England Women U-23s were beaten 3-1 by Spain in Marbella on Thursday, despite having taken the lead close to the break after being denied twice by the bar.
Freya Gregory’s in-swinging corner was headed onto the crossbar by Kiera Skeels, Aggie Beever-Jones similarly thwarted when getting her head on the end of a Missy-Bo Kearns free-kick.
Fran Stenson made a sharp stop to a Bruna Vilamala effort and from an error by her opposite number Adriana Nanclares, Jessica Naz was able to set up Beever-Jones to finish from close range.
However, Spain were almost immediately level, when a Claudia Iglesias shot fell for Olhane Valdezate to tap home.
Stenson saved Inma Gabarro’s penalty given for handball against Hannah Silcock but Spain did take the lead in the 66th minute when Vilamala intercepted a defensive pass to net from a tight angle.
Vilamala got her second in the last ten minutes, with a spectacular strike into the top corner.
Emma Coates’ squad next take on the Netherlands in a European League fixture, at the Marbella Football Centre on Monday 26 February (12pm GMT).
