England Women’s U-23s scored twice in the dying minutes to come from behind and beat Portugal 3-2, Missy Bo Kearns netting a stoppage-time penalty.
The Young Lionesses had a disappointing start to the contest at the Estádio Municipal da Marinha Grand, as they conceded inside four minutes after failing to deal with a low cross from the right and Jassie Vasconcelos bundled the ball home.
England equalised early into the second period though as Aggie Beever-Jones whipped in a cross from the left-hand side and Angela Addison scored with a left-foot finish.
But the Portuguese regained their advantage seven minutes later when a short corner and cross saw Vasconcelos loop a header over Kayla Rendell in the England goal.
It looked as though the Young Lionesses were heading for defeat but then with five minutes remaining, a neat one-two between Beever-Jones and Laura Blindkilde Brown led to a low shot by the latter, which the keeper could only parry into the net.
Then in injury-time, Brown did well on the breakaway and Missy Goodwin ended up being brought down in the penalty area, leaving substitute Missy Bo Kearns to send the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot.
On Monday the WU23s face Belgium in Genk (3pm BST).
Meanwhile, the U-19s continue their second round of EURO qualifying in Nyon, v Belarus on Saturday 8 April (10am BST) and on Tuesday 11 April against Spain (1.15pm BST).
The Young Lionesses scored a dramatic last-gasp equaliser for a 1-1 draw with Slovenia, as Sunderland’s Katie Watson struck in the third minute of injury time.
