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
Liverpool rocked by last-gasp defeat at Wolves
- Liverpool’s first defeat in five games in all competitions will raise fresh questions about Slot’s Anfield future
LONDON: Liverpool suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolves as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the Premier League’s bottom club on Tuesday.
Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux.
Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November.
But Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool.
It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017.
Liverpool have conceded 14 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, with only Newcastle shipping more in the same period in the Premier League.
The Reds remain fifth but their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League have been hurt by a defeat that means sixth-placed Chelsea will go above them if they beat Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Liverpool’s first defeat in five games in all competitions will raise fresh questions about Slot’s Anfield future.
This was the first of Liverpool’s two trips to Molineux in the space of four days, with an immediate chance for revenge in the FA Cup fifth round on Friday.
Slot this week said he no longer finds Premier League matches a “joy to watch” due to the rise in set-piece goals, and Liverpool supporters took no pleasure from this dismal performance.
Wolves and Liverpool fans joined in a sustained round of applause on 18 minutes in memory of Diogo Jota, who wore that shirt number during his time at Molineux before joining the Reds.
Portugal forward Jota died in a car crash in Spain last year.
Crest-fallen Slot
That emotional tribute seemed to suck the energy from both teams in a scrappy first half.
Liverpool were punished for their lethargy in the 78th minute.
Tolu Arokodare got away with a nudge on Virgil van Dijk to win the ball before playing a superb pass to Rodrigo Gomes, who held off Ibrahima Konate and guided a clinical finish past Alisson Becker.
Liverpool finally awoke from their slumber after that shock, grabbing an equalizer in the 83rd minute with a helping hand from Wolves.
Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was guilty of a woeful pass that Salah intercepted, racing into the area for a shot that eluded Jose Sa’s weak attempted save.
Salah has scored just eight goals — five in the league — during a turbulent season.
Liverpool were still creaky at the back and Andre pounced on Alisson’s poor clearance four minutes to steal the points in stoppage-time.
Andre’s powerful strike deflected off Liverpool defender Joe Gomez and looped over the wrong-footed Alisson as Wolves boss Rob Edwards sprinted down the touchline in a wild celebration while Slot looked on crestfallen.
Wolves are 11 points from safety with eight games left and relegation remains almost certain despite this memorable victory.
Everton ended their dismal home form and pushed Burnley closer to relegation with a 2-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Buoyed by their 3-2 win at Newcastle last weekend, Everton dispatched second-bottom Burnley with their first win in eight home league matches.
Former Burnley defender James Tarkowski put Everton in front with a powerful header from James Garner’s 32nd minute free-kick.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall doubled Everton’s advantage on the hour taking Iliman Ndiaye’s pass and clipping a composed finish past Martin Dubravka from six yards.
Everton remain in contention for a European berth, while Burnley are eight points from safety with just nine games left.
Habib Diarra’s penalty fired Sunderland to a 1-0 victory against Leeds on their first Premier League visit to Elland Road since 2002.
Bournemouth and Brentford shared a goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium that did little to improve either side’s hopes of qualifying for Europe.
