Three West Ham United women’s team players booked their places at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 with their respective countries after victories in the second round of Play-Offs tonight.
Goalkeeper Kinga Szemik made history with Poland, keeping another clean sheet to help her side secure a spot at their first-ever major tournament with a 1-0 win against Austria in Vienna.
Following Friday’s 1-0 win, Poland had to wait until the 94th minute to seal the tie when their skipper Ewa Pajor slammed the ball home from close range to spark scenes of jubilation between the players.
Joining Szemik will be midfielder Oona Siren, whose Finland team scored two unanswered goals against Hammers teammate Kirsty Smith and Scotland in Helsinki, following their goalless draw on Friday.
With both Irons representatives starting, the damage was done in the first half as goals from Natalia Kuikka and Nea Lehtola gave Finland the upper hand by the half-hour mark.
Siren was withdrawn on 62 minutes, and Smith was replaced eight minutes later, but the home side held on to secure their spot at next summer’s tournament.
Meanwhile, Amber Tysiak and Belgium comfortably qualified with a 4-1 aggregate scoreline against Ukraine.
The 24-year-old once again played all 90 minutes for Belgium, who extended their lead in the tie to three on 67 minutes through Mariam Abdulai.
The Euro 2022 quarter-finalists conceded an equaliser on the night with ten minutes remaining, but Ukraine failed to stage a grandstand finish as Tessa Wullaert, just as she did in the first leg, scored in second-half stoppage time.
In Dublin, defender Jessie Stapleton earned a start for Republic of Ireland in their clash with Wales, but the home side were agonisingly beaten 2-1 on the night.
Despite the hosts' best efforts, with Anna Patten halving the deficit four minutes from time, second-half strikes from Hannah Cain and Carrie Jones proved to be enough to send Wales through to next summer’s tournament.
Stapleton played all of the tie after her appearance off the bench in Cardiff on Friday, when the two teams played out a 1-1 draw.
Away from UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 qualification action, Hammers vice-captain Shelina Zadorsky and Canada enjoyed a 5-1 rout against South Korea in their friendly in Spain.
The defender, who played all of her side’s 0-0 draw with Iceland last week, came on as a half-time substitute with her team one to the good, helping them add another four to their tally.
Earlier in the day, Princess Ademiluyi was introduced with 21 minutes remaining in England U19s’ UEFA Women’s U19 Championship Qualifier with Poland U19s, but unfortunately could not help her side find an equaliser, as the Young Lionesses were defeated 1-0.
Zuzanna Grzywinska’s goal after a quarter-of-an-hour proved to be the difference between the two teams, leaving England third in their group.
And Seraina Piubel was an unused substitute for Switzerland in their 1-0 defeat to England at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane, which saw Grace Clinton’s eighth-minute goal secure victory for the Lionesses.
But, the attacker will join Szemik, Siren and Tysiak at the Euros, with Switzerland hosting the tournament next summer.
Elsewhere, defender Camila Sáez was an unused substitute as Chile fell to a 1-0 defeat in their friendly with Uruguay.
