England have missed out on automatic qualification for the Women's World Cup, even though they finished their group with a comfortable win. The Lionesses beat Ukraine 3-0 in Liverpool, but the result was not enough to secure a direct place at next year's finals, leaving them to face a longer route through the playoffs.
The match itself gave England few problems. Playing at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium, Jess Carter and Georgia Stanway put the home side 2-0 up in the first half, giving England control of the contest early on and setting them on course for a straightforward victory over Ukraine.
The scoring was completed after the break by substitute Beth Mead, who came off the bench to make it 3-0. The goal was a notable personal milestone for the forward, as it was her 40th goal for the Lionesses, underlining her standing as one of England's most reliable attacking players.
Despite the win, England were unable to finish top of their group. World champions Spain beat Iceland in their own fixture, and that result was enough for the Spanish side to top the group ahead of England, taking the single automatic qualification place that came with first position.
As a result, England will now have to go through two playoff rounds in order to reach the finals, which are due to be held in Brazil next year. It means that, even after a strong qualifying campaign, the Lionesses still face further matches before their place at the tournament can be confirmed.
For a side that has grown used to competing at the very top of the women's game, the playoff route adds an extra hurdle on the road to Brazil. England will now turn their attention to those decisive ties, knowing that two more rounds stand between them and a spot at the World Cup finals.