Nations League encouragement for Lionesses after Iberian double header

This week, the Lionesses made an encouraging start to their Nations League campaign, earning a point away in Portugal and grafting their way to a 1-0 win against world champions Spain.

England were seeking to improve their own patchy form of late, having suffered a Wembley defeat to Germany

First up was a trip to the Algarve to face a Portuguese side seeking to continue their fine form, having gone unbeaten across 12 fixtures last year. England were seeking to improve their own patchy form of late, having suffered a Wembley defeat to Germany, and unconvincing performances against inferior South African and Swiss sides in the final camps of last year.

Head coach Sarina Wiegman elected to start forward-duo Ella Toone and Lauren James from the off, with the pair having returned to the squad recent injury struggles.

England started the brighter of the two sides, James and then Toone coming close within the first ten minutes. Alessio Russo opened the scoring five minutes later, tapping home following an inviting cross from Lucy Bronze to notch her 17th strike in all competitions for club and country this term

Wiegman’s side saw out their lead until half time, despite the hosts coming close on a number of occasions through English mix ups at the back.

Wiegman’s side had the ideal opportunity to make amends and settle old scores with the Wembley visit of Spain four days later

James continued to try her luck from distance after the break, looking for her first international goal since April last year. England, though, could not make their pressure count, Portugal equalising through Kika Nazareth with 15 minutes on the clock. An incisive forward ball from Diana Gomes was cleverly flicked into the path of Nazareth by fellow substitute Ana Capeta, Nazareth outmuscling Grace Clinton and curling an effort into the top corner beyond Mary Earps.

The evening ultimately ending in English disappointment, the Lionesses failed to beat Portugal for what was a second successive game.

The visitors topped the group with their incredible 3-2 comeback against Belgium on Friday night

Yet Wiegman’s side had the ideal opportunity to make amends and settle old scores with the Wembley visit of Spain four days later, the first meeting between the two sides since the World Cup final in 2023.

Hannah Hampton was preferred to usual starting goalkeeper Earps in the only change from the side that began proceedings in Portugal.

The visitors having topped the group with their incredible 3-2 comeback against Belgium on Friday night, dominated the early exchanges. Barcelona winger Salma Paralluelo and striker Lucía García both came close in the opening ten, Paralluelo being denied in the nick of time by Millie Bright and García by the crossbar.

Lauren James had the best of the early England efforts midway through the half, charging into the box having been picked out by a fantastic switch of play from Bright, only to be denied from close range by Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll.

England were slowly growing into the game, winning a flurry of corners, and their bright spell was to be rewarded with Jess Park soon opening the scoring. Just after the half-hour mark, a clever turn and burst of pace from Alessio Russo saw her beat Irene Paredes. Her shot deflecting off two Spain defenders, just evading James, it fell kindly for Park to tap home.

Spain responded with a period of pressure of their own before the break, the ever-troublesome Paralluelo working the ball onto her left foot 25 yards out and curling one just wide. Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí also came close on the stroke of half time, yet was denied by Hampton.

The restart was accompanied by more of the same, Arsenal forward, Mariona Caldentey, combining with Paralluelo on the right with the latter’s curling effort finding the wrong side of Hampton’s post.

García spurned yet another opportunity a minute later having been played through by a fantastic ball from Caldentey, only to be denied by Hampton’s outstretched leg.

The pace of the game slowed as the second half reached its midpoint, with both coaches making changes, Wiegman bringing on forward Nikita Parris to earn her first cap in two years.

The attacking output and defensive rigidity of full back Lucy Bronze was the standout from this camp

With 20 minutes to go Paralluelo was presented the perfect opportunity to equalise. Substitute Athenea del Castillo playing her through on goal, Paralluelo was caught in two minds and dispossessed in the England box.

Spain maintained their push for an equaliser into the final 10, Caldentey lashing a chance of her own into the side netting and Bright denying del Castillo with another last-ditch block.

Despite James seeing a chance to seal the game clutched off the line at the second time of asking by Coll, the Lionesses held on for three points that such a resolute showing deserved. England sit joint-top of the group on four points, Portugal themselves having grafted to a 1-0 win in Leuven.

With the attacking output and defensive rigidity of full-back Lucy Bronze the standout from this camp, England will seek to re-establish chemistry in attack when they resume their Nations League campaign in April with a double-header against Belgium.