Clàudia Pina of Spain, coming off the bench, netted two goals as the current Nations League champions rallied back from a deficit to defeat 2-1 England on Tuesday, securing their place in the semifinals of this year’s tournament.
Germany and France have already clinched victories in Groups 1 and 2, respectively, and with Euro 2025 just a month away, the world champions, Spain, faced the European champions, England, in a captivating matchup of contrasting styles.
Spain’s Dominant Start Pressures England Defense
From the very beginning, Spain applied intense pressure, with striker Esther Gonzalez compelling England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton to make an impressive one-handed save early in the match, while the England defense found it difficult to cope with the fluid passing and movement of the home team.
Despite being outplayed, Alessia Russo put the visitors ahead in the 22nd minute. While the Spanish team appealed for a free kick after perceiving a foul on Salma Paralluelo, Keira Walsh delivered a pass behind the defense for Russo, who finished with a skillful shot.
Pina’s Immediate Impact Levels the Match
Stunned by the goal, the home team enjoyed a lot of possession but struggled to generate any serious scoring opportunities until Pina came on in the 58th minute. She leveled the score just under two minutes later with a powerful shot that zipped past Hampton and into the net after England was punished for losing the ball while attempting to play out from the back.
Pina Seals Victory With Stunning Decisive Goal
As Euro 2025 approaches in a month’s time, the 23-year-old Pina solidified her bid for a starting position by netting the decisive goal just 10 minutes later, executing a stunning curling shot that left Hampton with no chance. This victory propelled Spain to 15 points after six matches, placing them five points ahead of England.
Williamson: England Must Improve Before Euro 2025
England captain Leah Williamson expressed her dissatisfaction with the outcome and pointed out that her team has improvements to make in preparation for the Euros.
We faced no significant danger. That’s the result of being under that much pressure from the best teams. We simply need to improve our ball handling and discover solutions more swiftly. It’s an important lesson, she stated.
“We understand our potential. The landscape of the game is always shifting, and we need to adjust more swiftly. We have both the opportunity to develop and the time to challenge ourselves before the tournament begins.”
Sweden Secures Final Nations League Semifinal Spot
In the other crucial match of the evening, Sweden quickly established a 3-0 advantage over their Scandinavian rivals Denmark within the first 11 minutes, ultimately securing a 6-1 victory to claim the last place in the Nations League semi-finals by topping Group 4 with 12 points, two points clear of Italy, who overwhelmed last-placed Wales 4-0.
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