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
Man United climb to third, Fulham sink sorry Spurs
- Red Devils have taken their tally to 19 points from a possible 21
LONDON: Benjamin Sesko stretched his hot streak with the winning goal as Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 2-1 to go third in the Premier League, while Tottenham failed to dispel relegation fears after defeat at Fulham.
Sesko was handed his first start in seven games since Michael Carrick took charge at Old Trafford and rewarded his boss with another vital goal to edge United closer to a return to the Champions League.
Palace had taken an early lead at Old Trafford when Maxence Lacroix outmuscled Leny Yoro to guide in a header from Brennan Johnson’s corner.
But United hit back to remain unbeaten under Carrick and take their tally to 19 points from a possible 21.
The game swung on one incident as Lacroix was sent off and conceded a penalty for pulling back Matheus Cunha just before the hour mark.
Bruno Fernandes confidently stroked the resulting spot kick past former teammate Dean Henderson.
Fernandes was then the creator for the second as his curling cross was powered in by Sesko.
The Slovenian has now scored seven times in his last eight appearances to quieten critics of his £74 million ($100 million) price tag after a slow start to his career in England.
Tottenham remain perilously poised just four points above the relegation zone as interim boss Igor Tudor again failed to halt their alarming slide after a 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage.
Harry Wilson and Alex Iwobi gave Fulham a deserved half-time lead as they moved up to ninth and back into contention for European football next season.
Richarlison headed in a late consolation for Tottenham, but they remain the only Premier League side without a win in 2026.
The one crumb of comfort for Spurs was defeat for relegation rivals Nottingham Forest, 2-1 at Brighton.
All three goals arrived in the first 15 minutes as Diego Gomez and Danny Welbeck netted for the Seagulls either side of Morgan Gibbs-White’s reply.
Forest sit two points above the drop zone ahead of a daunting trip to Manchester City on Wednesday.
