Suzanne Wrack reports from the Algarve.
Millie Bright spoke to the BBC: ““I think a game of two halves really. I think first half we had better quality on the ball, a little bit more control. I think [there’s] lots of work to be done. Obviously, never happy conceding a goal, especially in that manner when it was preventable. Listen, they’re a strong team, they tested us tonight. There’s a lot to work on ahead of the game on Wednesday.
“We need to be confident, we didn’t win the game but equally we didn’t lose the game. I think you have to draw out the positives from the performance. It’s small margins in football, I think if we make those tweaks it takes us to another level.”
Some other Nations League results:
Per Reuters: “Spain roared back from two goals down to beat Belgium 3-2 in Friday’s other Group C game. Claudia Pina finally put the World Cup winners on the scoresheet in the 77th minute before Lucia Garcia and Cristina Martin-Prieto struck in injury time to avoid an upset.
“In Group D, Sweden defeated Denmark 2-1 while Italy edged Wales 1-0, and Austria defeated Scotland 1-0 in a Group A match and Switzerland and Iceland drew 0-0 in Group B.”
Other scores:
Poland 2-0 Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland 1-0 Turkey
Austria 1-0 Scotland
Full-time: Portugal 1-1 England
Two halves won by the dominant team. Kika Nazareth’s goal was a beauty to match Russo’s well-worked first-half strike. England begin with a point and will need to improve when they face Spain on Wednesday.
Updated
90+4 min: Toone on the charge…the ball speeds on without her….looked like a foul. None given.
90+3 min: Panic in the Portugal box, twice when Williamson rises highest. She’s been first to every ball.
90+2 min: Toone is down, after taking a kick to a, er, vulnerable place.
90+1 min: Four minutes are added on. Beever-Jones, unable to win the ball, lashes out and concedes a free-kick.
90 min: Keira Walsh has been starved of possession as Portugal squeeze play. They want more than that; they want a win.
88 min: Williamson throws in another block as Norton shapes to shoot. Neto, the home coach, can be heard to encourage on his players.
87 min: Portugal push on, and Jacinto has a clear sight of goal, the ball just blocked by desperate England defending.
85 min: Lovely run from Jacinto, another sub making serious waves.
83 min: Off the ball clash between Williamson and Diana Silva. On comes Chloe Kelly and Beever-Jones. Clinton and Park on, with James shunted to the fore of midfield.
82 min: Williamson to the rescue. Jacinto and Nazareth combine and the Arsenal defender, the skipper, had to be aware.
81 min: England try to move upfield, when they have been pinned back for much of this half. Park scrapes up a loose ball and shunts it forward but Russo and James can’t get to it.
80 min: Clinton is booked for taking down Nazareth. It was Clinton giving vain chase when the goal came.
78 min: Chloe Kelly is imminent, so we are informed. Portugal need to be made to turn back on themselves, England haven’t done that nearly enough.
77 min: Neto’s use of Nazareth as a late sub proves a masterstroke. That was a moment of world class.
Goal! Portugal 1-1 England (Nazareth, 76)
All her own work, the Barcelona star bullies her way through the centre and smashes the ball where Earps cannot reach.
Updated
74 min: On the sideline, Chloe Kelly is seen having a laugh and a joke as she warms up. Just one sub so far.
72 min: Sarina Wiegman is asking all types of questions of her team. She’s not happy at all as she stands on the white lines of the pitch. Mary Earps suddenly pulls up with what looks like cramp. This is far more prevalent in the women’s game than the men. The keeper doesn’t have to go off and the coach can have a word. It’s an open secret this is common strategy.
Shock news: Earps is OK to continue.
Updated
71 min: All types of chaos in the England box as Borges charges on. Carter is baulked and a free-kick is awarded to relief.
70 min: The Portuguese interchanges far more impressive. Earps has to claim a ball that was aimed into the box.
68 min: Good tracking back from James, who stops Diana Silva’s pass, and then wins a throw. All hands to the pump.
66 min: Pinto booked for pulling back Jess Park. This is a tense, physical contest now.
65 min: Sarina Wiegman is out of her seat, and rearranging her team. Walsh is booked for fouling Jacinto, one of the subs who have made such a difference.
