PARIS: England and Germany cruised and World Cup champions Spain downed Portugal on matchday three in the women’s Nations League on Friday.
First-half headers from Lucy Bronze and Millie Bright set England on the road to beating Belgium in Bristol, with maiden Lionesses goals from Aggie Beever-Jones and Keira Walsh and substitute Jess Park also contributing to the lop-sided 5-0 win.
The two sides meet again next Tuesday in Leuven with England manager Sarina Wiegman firmly focused on her side’s European Championship title defense and an event further ahead.
“Now, of course, every game is competitive, but you have to win because we want to get in the best possible position for the World Cup draw too,” Wiegman said.
“I would never be complacent. We’ll bring the team on the pitch that we think at that moment is the best team to play against Belgium.”
World champions Spain downed Portugal 4-2 to go second by one point to England in group A3.
Germany were also in trigger happy mood, routing Scotland at Dundee’s Tannadice Park 4-0.
Scotland conceded their first goal with less than a minute on the clock after a terrific strike from Elisa Senss.
The hosts responded well and were in the match until Scotland’s Germany-born defender Sophie Howard’s own goal.
The top seeds and third-ranked side in the world completed Scotland’s miserable night with goals from Cora Zicai and Lea Schuller.
Scotland have plenty of food for thought before round two in Wolfsburg on Tuesday.
Germany are top of their group on goal difference from the Netherlands, 3-1 winners over Austria with Sherida Spitse becoming the joint most capped European player.
France, beaten finalists to Spain in last year’s Nations League, beat women’s Euro 2025 hosts Switzerland 2-0 in St. Gallen.
Sandy Baltimore opened the scoring with Selma Bacha’s powerful long strike lifting France five points clear at the top of their group from Norway, who they face in Oslo on Tuesday.
The four League A group winners qualify for the finals in the autumn.
The group standings also determine the teams contesting promotion and relegation matches to establish their starting league position in the European Qualifiers for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, running through 2026.
England, Germany and Spain on mark in women’s Nations League
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England, Germany and Spain on mark in women’s Nations League
McIlory calls for Australian Open rescheduling in bid to lure stronger field
- The Northern Irishman, who completed a career grand slam this year when he won the US Masters, was one of the main draws at Royal Melbourne this week
Rory McIlroy, the world’s second-ranked golfer, has called on organizers of the Australian Open to reschedule the event in an effort to attract a stronger international field to the tournament in the future.
The Northern Irishman, who completed a career grand slam this year when he won the US Masters, was one of the main draws at Royal Melbourne this week and finished in a tie for 14th, eight shots behind winner Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
“I’ve been excited to come back down here for a while, it’s been over 10 years since I played in the Australian Open,” McIlroy said after his final round.
“This is a golf tournament that has got so much potential and I think it showed a little bit of that this week. There’s still a ways to go.
“I would love to have a few more players come down and play. But it’s hard. There’s three tournaments going on in the schedule this week.
“There needs to be conversations had with people much more important than me that set the schedules and do all that sort of stuff.
“Hopefully the Australian Open can find a date that accommodates everyone and everyone can at least have the option to come down and play.”
The tournament marked the end of a stellar season for the 36-year-old.
In addition to his long-awaited Masters success, McIlroy won a seventh Race to Dubai title plus the Irish Open and was a member of the European team that successfully defended the Ryder Cup in the US in September.
“I’m looking forward to a little break,” he said. “I played a pretty heavy schedule post the summer, with the Irish Open, then the Ryder Cup and then I’ve been globetrotting all over the last couple of months.”
“I’m excited to have little bit of downtime, finally reflect on everything, maybe watch a few of the tournaments back. I’ve not really let myself do that too much.”
“Looking forward to the Christmas break and put the feet up, a few glasses of wine and think back on about what an unbelievable year it’s been.”
