LONDON :Aggie Beever-Jones scored a stunning first-half hat-trick as England were ruthless hosts in a 6-0 thrashing of Portugal on Friday at Wembley in their penultimate game of the Women’s Nations League group stage.
Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead and Chloe Kelly also scored to keep England second in Group 3 of League A with 10 points, behind World Cup winners Spain, who have 12 points after their 5-1 win over Belgium earlier on Friday.
Sarina Wiegman’s team shrugged off any lingering effects from a tumultuous week that saw goalkeeper Mary Earps’ shock international retirement announcement, and were on the front foot from the opening whistle, scoring five goals before the game was 30 minutes old.
The 21-year-old Beever-Jones struck her first in the third minute, slotting home from a sharp angle, and Bronze headed home less than 90 seconds later.
Lauren Hemp beat a defender to put a cross into the box that led to Bronze heading in after Mead’s shot was blocked.
With the floodgates opened, England attacked in waves and Beever-Jones completed her hat-trick with goals in the 26th and 33rd minutes, while Mead scored in the 29th and Kelly got on the score sheet in the 62nd.
England will be looking for a victory over Spain on Tuesday in Barcelona to secure a spot in the Nations League knockout finals.
In other League A matches on Friday, Germany defeated the Netherlands 4-0, Denmark beat Wales 1-0, and Norway and Iceland drew 1-1.
