Claudia Pina brace sees Spain Women beat England 2-1 in Nations League group stage
England Women have been knocked out of the UEFA Nations League after falling to a 2-1 defeat to Spain in the group stage.
Arsenal striker Alessia Russo's 22nd-minute goal gave the away side an early lead in the first half, but a second-half brace from Barcelona's Claudia Pina earned Spain the victory at the RCDE Stadium.
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The win sees Spain extend their lead at the top of Group C and qualify for the semi-finals. They end the group stage with 15 points after winning five of their six games, while England sit in second with ten points.
Sarina Wiegman's England side will now turn their focus to Euro 2025, which kicks off in Switzerland on July 2.
A battle out in Spain but it ends in defeat for the #Lionesses.
Another step in our preparation for #WEURO2025 👊 pic.twitter.com/xuRhumL0sW
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) June 3, 2025
Analysis by Charlotte Harpur
It was a lacklustre performance from England, who could have conceded far more than just two goals. They started poorly, struggled to clear their lines, and were sloppy in defence.
England sat back, absorbed a lot of pressure, and struggled to get any rhythm but scored completely against the run of play with a fine finish from Alessia Russo.
In the second half, however, Spain upped the intensity and were far more fluid in their play. Substitute Claudia Pina was the game changer and showed what impact subs can make, an aspect England lacked, as Wiegman opted to bring on Missy Bo Kearns for her debut.
Ultimately, England grew weaker as the game went on and were outplayed in midfield as Spain found their stride.
Analysis by Laia Cervello Herrero
At the press conference prior to the match, both Mariona Caldentey and Montse Tome were asked about the importance of winning or losing this match in terms of morale, with the Euros in mind.
England and Spain are two of the major favourites for the tournament, so this match seemed like more than just a qualifying match for the Nations League playoffs.
After FC Barcelona — who form the core of the Spanish team — lost the Champions League final to Arsenal, this match was seen as crucial for regaining self-confidence.
Although the result will not determine anything in Euros terms, Spain can now head into the summer with renewed energy.
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