spot and the midfielder turned smartly and stroked the ball into the bottom corner.

After an ultimately disappointing first half from Spain, it was midfielder Sonia Bermudez who had their first real attempt at goal, a delicate chip which failed to trouble Brown.

With Spain failing to demonstrate why they currently top the group, Ma Jose Perez was brought on for Bermudez in an attacking substitution just after the hour mark. With Jill Scott already having replaced Smith, England made their second change of the evening with last week’s debut girl, Ellen White, coming on for Aluko in a straight swap.

With the game entering its latter stages, Spain enjoyed their first real spell of sustained pressure and some good work from Veronica Boquete on the right allowed her to cross for Jose Perez, but her cheeky effort was cleared by Alex Scott.

The visitors came even closer just four minutes from time when Martin struck a delicious free-kick goalwards, but luckily for England it was a whisker away from the angle of post and bar.

Despite not being able to give themselves a more comfortable cushion, England held on for three very important World Cup Qualifying points. They are now level on points with Spain, but with a game in hand.