Spain Women Rally Late to Defeat Belgium 3-2 in Nations League

Spain kicked off their Women's Nations League title defense with a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over Belgium, overcoming a 2-0 deficit thanks to two late goals in stoppage time. Belgium initially shocked the reigning World Cup champions with goals from Mariam Toloba and Tessa Wullaert, leading until the 77th minute when Claudia Pina scored to ignite Spain's comeback. Substitute Lucia Garcia equalized in the dying moments of the match, and Cristina Martin-Prieto clinched the victory with a goal in the 96th minute. The match was particularly significant as it followed the verdict of the Luis Rubiales trial, which concluded with a guilty verdict for sexual assault against Jenni Hermoso, who was not included in the squad. Despite being without star players like Alexia Putellas and Hermoso, Spain's resilience showcased their potential as favorites for Euro 2025. Belgium's new coach, Elisabet Gunnarsdottir, faced a challenging debut against the world champions, who previously dominated Belgium 9-0 in their last qualifying encounters.