Park pounces as Lionesses avenge World Cup pain

England's gutsy, industrious and confident performance against Spain perhaps mattered more than the result, but boy did they need a big win too.

- Suzanne Wrack

It's fair to say the past few months have not been easy for Sarina Wiegman's side, the context around two wins from five games since their Euros qualifying campaign a little lost, but a win over World Cup holders Spain to put them level on points with Portugal in their Nations League group lifts a pressure that perhaps shouldn't be there.

The England manager has repeatedly cautioned against expectations of a clean run of wins in the Euros this summer. “The game has changed,” she has repeated often, the introduction of the Nations League elevating the level of opposition the Lionesses meet on a regular basis.

No game is easy anymore, it's a cliché, but it's a fact. Against Portugal England thrilled in the first half and struggled in the second, a formation change and fresh personnel frustrating Wiegman's charges and producing the leveller. How would England fare when swapping a team ranked 22 for the World Cup holders and number two team on the planet?