Pina fires Spain past England into eves' Nations League semis
Super-sub Claudia Pina struck twice as Spain came from behind to beat England 2-1 on Tuesday in a heavyweight clash and reach the women's Nations League semi-finals.
Sweden romped to a 6-1 win over Scandinavian rivals Denmark to progress to the final four, along with already-qualified France and Germany.
World champions Spain won Group A3 by five points from Euro 2022 winners England, who could have progressed themselves with a victory at the RCDE Stadium on the outskirts of Barcelona.
Alessia Russo stroked Sarina Wiegman's side ahead after 22 minutes but Pina's brace off the bench in the second half booked the holders' ticket to the final four in October.
Spain and England will be the favourites to lift the Euros trophy this summer in Switzerland and after a narrow defeat at Wembley in February, Montse Tome's side flexed their muscles by outclassing the Lionesses.
Pina did the damage with a cool first finish and then a blast from the edge of the box for her second.
'I received the ball (for the second) and I didn't even think about it, I hit it with my soul,' said Pina, who often shines off the bench for her club too.
'I always try to do my best, and I am ready, I'm happy to be able to help,' she added.
Featuring seven Barcelona players, who finished as Champions League final runners-up last week, and one winner in Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey, Spain started the stronger.
They almost took the lead after three minutes but Hannah Hampton made a superb reflex save to deny Esther Gonzalez from close range. The Chelsea goalkeeper was under the spotlight after Mary Earps' shock decision to retire from international football ahead of the Euros this summer and swiftly offered evidence of why she is England's number one.
Agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
3 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Flamengo fight back to stun Chelsea 3-1 in Club World Cup
21 June 2025 00:30 PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) Flamengo overturned a first-half deficit to defeat Chelsea 3-1 in their Club World Cup Group D clash on Friday, with second-half goals from Bruno Henrique, Danilo, and Wallace Yan securing the Brazilian side's second consecutive win in the Neto's early strike had put Chelsea ahead, but the Premier League side squandered several opportunities to extend their lead, allowing Flamengo to stage a stirring Brazilians scored two goals in quick succession through Henrique and Danilo, in the 62nd and 65th minutes, which was followed by Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson being shown a straight red for a nasty studs-up challenge three minutes wrapped up the victory with Yan's strike in the 83rd minute. The result leaves Flamengo on top of Group D with six points from two matches, while Chelsea remain second with three. Esperance de Tunis and Los Angeles FC have yet to register a point, with both sides having a game in hand.
Sharjah 24
9 hours ago
- Sharjah 24
PSG stunned by Botafogo in Club World Cup
Atletico Madrid and Palmeiras also won as the second round of group matches began, but it was Botafogo who stole the headlines. A first-half goal from Igor Jesus proved the difference as last year's Copa Libertadores winners all but sealed a place in the knockout rounds from Group B in front of 53,699 fans at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California. PSG are one of the favourites for FIFA's 32-team tournament after a dazzling season which culminated with a scintillating 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the Champions League final. But their hopes of securing a victory which would have seen them become the first side into the last 16 were stymied by a resilient performance from their opponents from Rio de Janeiro. "A lot of people wondered, but we showed how strong Botafogo is," goalscorer Jesus said after the win, which kept all of South America's representatives unbeaten at the competition in the United States. "It was a difficult game and we had to defend well, and we did our job and scored a goal." Botafogo took the lead against the run of play on 36 minutes as Jefferson Savarino's through ball split the PSG defence and released Jesus. He then did brilliantly to wrongfoot the covering Willian Pacho before sweeping a shot that took a slight deflection past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma on its way into the net. "We knew it was going to be a very difficult match -- they defended very well," said PSG coach Luis Enrique. "This Club World Cup is very intense and difficult and all the teams are highly motivated, especially when they're playing against us." Botafogo's win leaves them firmly on course for the last 16, with a final group game against Atletico to come on Monday.
Al Etihad
18 hours ago
- Al Etihad
PSG stunned by Botafogo in Club World Cup upset
20 June 2025 08:56 PASADENA, UNITED STATES (AFP)Paris Saint-Germain suffered a shock 1-0 Club World Cup defeat against Brazilian side Botafogo on Thursday in a hardfought battle between the reigning champions of Europe and South America.A first-half goal from Brazilian international Igor Jesus proved the difference as Botafogo all but sealed a place in the knockout rounds in front of a 53,699 crowd at the Pasadena Rose champions PSG are widely regarded as one of the favourites for FIFA's 32-team tournament after a dazzling season which culminated with a scintillating 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the Champions League final last their hopes of securing a victory which would have seen them become the first side to reach the last 16 were stymied by a resilient performance from their opponents from Rio de Janeiro."A lot of people wondered, but we showed how strong Botafogo is," goalscorer Jesus said after the win. "It was a difficult game, and we had to defend well, and we did our job and scored a goal."We're really happy -- we knew how important this game was. One team was the champion of the Champions League, the other team was the champion of South America," added Jesus, who had been strongly linked with a move to English Premier League side Nottingham Forest earlier this year before opting to stay with the Brazilians to play in the Club World Cup."I think I made the right choice to stay in Botafogo," Jesus quipped.'Intense'PSG coach Luis Enrique said his team had expected a tough battle."We knew it was going to be a very difficult match -- they defended very well," the Spaniard said."This Club World Cup is very intense and difficult, and all the teams are highly motivated, especially when they're playing against us."The PSG manager though was adamant that the European champions still had plenty of time to resurrect their campaign."If there's a team that can turn it around, it's our team," he said. "We've got to analyse this and there's things we can improve. But I think our performance was good."PSG picked up where they had left off in Sunday's 4-0 Group B rout of Atletico Madrid, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia testing Botafogo goalkeeper John with an early curling effort after just two that early effort was as close as PSG came to scoring in a scrappy first half punctuated by a series of niggling fouls that prevented the European champions from settling into their passing midfield trio of Marlon Freitas, Gregore and Allan worked tirelessly to close down Vitinha, denying the skilful PSG playmaker time and space to launch attacks despite dominating it was Botafogo who took the lead with a goal against the run of play on 36 Savarino's perfectly weighted through ball split the PSG defence and sent Jesus racing through on Botafogo striker did brilliantly to wrongfoot the covering Willian Pacho before sweeping a shot that took a slight deflection past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma on its way into the continued to dominate possession through the second half, and spent long periods camped in the final third. But Botafogo's defence held firm and the result leaves the Brazilians firmly on course for the last 16, with a final group game against Atletico Madrid to come in Pasadena on Monday.