63 min: All Portugal now. They are in full dominance of possession. This is where the Lionesses have come unstuck before.
61 min: Here’s a glimpse of Nazareth, with her turn. Portugal seem to have stepped it up, as have their fans.
59 min: Portugal make changes. Amado, the captain, goes off. On will come Nazareth, of Barcelona, a Jorge Mendes client, is on. Big noise greets her.
Updated
58 min: James receives the corner and blams over…
57 min: England try to pass their way through, before Russo decides to go it alone and is robbed. Amado is hurt in the process. A drop ball is called and England resume possession. They win a corner.
55 min: Williamson commits a foul that presents Portugal with chance to bend in a free-kick. It’s a waste.
53 min: England will have to be more patient. Portugal pressing hard, closing off the spaces…Park just fails to get Russo away.
51 min: Russo looking frustrated. Portugal do look much more solid than in those early moments. By the way, the weather is terrible. Like Ashton-under-Lyme on a bad day.
49 min: A break in proceedings as the referee calms things down. A note: Jess Carter is on, Lucy Bronze is off. Reasons: unknown.
47 min: Lauren James shows off her power again, thrashing one wide. Next Clinton takes a whack to the chops. She’ll be OK. Heavy duty start to this one.
46 min: Back away we go, and Diana Silva has taken a knock. She’s OK, though.
Half-time: Portugal 0-1 England
England may believe they should have more than a single-goal lead. They had lengthy dominance of that half before Portugal came back into it.
Updated
45+1 min: It’s a poor corner, and that ends the half.
45 min: England get in shape as Portugal seek an equaliser. Charles clears the danger now. And the Lionesses bed in as Portugal pass the ball around in seeking openings. They settle for a corner.
44 min: Toone takes, and Williamson can’t direct the ball at goal. England forced back, as Portugal press in numbers. Eventually a ball to the back post with Russo there, nodding across but no takers.
43 min: Yet another corner as Russo chases down….
42 min: Diana Silva gets Portugal’s first shot on goal; though Earps doesn’t need to save. It came from sloppy defending. It’s a far more even game now.
41 min: Pinto plays a poor pass. Again, bad final ball from the home team.
39 min: Portugal have improved but their final pass has been dreadful. Charles, on the overlap, forces a corner, this time from the left. Portugal’s keeper Pereira caught then dropped, and fell dramatically. She’s up now, presumably recovered from embarrassment.
37 min: Pinto’s ball is down the channels, having whipped it from Grace Clinton after mixup with Keira Walsh.
35 min: Portugal attempt a passing move but again that zippy surface catches them out.
33 min: James looked to bomb on to the byline but Amado reads her intentions and gets the ball clear. Portugal have tightened up after looking so loose.
32 min: James drifts the ball across goal. No takers this time. It was perhaps a shot.
30 min: Another corner that Toone lands just where the big players – Bright and Williamson – will be but it’s cleared.
Updated
28 min: Mary Earps, advertising star these days, has the ball. It’s not been a busy night yet to test her credentials against Hannah Hampton. It will have to be Spain, and there’s history there. Some rude words, too.
27 min: Toone takes a corner from the right. It’s flicked clear. Portugal attempt a counter and again the ball runs out of play.
26 min: Portugal have upped the aggression since the goal. They had to really.
25 min: Charles is back up, to some relief. We are reminded it’s Spain on Wednesday and they’ll all want to play in that.
24 min: Lucy Bronze plays a bad ball inside and Portugal collect it. Amado is booked for a nasty foul on Charles who is in plenty of pain. That’s a worry.
23 min: Charles Antaki is enthused: “Have the England team been as good as this recently? Admittedly the Portuguese team don’t look up to much (apart from their speed on the break, which has embarrassed Millie Bright at least once) but they’re throwing some unusually fluid moves. It helps that they haven’t got a great deal to have to break down or get in the way off, but still. Great stuff.”
It does feel like the early Wiegman era. And that turned out nice.
21 min: James fouls Portugal’s Norton. That’s the ruling, though it looked a case of overpowering rather than any foul play.
