Trio on target on busy night of international action

Eveliina Summanen, Drew Spence and Rosella Ayane all scored for their respective countries as this month’s international action came to a close on Tuesday night.

Midfielder Eveliina scored a 16th-minute penalty to give Finland a 1-0 victory in Romania in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, making it two wins out of two in Group B2 after Friday’s 4-0 home triumph against Slovakia. Eveliina provided an assist for her side’s fourth goal in that game and completed 90 minutes in both, with Olga Ahtinen playing the first half against Slovakia.

In the early hours of this morning in Toronto, Drew Spence scored the opener for Jamaica with a fine free-kick in the second leg of their Olympic qualifier against Canada, but the hosts recovered to win 2-1 – having also triumphed 2-0 in the first leg in the early hours of Saturday morning – to book their place at the showpiece tournament.

Drew and goalkeeper Becky Spencer played 90 minutes in both games, while Shelina Zadorsky featured as a second-half substitute for Canada on both occasions.

Rosella Ayane, meanwhile, came off the bench to score Morocco’s second goal in their 6-2 defeat to Zambia in a friendly in Rabat. Morocco also fell 2-0 to the same opponents on Friday.

Back in UEFA Women’s Nations League action, Martha Thomas started and played 74 minutes for Scotland in their 1-1 home draw with Belgium in Group A1, as a last-gasp equaliser put their first point on the board after Friday’s 2-1 defeat to England in Sunderland. Martha also led the line in that game, completing 82 minutes before being withdrawn.

It was a disappointing week for Luana Bühler, whose Switzerland side lost 5-0 away to World Cup winners Spain in Group A4 on Tuesday, having also slipped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Italy on Friday.

Barbora Votíková was an unused substitute for Czech Republic in their 2-1 home victory over Belarus, having also been on the bench in Friday’s 2-0 away triumph against Slovenia in Group B4.

Angharad James, meanwhile, played 90 minutes in Wales’ 5-1 home defeat at the hands of Denmark in Group A3, having also put in a full shift in Friday’s 1-0 loss away to Iceland.

Elsewhere, Jess Naz, Grace Clinton and Asmita Ale all featured for England Under-23s as they recorded a dominant 3-0 win over Belgium at Shrewsbury Town on Monday night. Jess and Grace both started, with Asmita replacing Jess in the 62nd minute before Grace was substituted 17 minutes from time.

Jess and Grace also started and completed the full game as England drew 1-1 away to Celin Bizet’s Norway Under-23s on Thursday, with Asmita an unused substitute on that occasion.

All of our international players will now report back to Hotspur Way to continue the build-up to Sunday’s WSL opener away to Chelsea.