Champions Spain fight back in Women's Nations League opener, England held
PARIS: Spain kicked off their Women's Nations League title defense by fighting back to snatch a thrilling 3-2 win over Belgium on Friday while European champions England were held to a 1-1 draw in Portugal.
For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport
In Valencia, Mariam Toloba gave Belgium a surprise early lead against 2023 World Cup winners Spain and Tessa Wullaert struck a second in the 72nd minute.
Spain, who will be among the favorites at Euro 2025 this summer, where they will face Belgium again, pulled a goal back through Claudia Pina to spark their comeback.
Lucia Garcia levelled in stoppage time and Benfica's Cristina Martin-Prieto blasted home with virtually the final touch of the game to complete the job.
Spain were without injured two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, as well as World Cup star Jenni Hermoso, whom coach Montse Tome did not call up.
The 34-year-old won her sexual assault case against disgraced former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales this week.
Belgium coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir was taking charge of her first match at the helm, in which she could not have asked for a tougher challenge.
In Euro 2025 qualifying last year Spain thumped Belgium 9-0 across the two games.
'I'm very happy, the group deserved it. We had to get the three points here,' said Spain's match-winner Martin-Prieto, who was a late call-up after Amaiur Sarriegi was injured.
In the same section, England and Portugal finished level at 1-1 in Portimao.
Alessio Russo gave England a 15th-minute lead with a close-range tap-in from a cross by Lucy Bronze.
However, they were pegged back with 14 minutes left when substitute Kika Nazareth deservedly equalized after beating Grace Clinton before curling the ball into the corner of the net.
'They scored a great goal but we could've done better there,' said England coach Sarina Wiegman whose team will defend their European title in Switzerland later this year.
'I'm not thinking about the Euros. I'm just thinking about next Wednesday against Spain. It will be a tough game and we'll try to win it.'
In a repeat of last year's third place playoff, the Netherlands were indebted to two goals from Lineth Beerensteyn for a 2-2 draw with Germany in Breda.
Germany won the playoff in 2024 by 2-0 to qualify for the Paris Olympics where they went on to secure the bronze medal.
On Friday, Beerensteyn, who plays club football in Germany for Wolfsburg, saw her 15th-minute opener equalized by Lea Schueller on the stroke of halftime.
Sjoeke Nuesken edged Germany in front five minutes into the second period after being set-up by Jule Brand before Beerensteyn, the top scorer in last season's tournament, made sure of a point for the Dutch in the 66th minute with a header from Chastity Grant's cross.
France, runners-up to Spain in 2024, edged out Norway 1-0 in Toulouse thanks to a 73rd-minute goal from Marie-Antoinette Katoto.
The match saw Eugenie Le Sommer come off the bench to equal Sandrine Soubeyrand's record of 198 caps for France.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
12 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Man City Fined More Than $1 Million for Repeatedly Delaying Premier League Kickoff Times
Manchester City was fined more than one million pounds (1.35 million) by the Premier League on Thursday for repeatedly delaying kickoff times without good reason last season. City, managed by Pep Guardiola, admitted to nine breaches of league rules related to kickoffs and restarts after halftime and has apologized. The most dominant team in English soccer over the past decade was handed fines for each breach amounting to 1.08 million pounds (1.45 million). The biggest individual fine was 210,000 pounds (283,000) for a delay of 2 minutes 22 seconds at the start of the second half against Ipswich on Jan. 19. 'Rules relating to kickoffs and restarts help ensure the organization of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs,' the Premier League said in a statement. 'It also ensures the broadcast of every Premier League match is kept to schedule.' City, currently in the US for the Club World Cup, delayed kickoffs for the start of both halves in a match against Manchester United in December. The start of the second half was delayed 2 minutes 24 seconds – the longest of all the breaches. Last year, City was fined 2.09 million pounds (2.8 million) for 22 breaches of the same rule over the previous two seasons. City is still waiting on the outcome of a hearing into more than 100 charges of alleged financial breaches over a nine-year period. The hearing began in September last year after charges were made in February 2023.
Arab News
14 hours ago
- Arab News
Man City fined more than a million pounds for delayed kickoffs
MANCHESTER: Manchester City have been fined more than one million pounds by the Premier League for breaching the rules around delayed kickoffs and restarts nine times last season, England's top-flight league said on Thursday. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The fine comes a year after City paid 2 million pounds ($2.56 million) to the league for breaching the same game-delay rules. The club accepted and apologized for the rule breaches, and confirmed they have reminded their players and staff of their responsibilities in complying with the rules. 'Rules relating to kick-offs and re-starts help ensure the organization of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs,' the league said in a statement. 'It also ensures the broadcast of every Premier League match is kept to schedule.' Fines totalling 1.08 million pounds were imposed relating to City's home games against Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, West Ham United and Newcastle United and their away fixtures against Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Ipswich Town. The longest game delays were two minutes 22 seconds each for restarts v West Ham and Ipswich. City are awaiting the verdict of 115 unrelated charges of alleged breaches of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. The charges cover a period starting from 2009 and continuing into the 2022-23 season. City have always denied any wrongdoing.
Al Arabiya
17 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Shubman Gill Trumpets Winning a Test Series Over IPL as He Begins India Captaincy
It seems like Shubman Gill's love of test cricket is as strong as it was for the great Virat Kohli, one of his predecessors as India's red-ball captain. Heading into his first assignment as test captain, Gill was asked Thursday if he'd prefer to win the upcoming five-match series in England or the title in the Indian Premier League. 'Definitely the test series in my opinion,' Gill said without hesitation. 'You don't get many opportunities as a captain to come to England–maybe two. If you are the best of your generation, maybe three. IPL comes every year and you get to have a crack at it every year. In my opinion winning a test series in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa is bigger.' Those words will be music to the ears of Kohli, a former India captain who retired from test cricket last month after a 14-year red-ball career in which he scored 9,230 runs, including 30 centuries, and led his country in 68 matches. Kohli sees test cricket as the sport's ultimate format and remained a huge advocate amid the startling rise of the T20 game, helping to change his country's attitude toward the longer format. The next generation of players, now led by Gill, appears to have the same mindset in a new era without Kohli and Rohit Sharma, another great who recently retired from test cricket. Gill, who will take Kohli's spot at No. 4 in the batting order, was asked at a news conference Thursday–on the eve of the first test against England at Headingley–about his team's likely approach over the next few weeks against an opponent famed for its enterprising 'Bazball' strategy. He wasn't so forthcoming. 'You're going to have to wait until August to see what kind of style it's going to be,' Gill said with a smile. Adding a bit on his vision, Gill said he wants to help create an environment in the team where everyone feels secure. 'I personally believe everyone's best performances come when they are feeling most secure and they are feeling validated,' he said. Gill said he will only finalize India's team after looking at the pitch and conditions. India last won a test series in England in 2007.
