🇪🇺 Miedema scores 95th-minute winner to end Team GB's Olympics hopes | OneFootball

🇪🇺 Miedema scores 95th-minute winner to end Team GB's Olympics hopes | OneFootball

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Joel Sanderson-Murray·5 December 2023

🇪🇺 Miedema scores 95th-minute winner to end Team GB's Olympics hopes

Article image:🇪🇺  Miedema scores 95th-minute winner to end Team GB's Olympics hopes

The Women’s Nations League drew to a conclusion on Tuesday, with promotion spots, relegations and potential Olympic places on the line.

Here’s what went down.


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England hit Scotland for six

Scorers: Greenwood 13′, James 38′, 39′, Mead 45+1′, Kirby 50′, Bronze 90+3′.

England thrashed Scotland at Hampden Park to qualify for the Nations League finals and keep Team GB’s hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games alive.

England thrashed Scotland at Hampden Park to keep Team GB’s hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games alive.

The pre-match talk was dominated by the weird quirk of Team GB’s chances of Olympics qualification resting on England making the Nations League finals, leaving Scotland in a strange sporting dilemma.

Sarina Wiegman’s team needed to win and score three more goals than the Netherlands to finish in top spot and did all they could for the cause in the first half of the game.

Alex Greenwood headed England ahead after being found unmarked from a corner before two goals in two minutes from Lauren James took the game away from the hosts.

The Chelsea winger saw her shot from the edge of the box deflect in off the inside of the post after Scotland had failed to clear from a corner before hitting a stunner into the top corner from the left-hand side of the box.

Beth Mead grabbed her first international goal in a year after returning from her ACL injury before Fran Kirby got in on the act.

Lucy Bronze bagged a sixth in stoppage time meaning the Lionesses had held up their part of the bargain.

Only Netherlands winning 4-0 or more would see England miss out on their place in the finals.


Netherlands pull off dramatic late show

Scorers: Beerensteyn 34′, 54′, Egurrola 90+1′, Miedema 90+5′.

Vivianne Miedema hit a 95th-minute winner to book Netherlands’ place in the Nations League finals – ending Team GB’s hopes of Olympics qualification.

Andries Jonker’s side looked set to miss out on the finals after England hit six in stoppage time of their encounter despite Damaris Egurrola’s 91st-minute strike.

But Miedema popped up to head home Romée Leuchter’s cross with pretty much the last kick of the game to pull off a stunning victory.

Netherlands will join Spain, Germany and France in February’s finals with two spots at the 2024 Olympics in Paris up for grabs.


Germany book their semi-final place

Germany sealed their Nations League semi-final spot despite coming unstuck in a goalless draw with Wales.

Horst Hrubesch’s team just needed to better Denmark’s result to book their place in the last four and were given a huge helping hand by Iceland, who beat the Danes 1-0.

The Germans now join Spain and France in February’s semi-finals with two Olympics Games spots up for grabs for the two winners.


Spain comeback breaks Sweden hearts

Scorers: Paralluelo 11′, Athenea 51′, Caldentey 78′, 89′, Fiamma 81′; Zigotti Olme 1′, Asllani 14′, Blackstenius 29′.

Sweden conceded three second-half goals to leave the door open for Italy to overtake them and avoid the Nations League relegation playoffs.

Peter Gerhardsson’s side made the dream start with Julia Zigotti Olme arriving at the back post to head home a corner inside the opening minute.

But with the Swedes needing to ensure Italy didn’t pick up more points than them there were always going to be nerves and Salma Paralluelo got on to Olga Carmona’s cross to level for the hosts.

Spain weren’t level for long as Kosovare Asllani lofted over the goalkeeper to restore Sweden’s lead before Stina Blackstenius made it three before the half-hour mark.

That looked to have given the visitors a safety net but a dramatic turnaround in the second period changed the whole peplexison of the group.

Athenea turned home six minutes after the break before María Caldentey smashed home from 12 yards out after a well-worked team move.

Fiamma Benítez then raced through on goal and produced a delicious lob to complete Sweden’s heartbreak nine minutes from time before Caldentey put the icing on a cake with a fifth in the dying minutes.

Spain had already booked their place in the semi-finals as group winners, with a place in the 2024 Olympic Games up for grabs.


Italy avoid the relegation playoffs

Scorers: Giulgiano 31′, Salvai 48′, Caruso 85′.

Italy took full advantage of Sweden’s capitulation, dismantling Switzerland to avoid the relegation playoffs.

Manuela Giugliano arrived in the box to volley home from Sofia Cantore’s cross to break the deadlock after a tight first-half before Cecilia Salvai doubled that advantage three minutes after the break.

Arianna Caruso put the game beyond all doubt five minutes from time as Italy finish in second spot, three points ahead of Sweden.


Portugal relegated after France loss

Scorers: Geyoro 90+3′.

Portugal suffered relegation from League A after falling to a late defeat to France in Leiria.

Francisco Neto’s side needed to win and hope Norway failed to beat Austria to avoid automatic relegation but it is the Scandinavian side who take their place in the relegation playoffs despite falling to a 2-0 defeat this evening.



More to follow …