NOTTINGHAM, 07 MARCH — The back-to-back European Champions proved their quality this Saturday against Iceland at the City Ground with an early goal from veteran Lucy Bronze to finish 2-0.
Today’s World Cup qualifier match marked Bronze’s 145th cap for England and she opened the scoreline for her country in the 22nd minute. Her Chelsea teammate Lauren James clinically crossed the ball into the box where Bronze leapt over Iceland’s Sanda Jessen for a powerful header into the top-right corner.
“I really enjoyed it,” James said to ITV. “It’s always nice being back in this shirt after being out for a while. Whenever I cut in I always know Lucy [Bronze] is back post and I can dink it back to her. She is good at using her head.”
Despite the final scoreline, Iceland didn’t make it easy for England, particularly when the Lionesses were saved by goalkeeper Hannah Hampton in the 61st minute.
Angel City’s Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir sent the cross that fell to Jessen who attempted to repeat Bronze’s performance from the 22nd minute.
Jessen did not have luck on her side, and Hampton leapt across the net for a far-reaching save to block the ball from flying into the top-left corner.
Bronze got involved in the second goal of the match during the 78th minute, sending a cross into the box from the right corner. The Lionesses forward Alessia Russo initially looked to go for the header, but the Arsenal striker left the ball to fall at the feet of Bayern Munich’s Georgia Stanway.
With two goals under her belt already this week, the midfielder made it three as she rocketed the ball into the bottom-right corner leaving no chance for Iceland’s keeper Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir.
“We’ve got a good team connection,” Bronze said to ITV. “We probably should have scored a lot more goals but I think we’ve known in recent years that not conceding is more important than scoring as many as possible. We’ve had problems with that in the past few years in games that we shouldn’t have. To keep a clean sheet is important and to get the two goals.”
England have made a triumphant start to the 2026 season, gathering eight goals this week in their matches against Ukraine and Iceland. When the squad returns in April they will face Ukraine and Spain in their next step to the Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
