Spain put Belgium to the sword to qualify for quarter-finals at EURO 2025

Alexia Putellas (centre) celebrates scoring for Spain
Alexia Putellas (centre) celebrates scoring for SpainSEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP
Pre-tournament favourites Spain have booked their spot in a fourth successive UEFA Women’s European Championship quarter-final, although they were given an initial scare in what became a 6-2 rout over Belgium.

La Roja scored after just two minutes when they hammered Portugal 5-0 in their opening game, and a repeat was nearly on the cards here when Vicky Lopez dragged wide from outside the box.

After that, they were kept at an arm’s length for a while, apart from Olga Carmona narrowly firing off target from distance.

The deadlock was finally broken by Alexia Putellas, who cleverly found the far corner with the outside of her boot from a wide position in the area.

But Spain’s lead would last less than two minutes, as Justine Vanhaevermaet climbed highest to net a towering header at the near post from Tessa Wullaert’s corner.

The world champions were undeterred though, and came close to retaking the lead when Esther Gonzalez nodded wide, before Irene Paredes volleyed wide from a tight angle.

Yet, it turned out that the captain was simply setting her radar, and a bullet header put her side 2-1 up when she met a deep corner, and venomously powered the ball into the net.

Match stats
Match statsFlashscore

It could have been more before the break too, with only a sensational goal line clearance by Jill Janssens denying Lopez on the stroke of half time, while Aitana Bonmati hooked wide from distance after the restart.

And they were made to pay for those missed chances when Belgium made it 2-2 through Hannah Eurlings, who was originally flagged offside but VAR intervened to adjudge that she had timed her run perfectly to burst through and clinically clip home. 

Montserrat Tome’s side reacted in perfect fashion, retaking the lead when Gonzalez, perfectly picked out by Putellas, also beat the offside trap and slotted across Lisa Lichtfus to make it 3-2.

Shortly afterwards, they finally opened up a two-goal cushion, when Mariona Caldentey benefitted from some penalty area pinball to sweep into the bottom corner from the six-yard line.

More chances came and went, but Pina wrapped things up, shifting the ball onto her right foot before curling into the top corner from 22 yards.

There was more drama to come too, as Putellas grabbed her second of the night with a beautiful flick, before Wullaert had a consolation ruled out for a narrow offside earlier in the move. 

Spain’s six goals equals the most they had previously scored in an entire EUROs tournament, whereas the deeply-wounded Belgium need Italy to lose to Portugal in the late kick-off to maintain their hopes of progressing.

Flashscore Player of the Match: Alexia Putellas (Spain)

Player ratings
Player ratingsFlashscore

Check out the match summary with Flashscore.