The Lionesses stepped into the bear pit against a side hungry for revenge – and came out ravaged.
After back-to-back defeats in the Euros final and then in the reverse leg at Wembley, Spain had finally had enough. More than that, they were fuming – and over the course of 90 minutes set about inflicting the heaviest defeat of the Sarina Wiegman era on their familiar rivals.
‘We weren’t good enough tonight and they were very, very sharp, so the two things combined made it a very difficult match for us,’ an emotional Keira Walsh said at full time.
Wearing the captain’s armband in place of Leah Williamson, the 29-year-old struggled to explain how England had been dismantled so comprehensively.
‘Was it because your league campaign wrapped up earlier?’ she was asked, in search of an explanation.
‘I don’t know,’ came the reply.
What it means for England’s World Cup qualifying campaign will not be confirmed until the final game – against Ukraine at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday – but the picture is beginning to look clearer. In truth, the damage already appears done.
Such a heavy defeat, coupled with a goal difference that has swung sharply in Spain’s favour, leaves England clinging only to the faintest hopes of direct qualification.
Over the course of 90 minutes, Spain set about inflicting the heaviest defeat of the Sarina Wiegman era on their familiar rivals
The Lionesses were spared only by Spain’s profligacy in the first half after Patri Guijarro’s opener, before Alexia Putellas turned the screw with a brace either side of half-time
England scored six in the reverse fixture against Ukraine and will need something similarly emphatic again, while also hoping Iceland can do them a favour against Spain – but even that may not be enough.
The more realistic route now is the long-winded one via the play-offs, far from ideal for the European champions.
‘We’ve still got a small chance to qualify,’ Walsh added. ‘It’s out of our hands. All we can do is control how we play in the next game and hope Iceland do us a favour.’
England started brightly and looked poised to get off on the right foot, but within minutes Spain made it clear they were not in the mood for indulgence. This was their turf, after all.
It was Patri Guijarro – perhaps the least celebrated member of Spain’s famed midfield trio alongside Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati – who took the game by the scruff of the neck in the opening 20 minutes.
The 28-year-old Barcelona midfielder picked up a loose pass, slipped the ball through Georgia Stanway’s legs, gathered it again and surged towards Hannah Hampton’s goal, unleashing a strike at the England goalkeeper. A cruel deflection carried it beyond her and into the net.
England looked rattled and the world champions smelt blood. Spain have a habit of turning one goal into two or three in quick succession, and over the next twenty minutes it could easily have been four against their European conquerors.
On a night that demanded control, England came away chasing shadows and staring down the barrel of a qualifying campaign now slipping beyond their grasp
The Lionesses were spared only by Spain’s profligacy, albeit briefly. Putellas, after squandering several chances, finally found her finish ten minutes before the break – bursting through the England back line, latching on to Mariona Caldentey’s through-ball and shooting past Hampton, whose outstretched hands could only help the ball on its way in.
It was breathless stuff – so much so that the new time-wasting regulations, set to debut in the men’s game at this summer’s World Cup, were nowhere to be seen.
Half-time offered England a much-needed reprieve, but Sarina Wiegman’s team talk appeared to have little effect, and Putellas’ second ten minutes after the restart prompted the Dutch coach to ring the changes.
Beth Mead and Chloe Kelly were introduced, with Ella Toone and Lauren James making way.
But it was Spain’s substitute Claudia Pina who had the final say, putting the seal on victory against their European conquerors.
On a night that demanded control, England came away chasing shadows and staring down the barrel of a qualifying campaign now slipping beyond their grasp.
