Spain Dominates England as Chelsea Players Struggle in Qualifiers
Sarina Wiegman backed Chelsea heavily in Mallorca. Four Blues in the XI, all in key areas: Hannah Hampton in goal, Lucy Bronze at right-back, Keira Walsh wearing the armband in midfield, Lauren James trusted to spark the attack.
Spain tore straight through them.
England arrived on the island with four straight World Cup qualifying wins and control of Group A3. Within 45 minutes, that authority had been ripped away. Patri Guijarro struck first, Alexia Putellas added another, and the world champions walked off at half-time with a 2-0 lead that felt even bigger.
The pattern barely changed after the interval. Spain kept the tempo high, the pressure constant. Putellas found her second in the 55th minute, the kind of clinical finish that underlines why she sits at the top of the game. When Claudia Pina came off the bench and whipped in a fourth, the scoreline finally matched the dominance.
For Chelsea’s players, it was a long evening. Hampton and Walsh were left to absorb the full 90 minutes of Spanish control. James was withdrawn on 59 minutes, her influence limited by Spain’s grip on possession. Bronze made way late on for fellow Blue Niamh Charles, a small consolation for the club as another of their defenders entered the fray. Aggie Beever-Jones did not make the match-day squad.
Spain walked away with a statement win. England, and several of Chelsea’s core, were left with questions.
Nüsken leads Germany to Brazil
If England’s Chelsea contingent endured a bruising night, Sjoeke Nüsken enjoyed the opposite. She captained Germany to a decisive victory over Norway that booked their ticket to next year’s World Cup in Brazil.
Germany knew the equation: beat their closest Group A4 rivals and qualification was sealed. They set about the task with typical efficiency. Marie Muller opened the scoring inside 20 minutes, settling any early nerves. Carlotta Wamser then added a second before Norway could steady themselves.
Norway carved out chances, but Germany refused to budge. The lead stayed intact, the job done, and with it came confirmation of their place at the tournament. For Nüsken, the armband and a night that underlined her growing stature on the international stage.
Cuthbert’s brilliant, brutal night for Scotland
In Glasgow, Erin Cuthbert delivered the kind of performance that grabs a qualifier by the throat – and then left the pitch in scenes no one wanted to see.
Scotland dismantled Israel 6-0, and Cuthbert sat at the heart of almost everything. She opened the scoring in the 17th minute, collecting the ball 20 yards out and drilling a superb strike from the edge of the box into the net. It set the tone and set Israel back.
After the break, she turned provider. A sharp pass from the Chelsea midfielder released Caroline Weir for Scotland’s third and Weir’s second. Once Weir completed her hat-trick, Cuthbert threaded another telling ball for Lauren Davidson to finish, her second assist of the night.
Kirsty Hanson added further shine to the scoreline. The mood, though, darkened in stoppage time. A seemingly innocuous challenge left Cuthbert on the turf, needing prolonged treatment. The midfielder was eventually carried off on a stretcher, a jarring end to a commanding display.
On a night when she drove Scotland to a statement win, the image that lingered was her departure, and the wait now begins for news on the extent of the damage.
Baltimore lights it up for France
France had to be patient against Poland. The breakthrough took time, but once it came, Chelsea’s Sandy Baltimore made sure the result carried a touch of class.
Melvine Malard finally cracked Poland’s resistance early in the second half, easing the tension. The game then opened up, and Baltimore seized her moment just after the hour.
The winger slipped away from her marker, exchanged passes with Malard, and burst into the box. One confident finish later, France had their second and the contest was over. A 2-0 win, a clean sheet, and a highlight-reel strike from Baltimore to underline her impact.
Mixed fortunes across Europe for Chelsea’s internationals
Not every story ended with celebration. In Denmark, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s goal could not rescue Sweden. Cecilie Floe had put the hosts ahead in the first half, only for Rytting Kaneryd to level with a close-range finish early in the second. Sweden’s foothold lasted until the 65th minute, when former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder stepped up as Denmark’s match-winner, sealing a 2-1 defeat for the visitors.
There was more comfort for Livia Peng. The Chelsea goalkeeper played the full 90 minutes as Switzerland swept Malta aside 6-1 in World Cup qualifying. Five games in, Switzerland sit top of their group, three points clear of Turkey and very much in control of their path.
For Veerle Buurman and Wieke Kaptein, the night ended in frustration. Both started for the Netherlands in Cork, but a wild finish saw them beaten 3-2 by the Republic of Ireland.
Kyra Carusa opened the scoring for the hosts, only for Dominique Janssen to haul the Dutch level with 20 minutes remaining. The response from Ireland was instant: Abbie Larkin restored the lead almost straight from the restart. Victoria Pelova struck with ten minutes to play, dragging the Netherlands back again and tilting the match towards a draw.
Then came the late twist. As the clock ticked down, Amber Barrett reacted quickest in the box and prodded home from close range, handing Ireland the win and leaving the Dutch to digest a damaging defeat.
From Mallorca to Glasgow, Cork to Malta, Chelsea’s internationals lived the full spectrum of a qualifying window in one night: heavy defeat, early qualification, individual brilliance, and the kind of injury that can reshape a season.
