England Women stormed into the quarter-finals of the Women's Euro 2025 Championships with a merciless 6-1 destruction of near neighbours Wales Women in their final Group D fixture.

Thanks to their 4-0 destruction of the Netherlands on matchday two, England travelled to St. Gallen safe in the knowledge that victory by any margin would punch their ticket to the knockout phase.

Cue an emphatic England display in the first half, where Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo all breached a beleaguered Welsh defence to kill the game off before the break.

Sarina Wiegman's champions could afford to conserve their energy in the second 45, but the substitutes soon wanted a slice of the action, and Beth Mead soon had her name up in lights as she netted England's fifth.

However, there was still something for the Dragons to cheer as Hannah Cain struck a wonderful consolation, but Aggie Beever-Jones restored England's five-goal cushion late on.

Owing to France's thrilling triumph over the Netherlands, the Lionesses have qualified for the quarter-finals as Group D runners-up, while the Welsh crash out without a single point to their name.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

The England team that turned up in the first game against France? She does not exist.

The Lionesses' demolition of the Dutch ought to have struck fear into the hearts of Welsh defenders, and for the second game in a row, Wiegman's side showed why they still have a firm grip on the Euros trophy.

England were masterfully clinical when the chances came their way, connected defence to attack expertly and were irrepressible both in the air and on the ground all evening long.

Ten goals in two games was just what the doctor ordered for the holders before knockout business begins, and while Wales's maiden Euros campaign ended without a single point, Rhian Wilkinson's side got the biggest cheer of the night when the injury-plagued Cain breached Hannah Hampton's net.

ENGLAND VS. WALES HIGHLIGHTS

Georgia Stanway goal vs. Wales (13th min, England 1-0 Wales)

VAR awards England a penalty and Georgia Stanway makes no mistake from the spot ✅??????? pic.twitter.com/LZDgfD01Kw

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 13, 2025

A healthy dose of controversy, although England will not care one bit, as Carrie Jones is adjudged to have brought down Stanway just inside the area after a long VAR check.

The Bayern Munich midfielder steps up to the chalk and fires a hard, low penalty into the bottom corner to propel the Lionesses ahead.

Ella Toone goal vs. Wales (21st min, England 2-0 Wales)

? Mistakes galore at the back for Wales

??????? Ella Toone adds a second for England pic.twitter.com/6dr3fegc4Y

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 13, 2025

Disaster for Wales, delight for England, as Toone capitalises on a calamity at the back to double the holders' lead.

Rhiannon Roberts firstly fires an attempted clearance straight at Stanway, and Russo picks up the pieces before squaring to Toone.

The 25-year-old's first strike is brilliantly blocked on the line by Lily Woodham, but she makes no mistake on the follow-up.

Lauren Hemp goal vs. Wales (30th min, England 3-0 Wales)

LAUREN HEMP MAKES IT 3 FOR ENGLAND!! ??????? pic.twitter.com/p54lJ27AXq

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 13, 2025

From scorer to provider, Toone continues to run the Welsh defence ragged, making a nice overlapping run to latch onto Lauren James's ball.

The Manchester United attacker delivers a sumptuous cross to the back stick, where Hemp gets across her marker and connects with a bullet header that is too hot for Olivia Clarke to handle.

Alessia Russo goal vs. Wales (44th min, England 4-0 Wales)

Alessia Russo with England's FOURTH ???????

Lauren James pulling strings in the lead up ?‍? pic.twitter.com/zOHpzLOHWA

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 13, 2025

The old Old Trafford teammates link up for England's fourth, appropriately scored in the 44th minute.

Once again, James picks out Toone's run with a delicate pass in behind the defence, and the latter squares for Russo to coolly tap home into the bottom corner.

Beth Mead goal vs. Wales (72nd min, England 5-0 Wales)

Off the bench and on the scoresheet! ⚽️

Great feet from Beth Mead ? pic.twitter.com/2HAJBZqDHI

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 13, 2025

A five-star player caps off a five-star performance.

Off the bench to devastating effect, Mead cuts onto her left foot and fires a crisp effort into the bottom corner after fellow substitute Beever-Jones's layoff.

Hannah Cain goal vs. England (76th min, England 5-1 Wales)

It might not count for much but this was a wonderful goal for Wales ???????⚽️ pic.twitter.com/rTz6yx6wUe

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 13, 2025

Wales are not celebrating this goal like they are 5-1 down, and rightly so.

Thirty-eight-year-old Jessica Fishlock drives through the exposed centre of the pitch and picks out the perfect pass to Cain, who is making a lung-busting run into the left-hand side of the box.

Cain does the rest with a powerful finish into the far top corner; a wonderful moment for a player who has had to battle back from two ACL injuries in her career.

Aggie Beever-Jones goal vs. England (89th min, England 6-1 Wales)

What a way to wrap it up ?

Aggie Beever-Jones has her first goal at a major tournament ??????? pic.twitter.com/8hyzbnaxGr

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 13, 2025

That is what you call returning the favour. 

After Beever-Jones set up Mead for England's fifth, the roles are reversed this time around, as the Arsenal forward's cross is on the money for the Chelsea sensation to send a downward header into the ground and into the roof of the net.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - ELLA TOONE

Only one player on record has scored a goal, set up another and completed 100% of her passes in a Women's European Championships fixture. That player is pictured above.

Bamboozling the Wales defence with her nifty movement, delivering two pinpoint assists and calmly finishing at the second bite of the cherry for her strike on the night, it is hard to pick out a single flaw from Toone's exemplary performance tonight.

ENGLAND VS. WALES MATCH STATS

Possession: England 77%-23% Wales

Shots: England 24-6 Wales

Shots on target: England 11-2 Wales

Corners: England 6-2 Wales

Fouls: England 3-6 Wales

BEST STATS

1 - Ella Toone is the only player on record (since 2013) to score a goal, assist a goal, and complete 100% of her passes in a UEFA Women’s EUROs match (one goal, two assists, 20/20 passes completed). Perfect. #WEURO2025 pic.twitter.com/EebwYACxne

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 13, 2025

4 - This is just the fourth time that a team have led by 4+ goals at half time of a UEFA Women's EURO match, while England have accounted for two of those instances (6-0 v Norway in 2022, 4-0 v Wales tonight). Fantastic. #WEURO2025 pic.twitter.com/TsUI2FKMlG

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 13, 2025

10 - Georgia Stanway has now scored all 10 of the penalties she has taken for England (excl. shootouts), with three of those being scored at major tournaments (World Cup/EURO). Assured. #WEURO25 pic.twitter.com/apaLrdZzWp

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 13, 2025

WHAT NEXT?

By virtue of finishing second in the group, England have been handed a glamour tie against Group C winners Sweden for the right to meet Norway or Italy in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Wales head home as just one of three teams without a single point to their name - alongside Denmark and Iceland - but Cain's stunning strike will live long in the memory nonetheless.

Written by
Ben Knapton