The Lionesses stepped into the bear pit against a side hungry for revenge – and came out ravaged.
After back-to-back defeats in the Euros final and then in the reverse leg at Wembley, Spain had finally had enough. More than that, they were fuming, and over the course of 90 minutes set about inflicting the heaviest defeat of the Sarina Wiegman era on their familiar rivals.
Wearing the captain’s armband in place of Leah Williamson, Keira Walsh struggled to explain how her England side, only a couple of months ago the victors in this contest, had been dismantled so comprehensively.
‘There were just a lot of areas where we weren’t good enough tonight. Spain played incredibly well at home and made it very difficult for us, but when we look back there were a lot of things we could have done better,’ she told ITV after the final whistle, grasping for words, visibly emotional.
‘Was it because your league campaign wrapped up earlier?’ she was pressed.
‘Yeah, it could be, there are a lot of factors involved. As I said, we weren’t good enough tonight and they were very, very sharp, so the two things combined made it a very difficult match for us,’ she replied.
What is clear is where England now stand in their World Cup qualifying group. After holding top spot for the first four games, they now sit second. Their hopes rest on Iceland beating Spain or a significant swing in goal difference. Given Spain’s 3-0 win in the reverse fixture, that looks a tall order.
Over the course of 90 minutes, Spain set about inflicting the heaviest defeat of the Sarina Wiegman era on their familiar rivals
The Lionesses were spared only by Spain’s profligacy in the first half after Patri Guijarro’s opener, before Alexia Putellas turned the screw with a brace either side of half-time
And so although the final outcome will not be confirmed until the last game against Ukraine at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday, the more realistic route now to Brazil 2027 is via the play-offs. Far from ideal for the European champions.
‘We’ve still got a small chance to qualify,’ Walsh said, without much conviction, before adding: ‘It’s out of our hands. All we can do is control how we play in the next game and hope Iceland do us a favour.’
England started brightly and looked poised to get off on the right foot, but within minutes Spain made it clear they were not in the mood for indulgence. This was their turf, after all.
It was Mallorca native Patri Guijarro, perhaps the least celebrated member of Spain’s famed midfield trio alongside Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati, who took the game by the scruff of the neck in the opening 20 minutes.
The 28-year-old Barcelona midfielder picked up a loose pass, slipped the ball through Georgia Stanway’s legs, gathered it again and surged towards Hannah Hampton’s goal, unleashing a strike at the England goalkeeper. A cruel deflection carried it beyond her and into the net.
England looked rattled and the world champions smelt blood. Spain have a habit of turning one goal into two or three in quick succession, and over the next twenty minutes it could easily have been four against their European conquerors.
The Lionesses were spared only by Spain’s profligacy, albeit briefly. Putellas, after squandering several chances, finally found her finish ten minutes before the break, bursting through the England back line, latching on to Mariona Caldentey’s through-ball and shooting past Hampton, whose outstretched hands could only help the ball on its way in.
On a night that demanded control, England came away chasing shadows and staring down the barrel of a qualifying campaign now slipping beyond their grasp
It was breathless stuff, so much so that the new time-wasting regulations, set to debut in the men’s game at this summer’s World Cup, were nowhere to be seen.
Half-time offered England a much-needed reprieve, but Sarina Wiegman’s team talk appeared to have little effect, and Putellas’ second ten minutes after the restart prompted the Dutch coach to ring the changes.
Beth Mead and Chloe Kelly were introduced, with Ella Toone and Lauren James making way.
But it was Spain’s substitute Claudia Pina who had the final say, putting the seal on victory against their European conquerors.
On a night that demanded control, England came away chasing shadows and staring down the barrel of a qualifying campaign now slipping beyond their grasp.
