After demolishing the Netherlands on matchday two, England needed less than 15 minutes to open the scoring here, but the goal did not come without controversy.
Georgia Stanway was adjudged to have been tripped by Carrie Jones in the box after a VAR review, and the midfielder stepped up to sweep the resulting penalty into the corner for her third strike in four matches. Ella Toone then doubled the Lionesses’ lead just eight minutes later, lashing in the rebound after her initial shot was blocked on the line.
Within half an hour, England were three goals to the good as Toone turned provider, crossing for Lauren Hemp to head in at the back post for her first goal since October.
After making three assists last time out, Alessia Russo finally opened her goalscoring account for the tournament by tapping home Toone’s cutback, as the Lionesses replicated their 4-0 scoreline over the Netherlands before half-time.
Wales had their moments, with Angharad James forcing Hannah Hampton into a save while Rachel Rowe and Jess Fishlock struck just over and wide respectively, but the Dragons were largely outclassed.
England pushed for more goals in the second half as Keira Walsh found substitute Jess Park with a sublime pass, but her volley was brilliantly tipped onto the post by Olivia Clark. The goalkeeper also came out quickly to smother Stanway’s effort before the hour mark, but there was nothing she could do as England eventually netted for the fifth time.
Two substitutes combined as Aggie Beever-Jones fed Beth Mead, who beat her defender before calmly slotting past Clark.
Wales substitute Hannah Cain then made an impact of her own, lashing Fishlock’s precise pass into the top corner to give the Red Wall something to cheer for. However, the Lionesses still had time to score a sixth when Mead and Beever-Jones combined again, this time Mead crossing for the young Chelsea forward to head home.
Another heavy defeat means the debutants exit at the group stage - an almost inevitable outcome given the calibre of the other sides in the group. The holders, meanwhile, progress to the quarter-finals by stretching their unbeaten H2H record to five games.
Flashscore Player of the Match: Ella Toone (England)
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