Lionesses take control of World Cup playoff tie but unfancied Greece still in fight

World Cup qualifying playoff: Greece 1-3 EnglandStanway, Le Tissier and Russo on targetEngland secured a 3-1 first-leg victory over Greece in their Women’s World Cup playoff tie but were unable to produce the convincing performance they would have hoped for, against a hugely unfancied Greek side.Georgia Stanway’s neat finish, Maya Le Tissier’s first England goal and Alessia Russo’s low strike were enough to give England control but a Ioanna Papatheodorou goal for Greece means that the tie is not definitively over, going into Tuesday’s second leg. Continue reading…

Georgia Stanway, Maya Le Tissier and Alessia Russo were on target as England earned a 3-1 win away to Greece in the first leg of their World Cup playoff England secured a 3-1 first-leg victory over Greece in their Women’s World Cup playoff tie but were unable to produce the convincing performance they would have hoped for, against a hugely unfancied Greek side. Georgia Stanway’s neat finish, Maya Le Tissier’s first England goal and Alessia Russo’s low strike were enough to give England control but a Ioanna Papatheodorou goal for Greece means that the tie is not definitively over, going into Tuesday’s second leg.

Facing a Greek side ranked 59th in the world, who have never qualified for a major tournament, England began as the overwhelming favourites, but Sarina Wiegman will have been fairly underwhelmed by her side’s first-half display. They dominated the ball but often appeared to be going through the motions, making hard work of breaking down Greece’s deep defensive shape. It would be