England on the cusp of quarter-finals after 2-0 win over Spain

England stunned Spain in Breda with goals from Fran Kirby and Jodie Taylor bookending a match that the Spanish had dominated. Both sides now need a point in their final games to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Though Spain might well have taken the lead in the first minute, England started the game playing at a vicious pace, and took the lead a minute later, Fran Kirby finishing cooly after Ellen White played her in. And they ought to have doubled their advantage on six minutes when Millie Bright headed home Jordan Nobbs’ cross, only for the referee to disallow the goal for no apparent reason.

Gradually, Spain took over, their passing and movement allowing them to dominate possession. But, lacking width and edge, they barely threatened, and England will have gone in at half-time satisfied with how things were going.

The second half was very similar to the first. Spain struggled to create, but England achieved little on the break. Then, on 75 minutes, the crucial moment: Leila Ouahabi crossed, White slipped, and the ball clipped her knee then clattered the hand above her head. Penalty, reckoned the ref, before changing her mind; England survived, Spain bolted, and 10 minutes later, Jodie Taylor smacked home a clincher. Both sides will be confident of doing the necessary on Thursday.

Why did Spain not change anything? For 70 minutes, Spain dominated the game but even though their method clearly was not working, they did simply hoped that eventually it would despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. They are not good enough to simply believe in their principles, and cannot hope to win the competition playing like that.

Fran Kirby (England) England were disciplined and dogged with no one player outstanding, and as such, Kirby wins the award for the superb finish which allowed her team to play their game.

England: Bardsley 6, Bronze 6, Houghton 7, Bright 6, Stokes 7; Moore 6, Scott 6; Nobbs 5, Kirby 7, White 6, Taylor 6. Subs: Christiansen 7, Duggan 7, Potter 6.

Spain: Panos 6; Torrejon 5, Pereira 6, Paredes 6 Corredera 6, Loasada 6, Meseguer 6, Putellas 7, Ouahabi 6; Sampedro 5, Hermoso 5. Subs: Barbara 5, Olga Garcia 6, Latorre 6.

1' - Hermosa takes the ball on her chest, dead centre and just outside the box, finding Losada to her right ... she diddles Houghton, who slips, only to shoot wide. Might she regret that?

2’ - GOAL! England 1-0 Spain 0 (Kirby) Yes she will! White pounces on a loose ball 30 yards out, more or less dead centre, and bursts into space before flicking a pass into the path of Kirby outside her. Kirby is in! And how well she takes her chance, drawing the keeper, shaping to go across goal, and punching the ball inside the near post instead!

6’ - Nobbs swings the ball over, not too much pace on it, but Bright meets it maybe 15 yards out and loops a brilliant header in at the far post. I've not a scooby why that was disallowed because there was neither offside nor foul. Spain are rocking!

64’ - Lovely from Hermosa, silkily taking possession and tapping to Meseguer, whose touch allows her to scoop a delicious return pass into the box. Hermosa nips after it as Bardsley comes out, and takes her down ... but not before she brushed a knuckle on the ball. That could easily have been a penalty. 65’ - Spain are coming now, and Paredes curves a lovely ball into the box. Bright does brilliantly to flick a header away from Corredera, though it gives Bardsley a shock - she dives to make sure as it skims past the post.

75’ PENALTY SPAIN! Garcia wriggles past a couple of challenges outside the box, finds Ouahabi, and her cross is low ... White slips, the ball clips her studs and raps the hand above her head ... and then the ref changes her mind! Dearie me!

85’ - GOAL! England 2-0 Spain (Taylor) Stokes drills a ball into Duggan who, back to goal, allows it to run along the outside of her foot into the path of Taylor. She's barely had a kick tonight, but wastes no time at all smacking home a finish, in off Panos' midriff.