Women’s Nations League: European champion England opens campaign with 1-1 draw against Portugal

Women’s Nations League: European champion England opens campaign with 1-1 draw against Portugal

European champion England could only muster a 1-1 draw with Portugal to kick off its Nations League campaign on Friday, with Kika Nazareth’s late goal cancelling Alessia Russo’s early strike in a disappointing opener for England.

Russo struck in the 15th minute of the Group C game in driving rain when Lauren James — in her first appearance for England in 10 months — launched a long pass to Lucy Bronze who whipped in a powerful cross from near the corner flag. The 26-year-old Russo tapped home from close range.

Sarina Wiegman’s Euro 2022 champion, winner of just two of its final five games of 2024, comfortably dominated for the first half, and Wiegman rued the lack of more scoring.

“I’d hoped to come with more. We played a very good first half but we could’ve got more goals,” Wiegman told ITV. “The second half we had to adapt to their change in shape. They brought more players on up front and we were figuring that out.”

But the Portuguese grew into the game and Nazareth levelled in the 75th minute with a blistering shot over goalkeeper Mary Earps, who had been down moments earlier receiving treatment for an apparent injury, and into the top corner.

“They scored a great goal but we could’ve done better there,” Wiegman said. “Then we got the organisation better but couldn’t get another goal.”

Nazareth almost bagged a second goal soon after but the shot was blocked by Leah Williamson.

England’s Grace Clinton and Ella Toone both pleaded for penalties, to no avail — Clinton when she was tugged down in front of the net late in the first half and Toone when she was tackled from behind just inside the box deep into injury time.

“When it’s just 1-0 you keep a team in it and the longer it stays 1-0 the more the opposition gets confidence and tired legs out there towards the end of the game,” England defender Millie Bright told the BBC.

“We definitely need to be more ruthless in front of goal and take our chances. When we do get those chances we need to put them in the back of the net.”

In Group A, Austria defeated Scotland 1-0 while the Netherlands and Germany played to a 2-2 draw. France edged Norway 1-0 and Euro 2025 hosts Switzerland drew 0-0 with Iceland in Group B.

In Group D, Sweden defeated Denmark 2-1 while Italy edged Wales 1-0. Poland blanked Northern Ireland 2-0 in Group E while Ireland defeated Turkey 1-0 in Group F.

England will next host Spain at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday in a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final.