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Women's World Cup: England wrap up qualifying with Montenegro win

Eni Aluko: Scored 13 in the qualifying group stage
Image: Eni Aluko: Scored 13 in the qualifying group stage

England women completed their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 10-0 demolition of Montenegro, while Scotland need a play-off.

England had already secured their spot for next year's finals in Canada and finished top of Group Six with a 100 per cent record after bagging their biggest win since beating Hungary 13-0 in 2005.

Eniola Aluko claimed a hat-trick, while Karen Carney scored twice before missing a penalty. Toni Duggan scored a double, with Lucia Bronze, Alex Greenwood and Josanne Potter completing the rout.

Montenegro had Irena Bjelica sent off five minutes from time.

Head coach Mark Sampson, whose team took their goal aggregate to 52-1 in 10 group games, said: "It was a positive, thoroughly professional performance with clinical finishing and it completed a good job well done in qualifying.

"The team has developed really well during the course of the campaign and we should be in a good place when the finals come round next June." 

Scotland must strive to reach their first major championship finals the hard way after slipping into the play-offs after suffering a 2-0 defeat in Sweden.

The Scots needed at least a 3-1 win in Gothenburg to overhaul their hosts and top Group Four, but Therese Sjogran and Lotta Schelin denied skipper Gemma Fay's side automatic progress.

Now Scotland face two rounds of play-off battles in October and November to claim the final European qualifying place for the right to play in Canada.

Coach Anna Signeul's side blitzed the Faroe Isles 9-0 on Saturday, but were unable to force any kind of repeat against Sweden, who progress automatically.

Ukraine denied Wales any chance of squeezing into the play-offs with a 1-0 victory in Lviv to secure second place in Group Six as Tetyana Romanenko stole the spoils in injury time.

Germany topped Group One with a 2-0 home victory over the Republic of Ireland to complete a flawless campaign, while Spain wrapped up Group Two with a 1-0 win in the Czech Republic.

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