Georgia Stanway absolutely showed up for England, leading the Lionesses to an impressive 5-0 victory over Greece, sealing an 8-1 aggregate triumph in the Women’s World Cup qualifying play-offs. That’s how you get the job done, securing passage to round two with total ease.
Stanway’s Unstoppable Form: The Lionesses’ Scoring Machine
Stanway is on another level right now, folks. She scored in both matches against Greece, opening the scoring in Crete where England won 3-1, and then delivering again in Leicester when manager Sarina Wiegman demanded more ruthlessness from the squad. Seriously, this 27-year-old midfielder is quickly becoming one of England’s most vital players. She finished this season as England’s top scorer, bagging an insane 11 goals in her last 11 matches. You heard that right, 11 goals in 11 games. She’s also sitting in the top three for most goals by European players in international football since Euro 2025. Former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis wasn’t messing around either, calling Stanway “unplayable at times” against Greece on Tuesday night. And the stats back it up: she won every single tackle, had a ridiculous 90% passing accuracy, took four shots, scored once, and even had another disallowed. That’s just pure domination.
Wiegman knows exactly what she’s got in Stanway, calling her a “warrior.” She pointed out Stanway’s “tenacity,” her aggression both with and without possession, and how she’s “always so eager to go towards goal.” That disallowed goal in Leicester, where Stanway took a long ball with one deft touch and fired it into the bottom corner, showcased her “great mobility and athleticism” according to Wiegman. The manager summed it up perfectly: “She has something different to others. She is goal-orientated, has a great shot… When you really need a fight, or a duel, or a counter-attack breaking up, she is there. She is a warrior who you can play a possession game with too.”
Tactical Tweaks Unleash Stanway’s Versatility
What’s even wilder is how adaptable Stanway has been. In the match against Greece, she played more as a right winger for a good chunk of the game due to some midfield changes. These tweaks, which included 20-year-old debutant Lexi Potter providing cover, allowed Stanway and Keira Walsh to push higher up the pitch, with Lauren James in the number 10 role. It was a brilliant move by Wiegman, and Stanway thrived, causing problems for Greece all game. Brown-Finnis highlighted this flexibility, saying Stanway has shown “how exceptional she is both at the bottom end of the pitch, breaking up play, as well as at the top end.” She was literally doing it all: playing as a second striker, out on the right, even dropping deep as a number 10. That’s the kind of versatility that makes a player invaluable.
The Lionesses are through to the next round of qualifying, but the job isn’t done. England still has work ahead to secure their spot in the World Cup. With Stanway playing like this, the future looks bright, and we cannot wait to see what she pulls off next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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