Aggie Beever-Jones’ hat-trick fired England to a ruthless 6-0 home victory over Portugal to set up a blockbuster UEFA Women’s Nations League A3 decider against Spain.
Beever-Jones fired England in front from a third-minute mistake by Portugal’s Andreia Norton, before she got her second goal from a header in the 26th minute, which was followed by a 33rd-minute strike to seal her first senior hat-trick at international level.
Lucy Bronze headed in England’s second goal either side of Beever-Jones’ opening two goals, whilst Beth Mead netted their fourth goal with a 29th-minute effort in a dominant first half.
Chloe Kelly capped a ruthless display with a 62nd-minute header just four minutes after she came on as a substitute.
England remain second in League A3 after Spain won 5-1 away to Belgium to stay top of the group heading into their winner-takes-all showdown on 3 June.
Portugal continue to sit third but just a point ahead of Belgium with a worse goal difference, meaning that the winner of their relegation-deciding clash on 3 June will stay up – although a draw would be enough for the Portuguese.
Beever-Jones post-match spoke to ITV about how much her hat-trick meant to her after “a busy season” whilst keen to find her family to celebrate the achievement.
“I’m absolutely shattered. Coming into this today after a busy season and I got told I was starting and I wanted to help the team as much as I can. I’m absolutely delighted right now.
“I was trying to find my family. I don’t actually know where they are. I’m trying to keep an eye out for them. My friends are here as well so I was just trying to look for any of them. But I’m absolutely delighted and I can’t quite believe it if I’m honest.”
England came into this must-win game still reeling from Mary Earps’ shock international retirement but their new era quickly dawned in the third minute, as Portugal’s Norton gave the ball away via a nudge from Jess Park for Beever-Jones to rifle the Lionesses ahead with a far-left corner strike.
Portugal’s nightmare start rapidly got worse after Ines Pereira deflected a fifth-minute shot from Mead into the path of Bronze, who calmly nodded into the empty goal unmarked in the middle of the box for her 18th international goal.
England’s defence however still has questions in the air after a disastrous away defeat to Belgium in April but goalkeeper, Hannah Hampton spared their blushes with a tenth-minute deflection of Norton’s header, which looked destined for the top-right corner.
Beever-Jones though was in no mood to settle for just a single goal and soon extended the Lionesses’ lead with a 26th-minute header from Bronze’s cross.
That goal led to another defensive crisis for Portugal which allowed Mead to pounce on Park’s 29th-minute through ball and roll their fourth goal into the right corner, past a helpless Pereira.
Any hope that Portugal held of a miraculous comeback were soon dampened from a 33rd-minute overhead ball by Leah Williamson, which found Beever-Jones free to race forward and complete her first senior international hat-trick.
The 21 year-old forward also became only the second England player to score a hat-trick at Wembley after Mead, who had scored in a 4-0 home win over Northern Ireland in October 2021.
England continued to dominate either side of half time and almost further consolidated their win in the 50th minute, yet Grace Clinton could only curl her shot over the bar from long range.
Wiegman’s Lionesses eventually got their sixth goal through a 62nd-minute header from substitute, Kelly who nodded into the left corner from Mead’s left-flank cross.
England eventually cruised to a confidence-boosting victory ahead of their difficult trip to Spain, where only a win would see them top the group and advance to the Quarter-Finals.
What’s Next?
England visit Spain in a winner-takes-all top of League A3 showdown on Tuesday 3 June at 7pm CEST (6pm UK Time), with the game taking place at RCDE Stadium, Barcelona.
Portugal will be in action at the same time as they host Belgium in their final group game at Estadio do Maritimo, Funchal, at 7pm CEST.
Teams
England: Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze (Le Tissier 57′), Leah Williamson, Esme Morgan (Greenwood 58′), Jess Carter, Grace Clinton, Keira Walsh (Stanway 75′), Jess Park (Kirby 67′), Beth Mead, Aggie Beever-Jones, Lauren Hemp (Kelly 58′)
Substitutes: Michelle Agyemang, Niamh Charles, Alex Greenwood, Missy Bo Kearns, Khiara Keating, Chloe Kelly, Fran Kirby, Maya Le Tissier, Anna Moorhouse, Nikita Parris, Georgia Stanway, Lotte Wubben-Moy
Portugal: Ines Pereira, Ana Borges, Carole Costa, Fatima Pinto, Andreia Norton (Faria 69′), Andreia Jacinto (Correia 69′), Dolores Silva (J.Silva 46′), Tatiana Pinto, Catarina Amado, Ana Capeta (Fonseca 86′), Diana Silva (Mendes 86′)
Substitutes: Carolina Correia, Ana Dias, Sierra Cota-Yarde, Samara Lino, Jessica Silva, Andreia Faria, Beatriz Fonseca, Stephanie Ribeiro, Barbara Lopes, Carolina Mendes, Telma Encarnacao, Patricia Morais
Referee – Frida Mia Klarlund