20 min: Sarina Wiegman is out of her seat. She’s rarely satisfied. Park makes a couple of bursts down the line but can’t get away.
18 min: Good noise from the home fans. They’re catching the bug of the women’s game.
16 min: That was a fine goal, lovely combination play. England’s speed of movement caught out Portugal; that was the Lionesses at their best.
Goal! Portugal 0-1 England (Russo, 15)
Niam Charles, playing in the left-back position that was once Rachel Daly’s, clears danger. And eventually, Bronze goes to the byline after James’ ball. Instant hit, and Russo dabs in from close range. A fine goal.
Updated
14 min: This pitch seems to run the ball quick. The ball keeps running out of play.
13 min: Portugal have a free-kick in a promising position. Lucy Bronze clears the danger. Next, it’s Clinton who does so. Portugal’s pair of Silvas are a threat.
11 min: Lovely play from England. Clinton and Russo link and Toone shoots wide. Corner given – for some reason. The ball is cleared – justice done. But England are playing far better.
9 min: It’s been low-key, England not starting at their usual rate of knots. But here’s James, powering down the wing, and smashing a shot at goal. It’s wide but better. Like brother Reece, she’s been let down by her physiology, but is such a talent.
7 min: Clinton and Williamson get in a mess with a ball played out of play. Bronze was bombing on. Portugal crisper in possession.
6 min: Toone links with James but cleared, then Russo wriggles and arrows a ball at Toone. Again, it doesn’t get there. The radar slightly off for now.
4 min: Portugal passing the ball around neatly; that’s a good test for Wiegman’s squad.
Other Nations League scores
Austria 1-0 Scotland
Italy 1-0 Wales
Spain 3-2 Belgium
Spain scored twice in the moments beyond 90. They lead England’s group as a result.
Updated
2 min: Close already, with Park clipping the ball in, Grace Clinton standing in for Georgia Stanway also involved. Toone attempts a flick but her aim is off.
Away we go on the Algarve
1 min: It’s a small crowd, and stadium as the players take the knee. Instantly, they win a corner.
Here we go in Portugal as England begin Euros year in the Nations League. The national anthems first.
Earps over Hannah Hampton in goal is a big call. Reminder: Alex Greenwood, Lauren Hemp, Beth Mead, Georgia Stanway and Lotte Wubben-Moy are all injured.
Changes afoot from the preceding friendly against Switzerland. Eight changes, with Millie Bright, Jessica Park and Grace Clinton the three survivors.
Lauren James starts, Chloe Kelly is on the bench after her move to Arsenal.
The teams
Portugal: Pereira, Borges, Costa, Gomes, Amado, Silva, Pinto, Marchao, Norton, J. Silva; D. Silva. Subs: Capeta, Costa, Dias, Faria, Jacinto, Mendes, Morais, Nazareth, Ribeiro, Rute, Seica; Sousa Alves.
England: Earps, Bronze, Charles, Walsh, Bright, Williamson, Park, Clinton, Russo, Toone; James. Subs: Morgan, Hampton, Le Tissier, Turner, Carter, Kelly, Naz, Beever-Jones, Parris, Moorhouse, Mace; Blindkilde-Brown.
Bronze on her lineage: “I have little Portugal flags on my boots actually. My parents met in the Algarve strip years and years ago” said Bronze, speaking at a media conference in Portugal.
“I have always been in good contact with the Portuguese federation. They are a team I always root for. I always hope for the best for them and I hope they do well in the Nations League - just not against us. My first ever kit was a Portugal kit.
“I spent all my holidays in this area and played most of my football here outside. It influenced me a lot. I’m just as proud to be Portuguese as I am to be English.”
It’s been a busy week of news in women’s football. Lucy Bronze was eligible to play for Portugal.
Preamble
The Lionesses return to action with the return of the Nations League, and a trip to Portugal. It’s Euros year, and the defending champions need to find their formula, with time ebbing away. Sarina Wiegman’s selections will be instructive, as will the performances. There’s a few absentees in Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood, who are all injured but these days England ache with talent. It’s Wiegman’s job to get it working together. Portugal are decent but beatable opposition.
Kick-off is at 7.45 UK time. Join me.
