Wales 0 England 4

ENGLAND have booked their place for the 2015 World Cup in style with a resounding 4-0 win over neighbours Wales.

The win leaves the Dragonesses battling for a play-off spot with Ukraine if they want to make it to Canada.

Wales are three points above the eastern Europeans in the qualifying table, but Ukraine have a game in hand so it will go down to the wire in the final qualifier on September 17.

For England the challenge will be completing a perfect 10 wins in 10 qualifiers when they go to bottom-of-the-table Montenegro next month.

Needing just a point at the Cardiff City Stadium, Karen Carney’s early opening goal set up the visitors for a comfortable night.

Eniola Aluko, Laura Bassett and Lianne Sanderson added goals before half-time, and England, who have taken inspiration from the national women’s rugby team’s World Cup triumph, were able to cruise from there on in.

Carney’s opening goal in the 16th minute was ostensibly a fluke, her curling free-kick from the left being missed by Aluko and deceiving goalkeeper Nicola Davies on its way inside the far post.

Jordan Nobbs drifted a 20-yard effort against the top of the Wales crossbar as England sought a swift second.

That extra cushion came in the 39th minute when Aluko produced an explosive finish, taking down a throw-in from the right and lashing the ball across Davies.

It was 3-0 by the 44th minute as centre-back Bassett, selected ahead of former captain Casey Stoney, prodded home a left-wing corner from Carney.

Sanderson punished shaky defending just a minute later when the striker darted into space to head in right-back Alex Scott’s pacey cross.

England manager Mark Sampson said: “It’s a special moment. We wanted to come here and do the job and I thought for spells in the first half we were outstanding.

“The objective was to win and to play well and qualify, and there was loads of good play in our performance.

“We’ve finally made it to Canada.

“We’re excited by it, with the way we’re playing at the moment, but there’s lots more to come from this group.”

The 3,581-strong crowd was a record for a Welsh women’s international.