UEFA Women’s Nations League: England Dominates Belgium as Spain Triumphs Over Portugal

On matchday three of the Women’s Nations League, England and Germany both enjoyed convincing victories, while reigning World Cup champions Spain triumphed over Portugal on Friday.

England took control of their match against Belgium in Bristol with first-half headers from Lucy Bronze and Millie Bright. They extended their lead with first goals for the Lionesses from Aggie Beever-Jones and Keira Walsh, alongside a contribution from substitute Jess Park, culminating in a dominant 5-0 victory.

The two teams will face off again next Tuesday in Leuven, with England manager Sarina Wiegman focused on defending her side’s European Championship title and preparing for future tournaments.

“Every game is competitive, and we need to win as we aim to secure the best possible position for the World Cup draw,” Wiegman stated.

“I would never be complacent. We’ll field what we believe is the strongest team against Belgium.”

Meanwhile, World champions Spain secured a 4-2 win against Portugal, placing them just one point behind England in group A3.

Germany displayed their attacking prowess, thrashing Scotland 4-0 at Tannadice Park in Dundee.

Scotland found themselves trailing early, conceding just seconds into the match from a superb strike by Elisa Senss. They fought back well until an unfortunate own goal by Germany-born defender Sophie Howard changed the game’s momentum.

The top-seeded Germans, ranked third in the world, added goals from Cora Zicai and Lea Schuller to seal Scotland’s disappointing evening.

Scotland will have much to consider ahead of their next match in Wolfsburg on Tuesday.

Germany currently leads their group on goal difference from the Netherlands, who edged past Austria with a 3-1 victory, featuring Sherida Spitse achieving a milestone as the joint most capped European player.

France, runners-up to Spain in last year’s Nations League, defeated Switzerland 2-0 in St Gallen, with Sandy Baltimore and a powerful long-range effort from Selma Bacha securing the win. This victory places France five points clear at the top of their group, ahead of their match against Norway in Oslo on Tuesday.

The four group champions from League A will qualify for the finals in the autumn. Moreover, the group standings will impact the teams competing in promotion and relegation matches, determining their initial league positions for the European Qualifiers for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, set to take place through 2026.