THE SPAIN VS ENGLAND MATCH LAST NIGHT WAS CERTAINLY A MESMERISING WATCH, WITH A SLIGHTLY CAGEY START, WITH THE SKILLS ON BOTH SIDES IMMEDIATELY APPARENT, AND NEITHER SIDE WANTING TO MAKE THE SLIGHTEST OF ERRORS (REMEMBER THE LIONESSES BEAT SPAIN BACK IN FEBRUARY 2025 – 1 – 0.) BUT THE SPANISH DEFENDING CHAMPIONS WERE ON TOP FORM, AND THERE WAS A SCARY MOMENT EARLY DOORS AT JUST 3 MINS. INTO THE MATCH FOR THE LIONESSES AFTER PARALLUELO’S FLYING CORNER REACHED GONZALEZ, BUT WAS SUPERBLY SAVED BY LIONESS GOALY HANNAH HAMPTON! IT WAS ACTUALLY ALESSIA RUSSO WHO SCORED THE MOST SUPERB GOAL FIRST AT 22 MINS! (ON HER 50TH CAP), SENDING ENGLISH FANS SPIRITS SOARING! ENGLAND HAD 2 SHOTS ON TARGET, INCLUDING ALESSIA RUSSO’S, AND SPAIN HAD 5 SHOTS ON TARGET, 3 OF WHICH WERE SAVED BY HANNAH HAMPTON. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, AND WITH ALESSIA RUSSO’S GOAL REMAINING THE ONLY GOAL OF THE MATCH (WITH LIONESSES FANS NO DOUBT REFLECTING ON THE DREAMY SUMMER OF 2022 WHEN ENGLAND WON THE EURO’S, AND RUSSO’S ‘NAUGHTY’ NUTMEG IMPRINTED FIRMLY ON THEIR MINDS), SPAIN MUST HAVE REALISED THAT SOMETHING NEEDED TO CHANGE! CUE CLAUDIA PINA, WHO WAS SUBBED OFF THE BENCH IN THE 58TH MINUTE, ONLY TO SCORE WITH THOSE FRESH LEGS JUST 2 MINS. LATER AT 60 MINS! AND THEN AGAIN, 10 MINS. AFTER THAT AT 70 MINS! SO WITH NO FURTHER GOALS, THE MATCH ENDED IN A 2 – 1 WIN TO SPAIN, MEANING THAT ENGLAND NOW FINISH SECOND IN THE GROUP, AND SPAIN PROGRESS TO OCTOBER’S SEMI-FINALS. BUT WITH THE EURO’S COMING UP, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER WONDERFUL JOURNEY ON WHICH TO ACCOMPANY THE LIONESSES – FOR WHICH THEY ARE ALL FULLY FIT! (SARINA WIEGMAN PROUDLY ANNOUNCED THAT BEFORE THE MATCH, AS GEORGIA STANWAY HAS RECOVERED FROM KNEE SURGERY NOW AND LAUREN HEMP HAS ALSO RECOVERED FROM A NASTY INJURY. SARINA HAS NURTURED THEM WELL, AND WILL NOW NEED TO PUT HER THINKING CAP ON, AS SHE WILL BE ANNOUNCING THE FINAL NAMES FOR HER ENGLAND EURO’S SQUAD ON THURSDAY.) CONGRATULATIONS TO SPAIN ON THEIR WIN, AND ALSO TO THE LIONESSES FOR TRYING THEIR BEST, AND A RESPECTABLE LOSS – IT WAS FANTASTIC ENTERTAINMENT!
UEFA WOMEN’S NATIONS LEAGUE : SPAIN VS ENGLAND – 03/06/2025
SARINA WIEGMAN SPEAKS AFTER THE MATCH
WORDS BY AMANDA WATERS
