Paris, France, Feb 22, (V7N) - Spain began their Women’s Nations League title defense with a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Belgium on Friday, while European champions England were held to a 1-1 draw by Portugal. The matches marked the start of the 2025 Women’s Nations League campaign, setting the stage for an exciting summer ahead of Euro 2025.

In Valencia, Spain, the 2023 World Cup winners, found themselves trailing twice against Belgium but staged a stunning late rally to secure all three points. Mariam Toloba gave Belgium an early lead, and Tessa Wullaert extended it in the 72nd minute, putting the visitors in a commanding position.

However, Spain, missing injured stars Alexia Putellas and Jenni Hermoso, refused to give up. Claudia Pina pulled one back, and Lucia Garcia equalized in stoppage time. With virtually the last kick of the game, Benfica’s Cristina Martin-Prieto fired home the winner, sparking wild celebrations among the home fans.

“I’m very happy, the group deserved it. We had to get the three points here,” said Martin-Prieto, who was a late call-up to the squad.

Belgium, under new coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir, put up a valiant fight but ultimately fell short. Spain’s victory sets them up as one of the favorites for Euro 2025, where they will face Belgium again in the group stage.

In Portimao, England were held to a 1-1 draw by Portugal in a tightly contested match. Alessio Russo gave the Lionesses an early lead with a close-range finish, but substitute Kika Nazareth equalized in the 76th minute with a stunning solo effort.

England coach Sarina Wiegman acknowledged the challenge posed by Portugal. “They scored a great goal, but we could’ve done better there,” she said. Wiegman emphasized that her focus is on the next match against Spain, rather than looking ahead to Euro 2025.

In a repeat of last year’s third-place playoff, the Netherlands and Germany played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in Breda. Lineth Beerensteyn was the star for the Dutch, scoring both goals, including a late header to salvage a point.

Germany, who won the playoff in 2024 to qualify for the Paris Olympics, took the lead through Lea Schueller and Sjoeke Nuesken, but Beerensteyn’s heroics ensured the Dutch avoided defeat.

France, the 2024 Women’s Nations League runners-up, secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Norway in Toulouse. Marie-Antoinette Katoto scored the decisive goal in the 73rd minute, while Eugenie Le Sommer came off the bench to equal Sandrine Soubeyrand’s record of 198 caps for France.

In Premier League action, Leicester City’s hopes of avoiding relegation suffered a massive blow as they were thrashed 4-0 by Brentford at the King Power Stadium. The defeat marked a historic low for the Foxes, who became the first team in the Premier League era to lose six consecutive home games without scoring.

Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbeumo, and Christian Norgaard scored in the first half, while Fabio Carvalho added a fourth late in the game. Leicester, now second-bottom in the table, are in serious danger of relegation just one season after earning promotion.

Under-fire manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has won just two of his 15 league games in charge, and the pressure is mounting on the Dutchman to turn things around.

Spain’s Resilience: The defending Nations League champions showed their fighting spirit with a dramatic late win over Belgium.

England’s Draw: The Lionesses were held by Portugal, highlighting the competitive nature of the tournament.

Leicester’s Crisis: The Foxes’ relegation fears intensified after a humiliating defeat to Brentford.

As the Women’s Nations League continues and the Premier League relegation battle heats up, fans can expect more drama and excitement in the weeks to come.