England vs Portugal LIVE: Rampant Lionesses hit six in Women’s Nations League thrashing
England 6-0 Portugal: Aggie Beever-Jones scored a hat-trick with the Lionesses dominant at Wembley
England produced a vibrant display of attacking football as Aggie Beever-Jones hit a first-half hat-trick on the way to a 6-0 thrashing of Portugal.
Sarina Wiegman’s side were back to their best in the Nations League after a shock defeat to Belgium last month, with a returning Lauren Hemp outstanding down the left. Beever-Jones opened the scoring inside a matter of minutes and soon had three as she seized her chance up front, with Lucy Bronze and Beth Mead also on the scoresheet in a five-goal first 45 minutes.
The interval disrupted the Lionesses rhythm and there was little reason for further exertion, though substitute Chloe Kelly headed home a lovely goal to complete the rout. A welcome return for Georgia Stanway in midfield was another reason to smile for Wiegman, who resisted the urge to test out another keeper alongside Hannah Hampton despite the retirement of Mary Earps this week.
Re-live all the action from England vs Portugal at Wembley in our live blog below:
GOAL! ENGLAND 2-0 Portugal (Lucy Bronze, 6 minutes)
Another! England’s start gets better!
Portugal cry offside but Lucy Bronze is just on! It’s forceful play from England down the left, not allowing their visitors to settle in after the early concession. Aggie Beever-Jones and Beth Mead are denied but as the ball floats across the box, there is Bronze to gobble it up. She heads home 90 seconds after her club colleague had opened the scoring - England are flying!
GOAL! ENGLAND 1-0 Portugal
A dream first Wembley start for Aggie Beever-Jones. It’s almost her first touch, given how Hannah Hampton immediately played a long ball to her from kick-off and it sailed over her head. Credit to Jess Park for the press - that’s what she’s in the team for. Beever-Jones slipped on the finish and the contact wasn’t clean - but that’s a big moment.
GOAL! ENGLAND 1-0 Portugal (Aggie Beever-Jones, 4 minutes)
A lightning start from England and Aggie Beever-Jones is there to pounce!
Poor from Portugal! A risky pass across midfield just outside their own box allows Jess Park to put Andreia Norton under pressure, with the Benfica player coughing up possession. Beever-Jones seizes the chance and slots home.
England 0-0 Portugal, 2 minutes
Clinton is on the offensive this time, looking to latch on to a lift forwards after neat interplay between Aggie Beever-Jones and Beth Mead. Portugal get bodies back to clear.
England 0-0 Portugal, 1 minute
A bright start in possession from Portugal, zipping it around a few English bodies down the left. Strong tackling from Grace Clinton ensures no particularly threatening progress is made.
KICK OFF!
A peep of the whistle and off we go! England kick proceedings off - will Sarina Wiegman like what she sees with the Euros looming?
England vs Portugal
The few Portugal fans among the assembly wave their national colours enthusiastically as their jaunty anthem sounds. England look fully focussed on the task at hand.
England vs Portugal
Wembley is slightly more sparsely populated than it has been for some recent Lionesses visits, but a crowd of more than 50,000 is still a very good number. In the tunnel, the players are ready to go.
Aggie Beever-Jones gets another shot
It’s a first England appearance at Wembley for Aggie Beever-Jones on the back of a fine season for Chelsea. One suspects she will have a bench role in Switzerland but this is a real opportunity for the forward to stake her claim to a starting spot tonight - can she help deconstruct this strong Portuguese backline?
England to debut Euro 2025 kit against Portugal
England will tonight play in their new kits the Lionesses will be wearing at Euro 2025 this summer.
England won the Euros on home soil three years ago and the new Nike designs are said to honour that victory as well as the pioneers of the past.
The home kit takes inspiration from the 1980s, reflecting the England shirt worn at the 1982 men’s World Cup, with a blue and red print across the chest. England will also play in blue shorts.
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