4 things we learned from England's disappointing draw against Portugal | OneFootball

England's start to 2025 wasn't quite as impressive as many had hoped, with Portugal proving to be a stern test in the new UEFA Nations League campaign on Friday evening.

Sarina Wiegman's side stormed ahead after a promising start in Portimao, courtesy of a well-worked goal expertly finished by Alessia Russo. Optimistic England fans would have hoped the tide was firmly in their favour, but it turned dramatically and the second half told an entirely different story.

Portugal coach Francisco Neto made the necessary changes, bringing on Barcelona forward Kika Nazareth, who many expected to start. The 22-year-old unleashed an outstanding strike late on, and Mary Earps had no chance as it rippled the back of the net.

With 15 minutes left to play, England made their own changes, but it was too little, too late. The damage had already been done, and the Lionesses ended their first game of 2025 with a draw.

Here, 90min takes a look at what we learned from Friday’s result in the Nations League…

England falter at the first hurdle

England's first performance of 2025 was disappointing / Gualter Fatia/GettyImages

It wasn't a catastrophic result, but it wasn't exactly a good one either. It's crucial for England to use their Nations League campaign to reassert their dominance as a top team before Euro 2025, as they look to defend their title. But this draw will have done little to instill any fear in their opponents.

There's room for grace, given it's the first international break of the year, but with a huge test against Spain to come on Wednesday, the early signs are not as promising as hoped. If England perform like they did in the second half against Portugal at Wembley this week, it could be a lot worse than a draw.

Alessia Russo in goalscoring form

Alessia Russo is in good form for both club and country / Gualter Fatia/GettyImages

Among the few positives from Friday night was Alessia Russo's opening goal. The striker is in good form for her club following this season's change in leadership, and it's pleasing to see she has carried that form into the international stage.

If England are to have any hope of progressing from an extremely tough Nations League group, or retain their title as European champions in the summer, Russo's form will be crucial. Striker options have drastically changed since 2022, in no small part through Ellen White's retirement, but the Arsenal star has been the one constant. A lot of England's hopes rest on her shoulders.

Leah Williamson back to her best

Leah Williamson's defensive heroics ensured England held on for a point / Soccrates Images/GettyImages

Arsenal defender Leah Williamson was arguably England's best player against Portugal. Not only is she an attacking outlet with her ability on the ball, but her decisive defensive actions in the second half ensured England walked away with at least a point.

Williamson made several crucial blocks and interceptions to thwart Portugal in the second half, as England struggled to assert themselves. Some may highlight that she was slightly dragged out of position in the build-up to Portugal's equaliser, but without her, it could have been a different, and even worse, story.

England's in-game management must improve

Sarina Wiegman's changes came too late / Gualter Fatia/GettyImages

Wiegman knows better than anyone how substitutions can change games, and her use of Russo and Ella Toone, especially during the last Euros in 2022, was one of the driving forces behind England's historic win. That is why it was baffling to see so few changes until it was too late in Portugal.

It was clear within the first 10 minutes of the second half that the momentum had shifted in Portugal's favour and that England weren't as in control as they had been in the first 45. The warning signs were there, and the indecisiveness from the bench ultimately led to the hosts equalising.

Wiegman admitted after the game that they were waiting for the right time to make substitutions. However, it was clear that England struggled to adapt to Portugal's tactical tweaks — a huge credit to Neto and his staff.

Aside from the defensive change at half-time, where Lucy Bronze made way for Jess Carter, it was Chloe Kelly and Aggie Beever-Jones who got the nod late on. Both were given just over five minutes to make an impact, and it's fair to say neither provided any form of spark.

Wiegman needs to trust her bench and utilise the squad at her disposal, especially when tired legs are on the pitch, and previous tactical instructions are no longer working.