England eye statement win over rivals Spain to seal World Cup 2027 spot

Sarina Wiegman's England team will qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup if they avoid defeat against Spain in Mallorca on Friday; the Lionesses lost the 2023 final to Spain but have won three of the four meetings since

>You'd think both sets of players were getting sick of each other but it appears the battle between England and Spain remains as strong as ever.

>"It's a rivalry that's made us both stronger," admits Lucy Bronze as her country prepares to take on the world champions yet again.

>It's the seventh time in less than four years the two nations have gone head-to-head and fourth time since last June.

>Spain beat the Lionesses to win the World Cup in 2023, back-to-back champions England bettered them in both of the last two Euros.

>England sit top of Group A3 after four matches, having won all four and conceded just one goal.

Avoiding defeat in Mallorca would see the Lionesses establish an unassailable lead and head into the final game against Ukraine at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on June 9 having qualified for next summer's tournament in Brazil more than one year early.

>Sarina Wiegman insists she knows the Spanish players and what they do so well but containing them is another matter.

>England held their final training session in the middle of a hot day in Mallorca to remind the players how hard this game will be.

>They know they won't have much of the ball, they know the pitch will be fast and, even though the game kicks off at 9pm in Spain, they know the conditions could be energy sapping.

>James fit as Wiegman's England target World Cup spot

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>When England played in Spain this time last year they were clearly the second best team on the pitch.

>Claudia Pina came off the bench in Barcelona to score twice but England really struggled to build any momentum despite going 1-0 up.

>A similar performance could ruin their chances of qualifying for the World Cup automatically.

>Winning against the world No 1 ranked team will clearly be a challenge, especially without Leah Williamson.

>But England prevailed without their captain at Wembley back in April and are confident of doing so again.

>That belief is emboldened by the inclusion of Bronze and Lauren James who are both fit to start after injury worries.

>They won't say it out loud but if the Lionesses can qualify for Brazil 2027 and put their greatest rivals into the play-offs then they send a huge message to anyone else hoping to be world champions next summer.

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>Speaking in a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Wiegman said: "We approach the game as we want to win the game. We will go out there tomorrow to win the game.

>"We're in a good position. We just really want to qualify as quick as possible. We want to top the group.

>"It's a hard group, it's a difficult game. It's the same for Spain, it's a difficult game for them, too. And it just helps [to qualify early] because you have time then to prepare.

>"We know what the consequences are so, no matter what happens, we have another opportunity [in the play-offs if they finish second], but we go out there to play and win."

>Lauren James is fit to play in England's World Cup qualifier in Spain.

>Leah Williamson is out injured but Ella Toone is "ready to go" according to Wiegman.

>The England boss has no other injury worries ahead of the match.

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