Women's football: England stay on course for World Cup with 3-0 win over Belarus

England's women maintained their 100 per cent record without conceding a goal during World Cup qualification with a 3-0 win over Group Six opponents Belarus in Minsk.

Goals from Eni Aluko, Steph Houghton and a first international goal for PFA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year Lucy Bronze, ensured a third consecutive competitive victory for manager Mark Sampson.

Sampson’s side dominated from the outset with early chances falling to Liverpool’s Natasha Dowie, Birmingham’s Karen Carney and Chelsea’s Eni Aluko.

And they took a 30th-minute lead when Fara Williams intercepted the ball in midfield before feeding Aluko to slot home her eight goal during qualification and her fourth in three under Sampson.

Williams was involved in England’s second six minutes later when she cut a free-kick across goal for England skipper Steph Houghton to rifle home.  

Clear-cut chances were at a premium in the second half with Williams, Houghton, Alex Scott and substitute Lianne Sanderson enjoying the best of the chances.

Williams, who moved on to 128 caps during the win, one behind England’s most capped player in history Rachel Yankey, was involved in the third to cap another excellent performance in an England shirt.

Belarus failed to clear her injury-time corner and Williams’ Liverpool Ladies team-mate Lucy Bronze was on hand to drill home low and hard to put the gloss on another impressive display by Sampson’s side.

England’s seventh win in seven qualifiers puts them in pole position to qualify for the 2015 World Cup in Canada.

Four points from their next three games will be enough to guarantee qualification. England’s next game is against Ukraine in Lviv on Thursday.

In the group’s other game, Wales beat Turkey 1-0 courtesy of Sarah Wiltshire’s goal to keep alive their hopes of reaching next year’s World Cup.

Meanwhile, Scotland were beaten 3-1 by Sweden in their Group Four qualifier at Motherwell's Fir Park.

Caroline Seger opened the scoring for Sweden before they were pegged back by a Kim Little penalty for the home side.

Paris St Germain's Kosovare Asllani scored either side of the break to seal three points for the Swedes who made it six wins in six qualifying matches.