4 hours ago
Only a insignificant occurrence will prevention European champions England from having to travel done World Cup qualifying playoffs aft they suffered an utterly humiliating 4-0 conclusion by World Cup holders Spain successful Mallorca.
A nonaccomplishment by only a one-goal shortage would person been capable to support England’s hopes of topping their qualifying group live aft an immaculate run anterior to this. However, pinch nan head-to-head grounds betwixt nan apical 2 sides coming into play should they decorativeness level connected points, this emphatic win, pinch talismanic Alexia Putellas scoring two, intends Spain conscionable request to hit Iceland connected Tuesday to unafraid apical spot astatine England’s expense.
Frankly, they merit it. Sonia Bermúdez’s squad didn’t conscionable hit England, they annihilated them, dominating possession, pinch complete 61% of nan shot crossed nan 90 minutes, and ensuring a beleaguered England stayed camped successful their half, accruing 39 touches successful nan guidance container to England’s paltry seven.
It was ever going to beryllium a large inquire to get a triumph distant from location against nan Spaniards, but hopes of a 1-0 defeat, to lucifer nan reverse fixture, aliases moreover a draw, to put England successful a favourable position successful Group A3 going into nan last information of games connected Tuesday were shattered successful nan first half.
England weren’t bad, not for nan first 15 minutes astatine least, but location was a sloppiness to their play, a deficiency of sharpness demonstrative of a lucifer coming almost 3 weeks aft nan extremity of nan Women’s Super League season. That is nary excuse for apical professionals though, moreover if Spain’s home run concluded past play and Spain were boosted by a Barcelona contingent buoyed by a 4th Champions League title.
It was a infinitesimal of magic wrong 20 minutes that gave nan location squad a captious lead, Mallorca-born Guijarro capitalised connected Lucy Bronze’s errant walk and drove forward, nutmegging Georgia Stanway connected nan measurement pinch zero effect connected her momentum, earlier sending a debased onslaught successful from 25 yards which took a deflection disconnected Esme Morgan to wrongfoot Hannah Hampton.
The celebrations were emphatic and Guijarro’s thrust and onslaught were laced pinch nan fury of not having been fixed a free-kick for what she believed was a foul connected her moments prior.
The extremity rattled Sarina Wiegman’s side, who only had 1 touch successful nan guidance container to Spain’s 18 successful nan first 45 minutes and had Salma Paralluelo been much objective they could person been punished further sooner. Spain’s 2nd arrived successful nan 36th infinitesimal and it was mediocre from England. Alex Greenwood was wholly retired of sync pinch nan remainder of nan Lionesses’ backmost line, playing Putellas onside arsenic she sprung clear connected nan near earlier sending a ferocious onslaught astatine Hampton. The Chelsea goalkeeper sewage her hands to it but grounded to extremity it from looping backwards and complete crossed nan goalline. She should person done better, but truthful should Greenwood, and truthful should truthful galore successful achromatic shirts passim nan evening.
Bronze had said successful nan buildup that Spain “bring retired nan champion successful us” and that nan rivalry had made them some better. At nan Estadi Mallorca Son Moix location was small grounds of nan champion being brought retired of England.
There was much sloppiness connected show for Spain’s third, right-back Ona Batlle outpaced Lauren James, who slipped astatine nan byline, earlier she trim backmost for Putellas, nan forward’s effort was blocked connected nan statement by Bronze, nan shot came disconnected nan station and slipped betwixt nan legs of Greenwood and Putellas was alert, and she dived guardant and turned it in.
It was a humbling extremity to concede and changes came soon after, pinch Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead connected for James and Ella Toone. Alessia Russo moved into nan 10 successful spot of Toone arsenic a consequence and, pinch nary established centre-forward connected nan bench, Aggie Beever-Jones near retired of nan matchday squad arsenic a action decision, according to Wiegman, Lauren Hemp moved centrally pinch nan newcomers either broadside of her. The effect was minimal though and it was Spain’s subs that would deliver. The ample location crowd had enjoyed nan show successful Palma and they had further logic to observe successful nan 78th infinitesimal when, moments aft coming on, nan substitute Aitana Bonmatí recovered chap sub Clàudia Pina and nan guardant shifted to nan correct of Arsenal centre-back Lotte Wubben-Moy and fired in.
England were bruised and Spain were showboating astatine nan close. Turning nan screw against nan squad that had nan amended of them conscionable nether 12 months anterior in nan Euro 2025 final. England looked for illustration a ammunition of nan broadside that earned that historical win, and a ammunition of nan broadside that earned nan 1-0 triumph successful nan reverse fixture successful April.
England’s only cardinal absentee owed to wounded is skipper Leah Williamson too. As a result, an aggravated post-mortem will beryllium needed pursuing specified a difficult defeat. Turning things astir successful clip for nan World Cup adjacent summer, if they make it, done nan playoffs, will beryllium a immense job.
