Women's Nations League Matchday 4: Denmark, Spain perfect as Belgium beat England

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Spain and Denmark kept up their perfect records to stay ahead in the finals race as both the Republic of Ireland and Türkiye sealed promotion.

Sofie Bredgaard made one and scored one for Denmark against Wales to keep them top of their group Football Association of Wales

Spain and Denmark kept up their perfect UEFA Women's Nations League records to stay ahead in the race for finals spots on Tuesday night as both the Republic of Ireland and Türkiye sealed promotion with two games to spare.

A 7-1 win in Switzerland leaves Spain five points clear in their group while Denmark beat Wales 2-1 to stay three ahead of Germany. The Netherlands moved clear in Group A1 thanks to Belgium beating England in a thriller, and France saw their lead over Austria cut after being held at home by Norway.

The Republic of Ireland are the first team promoted from League B as Denise O'Sullivan struck two minutes from time for a 1-0 Group B1 win in Albania while Hungary drew 1-1 in Northern Ireland. Finland, like the Republic of Ireland, have 12 points following their 2-0 Group B2 victory in Croatia but will have to wait to confirm League A status as Slovakia beat Romania 1-0.

Poland dropped points for the first time in Group B3 as they were held 1-1 away to second-placed Serbia, who stayed within three points of their opponents. Ukraine defeated Greece 1-0 to move off the bottom on goal difference. Both games in Group B4 were drawn, meaning Bosnia and Herzegovina stay a point ahead of Czechia as their game ended 2-2.

Türkiye have been promoted from League C, Birgül Sadıkoğlu getting her fifth Group C2 goal for a 1-0 win against Luxembourg that clinched first place. Malta are also perfect in Group C1 and hold a five-point lead over Latvia, who scored twice in added time to draw 3-3 in Moldova. Haley Bugeja's eight-minute hat-trick for Malta in their 3-0 win in Andorra takes her tally to a competition-leading eight.

Azerbaijan beat Montenegro 3-0 to stay three points ahead of Cyprus in Group C3, Estonia won 5-1 against Armenia in Group C4 and Kosovo's 3-1 victory against North Macedonia took them three points clear of Bulgaria in the three-team Group C5.

Fixtures and results

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

Scotland 0-1 Netherlands
The Netherlands moved into the outright lead in the group but were given a tough game by a side they beat 4-0 on Friday. Scotland welcomed back Erin Cuthbert from injury and had a debutant goalkeeper in Sandy MacIver as they made five changes, and for the most part they kept their visitors at bay.

However, on the hour mark Esmee Brugts sealed victory with a superb finish as she cut inside and produced a curling finish in off the post. Scotland are now five points adrift in fourth.

Janice Cayman and Nicky Evrard lead Belgium's celebrations after beating EnglandBELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images

Belgium 3-2 England
Captain Tessa Wullaert was Belgium's hero as they moved ahead of the European champions into second, two points behind the Netherlands. Wullaert had already made it 2-2 just before half-time when she converted an 85th-minute penalty following a Georgia Stanway handball.

Laura De Neve gave Belgium an early lead from a free-kick but on 38 minutes Lucy Bronze's superb header levelled matters and Fran Kirby, making her first England start after long-term injury, made it 2-1, having most recently scored for the Lionesses in the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 semi-final with Sweden. However, in a lengthy period of first-half added time due to Alex Greenwood's head injury, Wullaert raced clear to make it 2-2 and her winner means England need nothing less than victory next time out against the Netherlands at Wembley.

Friday 1 December
England vs Netherlands
Belgium vs Scotland

Tuesday 5 December
Netherlands vs Belgium
Scotland vs England

Group A2

France 0-0 Norway
France began the day potentially able to clinch a finals spot but instead their perfect record is no more and their lead over Austria is down to three points after being held by Norway.

Les Bleues had the best of the play with Sandy Baltimore especially threatening but a shot onto the post was as close as she came. Norway are now within one point of third-placed Portugal.

France dropped points for the first time in this competitionAFP via Getty Images

Portugal 1-2 Austria
Austria won 2-1 in Portugal on Friday to go second and now have a four-point cushion after repeating the scoreline in Povoa do Varzim. Sarah Zadrazil hit the crossbar early on for Austria but the game was goalless on the 72-minute mark when substitute Viktoria Pinther broke the deadlock for the visitors.

Within three minutes Ana Capeta, also off of the bench, equalised as Manuela Zinsberger was caught out of position, but almost immediately Eileen Campbell was sent clear by Marie Höbinger and beat Patrícia Morais inside her near post.

Friday 1 December
Norway vs Portugal
France vs Austria

Tuesday 5 December
Austria vs Norway
Portugal vs France

Group A3

Denmark 2-1 Wales
Denmark were made to work by Wales for their fourth group win. Missing Pernille Harder, who scored a hat-trick when Denmark won 5-1 in Wales last month, the home side went ahead on 28 minutes when Amalie Vangsgaard rose to superbly flick in Sofie Bredgaard's cross.

Bredgaard got the second herself 11 minutes later after Mille Gejl won the ball and laid off for her team-mate to score. Jess Fishlock pulled one back with 18 minutes left as she linked up with Sophie Ingle, but Denmark held on to leave Wales still without a point.

Germany won 2-0 in IcelandGetty Images

Iceland 0-2 Germany
Germany remain within three points of Denmark after victory in Iceland. Lea Schüller hit the crossbar early on as the visitors dominated from the off and a Svenja Huth cross also dipped on to the woodwork.

Giulia Gwinn, who converted penalties in Germany's last two games as they beat Iceland and Wales, made the most of another spot-kick tonight with 25 minutes left after Iceland goalkeeper Telma Ívarsdóttir fouled Schüller. And in added time Klara Bühl confirmed victory from the edge of the box.

Friday 1 December
Germany vs Denmark
Wales vs Iceland

Tuesday 5 December
Denmark vs Iceland
Wales vs Germany

Group A4

Switzerland 1-7 Spain
Spain beat Switzerland 5-0 at home but topped that in Zürich tonight to open up a five-point lead in the group with two matches left. The world champions were ahead within four minutes through Oihane Hernández and not long afterwards Alexia Putellas got her first competitive goal for Spain since November 2021.

María Méndez made it three after the break with her first Spain goal and Putellas then converted a penalty. Switzerland substitute Alayah Pilgrim pulled one back but Athenea del Castillo came off the bench herself to strike twice. Another sub, Maite Oroz, got the seventh as Switzerland remain without a point.

Spain were in top form in SwitzerlandGetty Images

Sweden 1-1 Italy
Linda Sembrant headed an equaliser deep in added time to keep second-placed Sweden three points clear of their visitors. Italy had looked like they would get the win they needed to keep their finals chances alive when Manuele Giugliano sent Valentina Giacinti clear to dink the ball past Laura Giuliani.

But Sweden, who won 1-0 in Italy on Friday and also beat them 5-0 in the FIFA Women's World Cup in July, kept pushing and as time ran out showed their formidable set-piece prowess as Juventus defender Sembrant rose to meet a Filippa Angeldal free-kick.

Friday 1 December
Spain vs Italy
Switzerland vs Sweden

Tuesday 5 December
Spain vs Sweden
Italy vs Switzerland