England qualified for the UEFA Women’s U17s Championship finals with a comprehensive 5-0 dismissal of Iceland.
John Griffiths’s side won their opening elite qualifying round match against Serbia on Friday – but they bettered that with a totally dominant display on Easter Sunday.
Niamh Charles opened the scoring with less than 15 minutes on the clock when the Icelandic goalkeeper spilled an Alessia Russo corner. The Liverpool midfielder prodded the loose ball home from five yards.
England 5-0 Iceland
UEFA Women's U17s European Championship
Elite Round Qualifier
Stara Pazova, Serbia
Sunday 27 March
Manchester City schemer Georgia Stanway doubled the Young Lionesses’ lead when she exchanged passes with Russo and finished calmly into the corner when one-on-one with the keeper.
Hannah Cain made it three on the half-hour mark when she weaved her way through the defence and slotted home.
The result was put beyond doubt on the stroke of half-time when Russo connected well with a first-time cross from Cain, and the Chelsea youngster side-footed past the keeper.
And Charles grabbed her second of the match, and England’s fifth, early in the second half.
England’s final match in Serbia is against Belgium on Tuesday.
The Euro finals will take place in Belarus in May.
England: 1 Ellie Roebuck, 3 Taylor Hinds, 4 Hollie Olding, 6 Lotte Wubben-Moy, 7 Alessia Russo, 8 Laura Hooper, 10 Georgia Stanway, 11 Niamh Charles, 12 Anna Patten, 15 Lois Joel, 17 Hannah Cain.
Substitutes: 5 Grace Smith for Wubben-Moy 56, 13 Katie Startup for Roebuck 61, 9 Ellie Brazil for Charles 67.
Substitutes not used: 2 Flo Allen, 14 Kelsey Pearson, 16 Ella Toone, 18 Anna Filbey.
Goals: Charles 13, 53, Stanway 28, Cain 31, Russo 39.
Bookings: Stanway
Head coach: John Griffiths
Referee: Elvira Nurmustafina (KAZ)
