England Women's Nations League Campaign Begins with 1-1 Draw Against Portugal

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The England women's national team began their Women's Nations League campaign with a 1-1 draw against Portugal, as they look to defend their European title in 2025. The match, played in Portugal, saw Alessia Russo give England an early lead, but the hosts equalized in the second half through Kika Nazareth. England's preparations for the European Championships continue to appear rocky, with the team winning only two of their last six matches. The draw leaves England behind Nations League champions Spain, who came from 2-0 down to beat Belgium 3-2 in the other match in Group A3.

England's manager, Sarina Wiegman, named a strong starting XI, despite several key players being missing through injury, including Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp, Beth Mead, and Alex Greenwood. Manchester United midfielder Grace Clinton was trusted to fill the void left by Stanway and excelled initially, switching play effectively and linking up nicely with club teammate Ella Toone. The midfield trio of Clinton, Toone, and Keira Walsh struggled to handle Nazareth when she was introduced, and the Barcelona youngster was a surprise omission from Portugal's team selection.

The match saw England take an early lead through Russo, who continued her goalscoring form, but Portugal began to open the game up in the second half and capitalized on England's dip. The result will be a concern for Wiegman, as England's intensity dropped off significantly in the second half, and they were hanging on for the final whistle. The draw is a setback for England, who will look to bounce back in their next match against Spain at Wembley. The Lionesses will need to improve their performance if they are to defend their European title successfully.

Here are the match scores:

• England 1
• Portugal 1

And here are some key player statistics:

• Alessia Russo: 1 goal
• Kika Nazareth: 1 goal
• Grace Clinton: 1 assist

The tournament schedule is as follows:

1. England vs Spain: next week at Wembley
2. Scotland vs Austria: this week
3. Wales vs Italy: this week

The team rankings are currently:

1. Spain: 1st in Group A3
2. England: 2nd in Group A3
3. Belgium: 3rd in Group A3

The England women's national team will look to improve their performance in their next match, as they prepare to defend their European title in 2025. With several key players missing through injury, Wiegman will need to find a way to get the best out of her team, and the draw against Portugal will be a setback for the Lionesses. However, with the talent and experience in the squad, England will be confident of bouncing back and making a successful defense of their title.

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