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Spain demonstrated why they are the favourites to win the Women’s European Championship in Switzerland as they came from behind to beat England in Barcelona and top their Nations League group.
The Spain substitute Claudia Pina proved to be the matchwinner, scoring twice and causing all sorts of problems for the England defence. After England held a half-time lead thanks to Alessia Russo’, the Barcelona forward equalised just inside the hour mark, two minutes after coming on, when she created room for herself to shoot inside the box with her left foot and beat Hannah Hampton.
Her second goal was outstanding, struck with distance with power and finesse, with her strike bouncing in off the post and giving the new England No 1 no chance.
The result ensured Spain progressed to October’s semi-finals of the Nations League and England finish second in the group. It will have given the England head coach, Sarina Wiegman, plenty to ponder, with less than 48 hours before she names her final squad for July’s Euros.
The Dutchwoman, who has overseen 12 wins out of 12 in her two previous Euros campaigns as a head coach, named what appeared to be her strongest available starting side, but it was in the second half, when she began to introduce squad players, that Spain began to fully assert their superiority.
Spain had taken control of the possession, territory and chances from the beginning of the contest but they were initially thwarted and frustrated, largely thanks to an outstanding reaction save from Hampton The keeper demonstrated her quick reactions by denying Esther González from close range after the ball dropped kindly for the Spain forward from a corner.
It was England who took the lead, however, as Russo marked her 50th cap with her 22nd goal for England, latching on to Keira Walsh’s ball and having the pace and composure to stretch clear of Irene Paredes and then expertly roll her finish past Cata Coll and into the far bottom corner.
The hosts were indignant, believing Salma Paralluelo had been fouled by Niamh Charles in the lead-up to the goal. Paralluelo had gone to ground after attempting to turn inside and the ball had rolled to a grateful Walsh, whose subsequent through ball to find Russo’s run was exquisite. The Spanish crowd were intent on making their feelings clear to the officials, but perhaps they should have been more angry at their own players’ failure to play to the whistle, with at least three Spain players appearing to pause as they appealed for the foul.
The home supporters had a far stronger case to feel aggrieved just a few moments later – and their whistling intensified significantly – when the ball vhit Charles’s outstretched arm inside the penalty area, as she had attempted to clear Alexia Putellas’ left-wing cross. In line with Uefa’s regulations for this stage of the competition, there was no video assistant referee so the officials were not able to have a second look.
The hosts remained on the attack and the Ballon d’Or winner, Aitana Bonmati, and her Barcelona team-mate Patri Guijarro rolled efforts wide from long range.
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After the break, Wiegman gave the Aston Villa midfielder Missy Bo Kearns her senior England debut, replacing Georgia Stanway, and soon afterwards swapped Jess Carter for Lucy Bronze at right-back, as well as Chloe Kelly being introduced to give Beth Mead a rest. While the Lionesses began to look weaker off the ball, Spain were getting stronger, after bringing on Pina to replace Paralluelo.
After Pina – who was also on target in both legs of Barcelona’s 8-2 aggregate victory over Chelsea in the Women’s Champions League semi-finals in April – had scored her quick double, Spain saw out the victory in relatively comfortable fashion and they will head to Switzerland in strong form, having also enjoyed a 5-1 away victory against Belgium on Friday.
England will host Jamaica in a friendly in Leicester on 29 June in their final fixture in preparation for the Euros but they will now seek to defend their Euros title off the back of one win and one defeat in their two Nations League meetings with Spain, who look to be the team to beat in Switzerland.
