England 6-1 Wales highlights: Holders turn on style to sweep into Women's EURO 2025 quarter-finals

Holders England reached the quarter-finals of UEFA Women's EURO 2025 in style, putting six goals past Wales at Arena St.Gallen to seal second place in Group D.

What happened?

Sarina Wiegman named the same side that got England's campaign back on track with an impressive dismantling of the side that preceded them as European champions, Netherlands, and was rewarded with an early lead. Georgia Stanway was tripped by Carrie Jones on the edge of the area and picked herself up to fire in low from the spot.

With a win guaranteeing a place in the last eight, England continued to press and added a second goal before a quarter of the match had elapsed, Ella Toone scoring from close range at the second attempt after Alessia Russo's unselfish square ball.

Keira Walsh fired narrowly wide as England continued to look like scoring from every attack, although Angharad James then forced a smart stop from Hannah Hampton at the other end having been cleverly set up by Jess Fishlock.

Moments later it was 3-0, Lauren James and Toone combining down the right and the latter delivering a cross that Lauren Hemp headed powerfully in. Stanway quickly came close to a fourth but it was 4-0 a minute before the break, Russo left with time and space to slot in from in front of goal.

Ella Toone (right) celebrates scoring England's second goal with Lucy BronzeAFP via Getty Images

With a comfortable cushion Wiegman opted to bring on Jess Park and Beth Mead at the break and the former might have made an instant impact, only a superb fingertip touch from Olivia Clark touching her effort on to the post. The goalkeeper had no answer when another replacement, Aggie Beever-Jones, superbly found Mead in the area and the EURO 2022 top scorer duly supplied the finish.

With Wales' first major tournament coming to an end Fishlock ignited the move that led to a fine consolation, carrying the ball from just inside the England half before slipping a superbly-weighted ball left for Hannah Cain to smash high past Hampton.

England, however, would have last word, Mead delivering a right-wing cross for Beever-Jones to make it six with a downward header, and it might have been seven had Clark not superbly pushed away Walsh's added-time curler. England, however, had long since done enough to seal progress from Group D, setting up a quarter-final against Sweden – a repeat of the sides' EURO 2022 semi-final, won 4-0 by the Lionesses.

Player of the Match: Keira Walsh (England)

"She gets the award for the way she guided her team in attack, helping to connect the defensive line to the forwards. She always made the right decision and was key to the counter-press."
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Reaction

Keira Walsh, Player of the Match, speaking to womenseuro.com: "We just wanted to go out there, be confident and score some goals, and it was a really fast start from the team. I was playing free-flowing football, so I'm happy with that performance.

"We take it a game at a time, and we're happy with our performance tonight. We know [a quarter-final against] Sweden is going to be a really tough game, so we've got a lot of work to do, but we're happy with the performance tonight."

Ella Toone, England midfielder: "We were really good. It is always hard to play against a team that sits in a low block. It was nice we got an early goal in the first half and we enjoyed the game. "I was buzzing [for Alessia Russo]. So happy for her. She deserves it. Even though she has not scored as much as she wants, she has been creating loads of chances.

"[Sweden] is going to be a difficult game. We watched them the other night and they were really good. We need to be on our best game. I think they should be scared!"

England coach Sarina Wiegman celebrates her side's fourth goalUEFA via Getty Images

Sarina Wiegman, England coach: "Very happy. A tough Wales who wanted to fight, but I think we found a way to go around it. I'm really happy we are through. It was a very hard group. Losing the first game there is so much urgency to win against the Netherlands and do well against Wales. The team just showed up today.

"It is really good to see that we created so many chances. You can see the connections. It is nice to see more players who can score goals and that they keep doing things together. This is an intense tournament, and we played a top-level game straight away. Of course, you want to win the game and think of who's next. When it is necessary, the players are ready to step in and step up for the team."

Rhian Wilkinson, Wales coach: "It's one of those games where we can't shy away from that performance by England. That was far superior, and equally, by Sarina and her staff, I was out-coached, and that's the reality; we're not quite ready yet. What we need to remember is that we have to start somewhere."

Angharad James, Wales captain: "We've learnt a lot on this journey and we've come so far as a group. There's a lot to be proud of and there's a lot to work on. First of all, I'm so proud of this group of players, this group of staff, and the supporters that came out from Wales – we heard you. We'll come back, and we'll be stronger."

Key stats

• England have reached the knockout rounds for the third successive tournament, and the fourth in the last five.
• The Lionesses have become the first team to score ten or more goals in three Women's EURO groups and they have achieved it in successive final tournaments (2017, 2022, 2025)
• Mead is England's top scorer at Women's EURO with seven goals; Russo now has five and Toone and Stanway four apiece.
• This was only the fourth Women's EURO match in which a side has led by four or more goals at half-time, and the second involving England following their 8-0 defeat of Norway in 2022.
• Stanway has scored all ten of her penalties for England.

Reporters' views

Faye Hackwell, England reporter
The Lionesses progress to the quarter-finals in style with a dominant display against their neighbours Wales. The goals flowed, with Lauren Hemp, Beth Mead, Alessia Russo and Aggie Beever-Jones getting their first of the tournament. England are now three games away from retaining their title and, if they continue to perform like this, any opponents will fear meeting them in the knockout stages.

Mark Pitman, Wales reporter
A frustrating end to EURO 2025 despite Hannah Cain's goal as England claimed a convincing win. However, this was Wales' first women's major tournament, and while they haven't celebrated success on the field, there is no doubt that this group of players have inspired a whole generation. It will hurt now, but the legacy of their achievement will be seen in the progress across all levels of the women's game in Wales for years to come. The fans who travelled to Switzerland in their thousands will not be forgotten either.

Fantasy star performers

Ella Toone (England) – 13 points
Beth Mead (England) – 9
Georgia Stanway (England) – 9

Line-ups

Alessia Russo slots in England's fourth goalGetty Images

England: Hampton; Bronze (Charles 79), Williamson, Carter, Greenwood; Toone (Park 46), Walsh, Stanway; James (Kelly 57), Russo (Beever-Jones 57), Hemp (Mead 46)

Wales: Clark; E Morgan, Roberts, Evans, Woodham (Green 46); James, Fishlock; Holland (Cain 65), Jones (Barton 84), Rowe (Ladd 65); F Morgan (Hughes 79)