Belgium Shock England with Stunning Start in Women's Nations League Clash
So, let’s talk about what just happened in the Women’s Nations League—Belgium vs. England. If you were expecting another dominant display from the Lionesses after their 5-0 win just a few days ago, this one probably knocked the wind out of you. Belgium came out absolutely flying, and within just 16 minutes, they were already 2-0 up. Yeah, you heard that right—England, who had looked so confident and composed in their last outing, were completely stunned.
The first blow came just four minutes into the match. Tessa Wullaert, who had missed the previous game, returned with serious intent. She slipped behind the English defense—catching Niamh Charles off guard—and clinically finished past Hannah Hampton. You could feel the shift instantly. The Belgium crowd roared, and England looked… well, shaken.
And before the Lionesses could recover, Belgium struck again. In the 16th minute, Justine Vanhaevermaet rose above everyone in the box and buried a powerful header from a Wullaert free-kick. Two goals. Sixteen minutes. And England hadn’t even registered a shot on target yet.
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It wasn’t just the scoreline that was concerning—it was how flat England looked. There was no sign of the attacking fluidity we saw in the last match. No Alessia Russo, no Lauren James, and it showed. Aggie Beever-Jones and Nikita Parris started up front, but chances were rare. Even when Lucy Bronze floated in a few crosses, there wasn’t enough bite in the box to convert.
Credit to Belgium—they were well-organized, physical, and smart. Wullaert was a constant thorn in England’s defense, exploiting the high line with ease. Every time they countered, the home fans were on their feet. You could hear the drums beating louder with each break forward.
Defensively, England just couldn’t handle the directness. Keira Walsh and Millie Bright tried to rally the team, clapping and shouting instructions after regrouping, but the early damage had already been done. Former England keeper Karen Bardsley even pointed out on commentary that the timing and pressure just weren’t there—Williamson didn’t get tight enough, and Hampton couldn’t do much with those clinical finishes.
What makes this more surprising is how dominant England were on Friday. A 5-0 result then, and now a completely different story. Football can be wild like that. Sarina Wiegman clearly knew Belgium would be a different team with Wullaert back—and she was spot on. You can’t underestimate players like her.
So where do the Lionesses go from here? This result will sting, no doubt. But it’s also a wake-up call. The Nations League isn’t just a walk in the park—every team’s fighting hard, and you’ve got to bring your best every single match. If England want to make a serious push in this competition, they’ll need to reset quickly and figure out how to cope when key players are missing.
That’s football—unpredictable, brutal, and beautiful.
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