Report: Spain 2-0 England WU19s

England women’s under-19s slipped to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Spain in their opening game of the Albir Garden Tournament in Alicante.

The reigning UEFA Women’s U19 EURO champions took the lead inside three minutes after a well-worked corner kick ended in Real Madrid’s Paula Comendador Prado taking aim from outside the box and rippling the net with an impressive effort.

And ten minutes into the second half, Maria Luisa Garcia Antolin – also of Real Madrid – doubled the home side’s advantage, tapping home from close range to make it 2-0 which was how it finishe at La Nucia Mini Stadium.

Smith’s side take on the United States up next in the tournament on Sunday 23 February before rounding off the window with a match-up against the Netherlands on Wednesday 26 February.

England: Katie Cox (Chelsea), Nelly Las (Leicester City), Zara Shaw (Liverpool), Lucy Newell (Blackburn Rovers, on loan from Manchester United), Mari Ward (Bristol City), Laila Harbert (Southampton, on loan from Arsenal), Lexi Potter (Crystal Palace, on loan from Chelsea), Maddy Earl (Sheffield United, on loan from Arsenal), Ava Baker (Birmingham City), Vivienne Lia (Southampton, on loan from Arsenal), Princess Ademiluyi (West Ham)

Substitutes: Lola Brown (Chelsea) for Las, Lauryn Thompson (Indy Eleven) for Ademiluyi, Erica Parkinson (Valadares Gaia) for Ward, Lily Dent (Portsmouth, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion) for Earl, Rachel Maltby (Aston Villa) for Harbert, Sophie Harwood (Arsenal) for Dent, Araya Dennis (Southampton, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur) for Lia

Substitutes not used: Cecily Wellesley-Smith (Arsenal and Oxford United), Lily Murphy (Manchester City), Sophia Poor (London City Lionesses, on loan from Aston Villa), Jessie Gale (Arenal and Watford), Eve Annets (Manchester City)

Head coach: Lauren Smith