Greece v England finished 1-3 in Heraklion, giving the Lionesses a firm grip on their Women’s World Cup 2027 playoff semi-final after an assertive display that featured goals from Georgia Stanway, Maya Le Tissier and Alessia Russo, before Kallisti Brouksair reduced the deficit late on.
Greece v England: First-leg summary
England controlled long spells and fashioned the clearer chances. Stanway’s slick first-half finish broke the deadlock after Lauren James had an earlier effort ruled offside.
After the interval, Le Tissier powered in her first England goal and Russo added a composed third. Greece rallied and were rewarded when Brouksair struck a fine consolation to keep the tie alive.
Key moments from Greece v England
NO GOAL: James flagged offside
Early on, James collected a pass and lifted a delicate chip beyond Anthi Petaloti, only for the assistant’s flag to go up. Replays showed she had moved from an offside position.
Papatheodorou rattles the bar
Ioanna Papatheodorou produced a brilliant solo surge from deep, gliding past defenders before clipping a 22-yard effort that beat Hannah Hampton and crashed against the crossbar.
GOAL: Stanway 39’
England’s opener arrived via quick, incisive interplay. Keira Walsh found Stanway at the edge of the area, Laura Blindkilde Brown and Russo combined sharply, and Stanway guided a first-time finish past Petaloti.
Half time: Greece 0-1 England
Aside from Papatheodorou’s strike against the woodwork, England’s control was largely untroubled. James went close and Lauren Hemp fired narrowly wide before the breakthrough.
GOAL: Le Tissier 63’
Le Tissier marked her first England goal in emphatic fashion. Meeting a pass from Walsh on the right of the box, the defender took aim and thumped a rising drive that Petaloti could not keep out.
GOAL: Russo 67’
Russo finished a neat move she helped start, feeding Beth Mead and then sweeping the return low inside the keeper’s right post.
GOAL: Brouksair 77’
Greece responded when a long ball was not cleared. Papatheodorou found Brouksair, who stepped inside and drilled a left-footed shot into the far corner.
Team news and notable moments
Sarina Wiegman made two defensive changes from the summer qualifier against Ukraine, recalling Leah Williamson and Alex Greenwood for Jess Carter and Niamh Charles. England lined up 4-3-3 with Hampton, Le Tissier, Williamson, Esme Morgan and Greenwood at the back, Stanway, Walsh and Blindkilde Brown in midfield, and Hemp, Russo and James up front.
Greece started 4-3-3 with Petaloti; Giannaka, Gkouni, Markou, Paterna; Drakogiannaki, Brame, Moraitou; Sarri, Papatheodorou, Brouksair.
At the break, Wiegman introduced Mead for Blindkilde Brown. Later, Jess Park replaced Russo after the forward had a goal and an assist.
For Greece, Eleni Saich and Georgia Chalatsogianni entered before Sofia Kongouli, Ilektra Tzourtzevits and Grigoria Pouliou were also used.
England debuts were handed to Erica Meg Parkinson, 18, late on, and to Grace Fisk, 28, who came in for Morgan in stoppage time. Park struck the bar near the end but appeared offside.
What it means
The second leg is scheduled for Tuesday at the King Power Stadium. The winner over two legs will face either Slovakia or Ukraine in November and December for a place at next summer’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The winner over two legs will face either Slovakia or Ukraine in November and December for a place at next summer’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil.