Spain Punish England as Chelsea Players Endure Tough Night
Sarina Wiegman leant heavily on Chelsea’s core as England walked into the cauldron of Mallorca – and walked out bruised.
Four Blues started for the Lionesses against Spain. Hannah Hampton in goal. Lucy Bronze at right-back. Keira Walsh with the armband in midfield. Lauren James high up the pitch, tasked with unsettling the world champions.
Spain never flinched.
Top of Group A3 and on a run of four straight World Cup qualifying wins, England arrived with momentum. Patri Guijarro stripped that away inside the opening half. Alexia Putellas, inevitably, twisted the knife before the interval, leaving Wiegman’s side two down and chasing shadows.
The second half brought no respite. The home crowd roared, Spain accelerated, and Putellas struck again on 55 minutes to make it three. When Claudia Pina came off the bench and whipped in a fourth, the contest turned from difficult to humbling.
From a Chelsea perspective, it became a night of endurance. Hampton stayed in for the full 90, picking the ball out of her net four times but spared an even heavier scoreline. Walsh, captain’s armband strapped on, also went the distance in a midfield overrun by Spain’s rhythm and rotations.
James’ evening ended just before the hour, withdrawn in the 59th minute with the game slipping away. Bronze made way late on for fellow Chelsea defender Niamh Charles, a changing of the guard on the right flank on a night England will want to park quickly. Aggie Beever-Jones did not make the match-day squad.
Nüsken leads Germany through
While England struggled, Sjoeke Nüsken enjoyed the kind of night every international player craves.
Handed the captaincy for Germany against Norway, the Chelsea midfielder steered her country to the win they needed to book their ticket to next year’s World Cup in Brazil. Germany knew the equation: beat their closest Group A4 rivals and qualification was done.
They played like a team intent on settling it early.
Marie Muller struck inside 20 minutes, a goal that settled nerves and set the tone. Carlotta Wamser added a second soon after, giving Germany a cushion they never surrendered. Norway created openings, pushed, and asked questions, but Nüsken and company held firm to close out the victory and secure their place on the plane.
Cuthbert’s brilliance overshadowed by late injury
In Scotland, Erin Cuthbert delivered a performance that crackled with authority – until it ended in silence and concern.
Scotland dismantled Israel 6-0 in World Cup qualifying, and Cuthbert sat at the heart of almost everything. She opened the scoring on 17 minutes, collecting the ball around 20 yards out before unleashing a clean, rising strike from the edge of the box that flew into the net.
She didn’t stop there.
After the break, Cuthbert slipped the pass that allowed Caroline Weir to grab her second of the night and Scotland’s third. Once Weir had completed her hat-trick, it was again Cuthbert threading the ball through, this time for Lauren Davidson to add another.
Kirsty Hanson added further sheen to the scoreline, but the closing moments changed the mood. A seemingly innocuous challenge left Cuthbert down and in clear discomfort. Treatment dragged on. Eventually, the midfielder was lifted onto a stretcher and taken from the pitch, her outstanding display overshadowed by worry over the extent of the damage.
Baltimore lights it up for France
In Poland, Sandy Baltimore produced a flash of quality that underlined why Chelsea moved for her.
France had to work to break down stubborn hosts in their qualifier, the first half a story of pressure without reward. Melvine Malard finally cracked Poland’s resistance early in the second period, settling nerves and loosening legs.
Then came Baltimore’s moment.
Just past the hour, the winger shook free of her marker, exchanged a sharp one-two with Malard, and burst into the box. One touch to set, one to lash the ball home. A composed, ruthless finish that sealed a 2-0 win and gave France full control of the night.
Rytting Kaneryd scores but Sweden fall, Harder decisive
Not every Chelsea contribution ended in celebration.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd found the net for Sweden in Denmark, yet still walked away on the wrong side of a 2-1 scoreline. Cecilie Floe had put Denmark ahead in the first half, and Sweden spent the interval chasing a response.
They found it shortly after the restart, Rytting Kaneryd pouncing from close range to level things up and tilt the momentum. But the decisive word came from a familiar face. Former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder struck in the 65th minute, restoring Denmark’s lead and ultimately deciding the contest.
Peng anchors Swiss charge
In Switzerland’s case, the story was far more straightforward – and far more emphatic.
Livia Peng played all 90 minutes in goal as the Swiss dismantled Malta 6-1 in their qualifier. It was the sort of night every keeper wants: largely in control, one goal conceded but the team rampant at the other end.
Five games in, Switzerland sit top of their group, three points clear of Turkey and very much in command of their own destiny.
Dutch duo suffer late heartbreak in Cork
For Veerle Buurman and Wieke Kaptein, the evening in Cork turned cruel in the final act.
Both Chelsea players started for the Netherlands against the Republic of Ireland, only to see their side slip to a 3-2 defeat decided in the dying stages. Kyra Carusa opened the scoring for the hosts, a blow that put the Dutch on the back foot.
They hauled themselves level through Dominique Janssen with 20 minutes to go, only to concede almost instantly as Abbie Larkin restored Ireland’s advantage. The drama kept coming. Victoria Pelova struck with ten minutes left to drag the Netherlands back to 2-2 and tilt the game towards a draw.
Then came the sting.
As the clock ticked down and a point seemed secure, Amber Barrett reacted quickest in the box, prodding home from close range to condemn the Netherlands to defeat and leave Buurman and Kaptein reflecting on what had slipped away.
