Women’s Nations League: Spain thrash Sweden; Germany edge past France

LONDON: Defending champion Spain swept aside Sweden 4-0 and Germany edged France 1-0 in the Women’s Nations League first leg action on Friday night.

World champion Spain won the inaugural edition of the tournament last year and is now firmly on target for the two-legged final in November/December after a dominant display in Malaga.

Barcelona’s two-time Ballon d’Or midfielder Alexia Putellas conjured up a stunning free-kick to give Spain an 11th minute lead.

Putellas’s curling strike beyond the reach of Swedish goalkeeper Jennifer Falk drew her level with Veronica Boquete as the second all-time top scorer in La Roja’s history with 38 goals.

Her Barcelona teammate Claudia Pina doubled Spain’s advantage after the half hour shortly after replacing the injured Salma Paralluelo.

Then Putellas closed in on Spain’s all-time leading scorer Jenni Hermoso in the 35th minute with Vicky Lopez providing the assist, with Pina adding an injury-time goal to give new coach Sonia Bermudez a dream debut at the helm.

Sweden will now have its work cut out to overturn the deficit in front of its home fans in Gothenburg on Tuesday.

This was a repeat of the 2023 World Cup semifinal won by Spain 2-1 en route to being crowned champion.

Bayern Munich forward Klara Buhl fired Germany to a 1-0 win over France earlier in Dusseldorf.

France, beaten finalist last year, is on the back foot ahead of Tuesday’s second leg at home in Caen after Bruhl’s decisive intervention in the 79th minute. Agencies

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