Women's Nations League Matchday 2: Spain, France, Denmark perfect; Netherlands beat England
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
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Spain, France and Denmark made it two wins from two games, while the Netherlands beat England with a late goal.
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Spain, France and Denmark, aided by a Pernille Harder hat-trick, ended the first week of UEFA Women's Nations League action with a perfect six points from two games.
While those three teams built on opening League A successes, England were pegged back as the Netherlands beat them late on, and in the same group Scotland denied Belgium with the last kick of the game. Elsewhere, Portugal defeated Norway in a thriller, Germany hit form against Iceland and Sweden also recovered from a Friday loss.
In League B, the Republic of Ireland, Finland, Serbia, Poland and Czechia all have maximum points. Ewa Pajor struck twice in Poland's victory over Ukraine to move joint top of the leading scorers' chart on three goals.
Cyprus secured their first-ever competitive victory in League C, where Türkiye (who beat Lithuania in front of a record 6,700 crowd) and Malta are the only teams on six points. Israel got off to a winning start on Tuesday, their opener at home to Armenia last Thursday having been postponed.
While teams in League A compete to win their groups and progress to February's finals, which will also act as UEFA's 2024 women's Olympic football tournament qualifiers, promotion and relegation is also at stake. The leagues that emerge at the end of this first edition will then be used for the European Qualifiers leading to UEFA Women's EURO 2025 in Switzerland.
League A
Group A1
Netherlands 2-1 England
Renate Jansen's 90th-minute goal got the Netherlands off the mark and inflicted their former coach Sarina Wiegman's first away defeat in charge of England. In front of a capacity 24,000 fans in Utrecht, the Netherlands were aiming to put Friday's dramatic loss to Belgium behind them and led at half-time when Lieke Martens curled the ball in.
Alessia Russo pounced on a blocked cross to level for England, who beat Scotland in their opener. But substitute Jansen was sent clear by Martens and produced a fine first-time finish to defeat the reigning European champions.
Scotland 1-1 Belgium
Belgium looked like they were going three points clear at the top of the section until, with the final action of the match, Sophie Howard headed in to get Scotland off the mark. Kassandra Missipo had put the visitors ahead with her first senior international goal on her 52nd appearance, nodding home Feli Delacauw's cross.
It seemed that would be enough but, deep into added time, Scotland goalkeeper Lee Gibson, winning her 50th cap, took a free-kick inside the Belgium half and Howard rose highest to level.
Next games: Friday 27 October
England vs Belgium
Netherlands vs Scotland
Group A2
Austria 0-1 France
A trademark Wendie Renard header from Selma Bacha's fifth-minute free-kick ensured France followed up their opening win against Portugal and moved three points clear. In front of their record crowd of 10,050 at Vienna's Viola Park, Austria had their chances, with Celina Degen hitting the crossbar late in the first half.
Portugal 3-2 Norway
Two Carole Costa penalties were the key to Portugal picking up a memorable win and moving up to second in the group. Norway, held at home by Austria on Friday, did score first through Frida Maanum, a superb lob from the edge of the box.
But by half-time it was 2-1. First Andreia Jacinto pounced on a loose ball in the area and sent in a curling finish, and five minutes later Costa converted her first spot-kick following a foul on Diana Silva. Elisabeth Terland equalised just before the hour mark after being set up by Maanum, but on the night of her 160th cap, Costa reached 20 goals and sealed victory with another penalty after Catarina Amado was impeded.
Next games: Friday 27 October
Norway vs France
Austria vs Portugal
Group A3
Wales 1-5 Denmark
Denmark stand three points clear after following up their victory against Germany with a comfortable win in Wales. Harder scored twice in the first 11 minutes, first from the penalty spot after Rhiannon Roberts fouled Amalie Vangsgaard, and then tapping in a Frederikke Thøgersen centre.
Jess Fishlock gave Wales hope with a thumping finish early in the second half. But Thøgersen then turned in a Sofie Svava cross and substitute Sanne Troelsgaard headed home before Harder completed her hat-trick, pouncing on the rebound after Signe Bruun hit the bar.
Germany 4-0 Iceland
Germany, following their surprise group exit in the World Cup and Friday's loss in Denmark, emphatically bounced back in their second game under caretaker coach Britta Carlson, filling in for the ill Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. Klara Bühl was the star with two brilliant finishes for Germany's first and fourth goals, in front of a sell-out crowd in Bochum against an Iceland side who beat Wales in their own opener.
Bühl also crossed for Lea Schüller to head in the third on 68 minutes. The second, which made it 2-0 at the break, was a Giulia Gwinn penalty after Lena Lattwein was fouled by Berglind Ágústsdóttir.
Next games: Friday 27 October
Germany vs Wales
Iceland vs Denmark
Group A4
Spain 5-0 Switzerland
World champions Spain needed a last-gasp Mariona Caldentey penalty to win in Sweden on Friday, but it was more comfortable on Tuesday in front of a home record 14,194 fans in Cordoba. They were on their feet after 15 minutes when Caldentey robbed Switzerland goalkeeper Elvira Herzog and passed for Lucía García to tap into an empty goal.
Aitana Bonmatí volleyed in to finish off a fine team move just before half-time, and the reigning UEFA Women's Player of the Year had another in the 49th minute from just inside the box. Inma Gabarro, who scored on debut as a substitute against Argentina last year, repeated the trick, also from the bench, after an Athenea del Castillo effort was parried. The fifth was perhaps the pick of them all, a half-volley from outside the area by another substitute, Maite Oroz.
Italy 0-1 Sweden
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd's 18th-minute goal ensured Sweden recovered from Friday's heartbreaking opening loss to Spain. Lina Hurtig's solo run from the left was thwarted in the box but the loose ball was turned in by Rytting Kaneryd, and that proved enough for Sweden to join Italy on three points.
Next games: Friday 27 October
Sweden vs Switzerland
Italy vs Spain
League B
Group B1
Tuesday's results
Hungary 0-4 Republic of Ireland
Northern Ireland 1-0 Albania
Next games: Friday 27 October
Republic of Ireland vs Albania
Hungary vs Northern Ireland
Group B2
Tuesday's games
Romania 0-1 Finland
Slovakia 4-0 Croatia
Next games: Friday 27 October
Finland vs Croatia
Romania vs Slovakia
Group B3
Tuesday's results
Poland 2-1 Ukraine
Serbia 4-0 Greece
Next games: Friday 27 October
Poland vs Serbia
Greece vs Ukraine
Group B4
Tuesday's results
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Slovenia
Czechia 2-1 Belarus
Next games: Friday 27 October
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Czechia
Belarus vs Slovenia
League C
Group C1
Tuesday's results
Andorra 0-4 Latvia
Malta 2-0 Moldova
Next games: Friday 27 October
Malta vs Andorra
Latvia vs Moldova
Group C2
Tuesday's results
Türkiye 2-0 Lithuania
Luxembourg 1-1 Georgia
Next games: Friday 27 October
Luxembourg vs Türkiye
Lithuania vs Georgia
Group C3
Tuesday's results
Montenegro 0-1 Azerbaijan
Cyprus 1-0 Faroe Islands
Next games: Friday 27 October
Cyprus vs Montenegro
Faroe Islands vs Azerbaijan
Group C4
Tuesday's results
Armenia 1-2 Kazakhstan
Estonia 0-5 Israel
Next game:
Friday 27 October
Armenia vs Estonia
Group C5
Tuesday's result
Bulgaria 0-0 Kosovo
Next game: Friday 27 October
North Macedonia vs Kosovo