England Women's Dominant Display: Player Ratings vs Iceland
Lauren James stood out as England secured a 2-0 victory over Iceland, with goals from Lucy Bronze and Georgia Stanway maintaining the Lionesses' perfect World Cup qualifying record. Read on for a detailed analysis of the match.

Lauren James stole the show as England beat Iceland 2-0 on Saturday afternoon, with Lucy Bronze and Georgia Stanway on the scoresheet as the Lionesses started their 2027 Women's World Cup qualifying campaign with two wins from two. After the 6-1 win over Ukraine on Tuesday night, this was another dominant performance from Sarina Wiegman's side, setting up next month's clash with world champions Spain perfectly.Iceland settled well enough at the start of the game but it didn't take long for England to ramp their level up and start to really put the visitors on the back foot. Lauren Hemp was an inch away from converting Alessia Russo's cross and then the Manchester City winger hit the post before Bronze broke the deadlock after 22 minutes, connecting with James' excellent delivery to send a superb looping header just over the outstretched hand of Cecilia Ran Runarsdottir.It was from crosses that the Lionesses were having a lot of success, particularly with James playing so well and providing such high quality end product, but Stanway's corners were also causing issues and it was one of those that Bronze met just past the half hour mark, only to be denied by the woodwork. Runarsdottir made some good saves from open play too, with James and Russo both testing her, but she would be beaten again before the final whistle.It was actually Iceland who came closest to netting the second goal, when Sandra Jessen forced an otherwise untroubled Hannah Hampton into a world-class stop just past the hour. Perhaps that was the wake-up call England needed to press on and get a second, created by Bronze. It was a milestone day for the full-back, who was making her 145th international appearance, surpassing Karen Carney to move into third on the list of the most-capped Lionesses. She'd already marked it with a goal and then came the assist, as her brilliant delivery was expertly finished by Stanway, to keep England perfect in the early stages of this World Cup qualifying campaign. Next up: Spain, at Wembley Stadium, next month.GOAL rates the Lionesses' players from the City Ground...Hannah Hampton (7/10):Had very little to do, making her outstanding save in the second half all the more impressive. Commanded her area well when Iceland put balls in the box, too.Lucy Bronze (8/10):Was an aerial threat in opposition's box throughout, scoring one great header and hitting the post with another. Delivered some great crosses too, most notably the one that Stanway clinically converted for 2-0.Leah Williamson (8/10):Looked sharp on the ball again, with some wonderful passes out from the back, and completed a vital 90 minutes as she builds her fitness back up after injury.Esme Morgan (7/10):Not at peak fitness right now as her season has yet to begin in the U.S, but you wouldn't have known it. Solid display at the back in which she didn't put a foot wrong.Taylor Hinds (7/10):With James commanding so much attention, she had a lot of space when she went forward and she used it to be a good option when linking the attack.Keira Walsh (7/10):A typically strong performance in the middle of the park, both in and out of possession. Kept things ticking over nicely.Georgia Stanway (8/10):After scoring two against Ukraine, this was another good display. Was full of energy, made some great runs into the channels and scored a truly superb volley to double the lead.Jess Park (6/10):England were dominant out wide so the ball didn't get to Park in the pockets so often, but when it did she showed her quality and played her part in keeping the attack moving.Lauren Hemp (8/10):Another really good performance on the right, rather than her more natural left side. Looked more of a goal threat there, most notably hitting the post with a header, but also provided a lot of creative threat.Alessia Russo (7/10):Didn't get a goal on this occasion, having not had many chances of her own, but was sharp throughout, linking attacks and creating space for others.Lauren James (9/10):Best player on the pitch all afternoon. Created so many opportunities with her wonderful crossing. Iceland couldn't deal with her.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingChloe Kelly (N/A):Replaced James for the final 15 minutes.Laura Blindkilde Brown (X/10):After getting a rare start on Tuesday, got another few minutes off the bench here.Lucia Kendall (X/10):On in the final few seconds.Sarina Wiegman (7/10):Put out an XI that put on an excellent display and got a well-deserved win. Could've perhaps made more subs and earlier, to freshen up the attack and potentially create more difficulties for Iceland, for a more convincing scoreline.
Key Moments
England showcased their attacking prowess early on, with Lauren Hemp coming close to scoring before Lucy Bronze opened the scoring with a superb header. Georgia Stanway further extended the lead with a clinical finish off a corner from Bronze.
Player Performances
Several players stood out in the match, with Lauren James earning a stellar 9/10 rating for her exceptional crossing and creativity. Lucy Bronze and Georgia Stanway also received high ratings for their goal-scoring contributions. Leah Williamson impressed with her sharp passing, while Hannah Hampton showcased her shot-stopping abilities with a crucial save in the second half.
Milestone for Lucy Bronze
Lucy Bronze marked her 145th international appearance with a goal and an assist, putting her in third place on the list of most-capped Lionesses. Her performance was instrumental in England's victory, providing attacking threat from the right flank.
Tactical Analysis
Sarina Wiegman's tactics paid off as England dominated the game with quality deliveries into the box. The team capitalized on set-pieces and crosses, with players like Lauren James and Georgia Stanway causing problems for the Icelandic defense.
Looking Ahead
With two wins from two matches, England now face a crucial clash against world champions Spain next month. The Lionesses will look to build on their current form and secure another victory at Wembley Stadium.

