England women player ratings vs Scotland: Lauren James & Mary Earps' heroics aren't enough! Lionesses fall just short of dramatic Nations League turnaround despite Hampden Park thrashing
Drama in the Netherlands saw the Dutch progress at the expense of Sarina Wiegman's side, despite a hammering of neighbours Scotland
There are unlikely heroes and then there is Damaris Egurrola. England spent most of their Tuesday evening thinking that they had done enough to make the UEFA Women's Nations League finals. The Lionesses had to better the Netherlands' win over Belgium by three goals in order to overturn their inferior goal difference and, until stoppage time in Tilburg, it seemed like mission accomplished. But then Egurrola, the Dutch holding midfielder who is hardly a renowned goal-scorer, netted twice at the absolute death against Belgium to render Lucy Bronze's seemingly decisive header irrelevant. England had beaten Scotland 6-0, but their Nations League and Olympic dreams were over.
For most of the evening, it wasn't actually that dramatic. Poor marking allowed Alex Greenwood to head home a corner on 13 minutes before three goals at the end of the half had Sarina Wiegman's side top of Group 1 at the break. Lauren James' first took a hefty deflection, her second was a stunner and then Beth Mead scored her first England goal in 15 months to make it four.
Fran Kirby made it 5-0 early in the second half after fantastic work from Georgia Stanway and then there was a nervous wait. As Scotland grew into the game and shored up, while being kept at bay brilliantly by Mary Earps at the other end, Belgium managed to keep the Netherlands' lead at just two, despite Dutch pressure. Any change in scoreline would've been seismic.
And then it all came at once. The Netherlands' third, to send them top, was bettered just seconds later by Bronze's header, to send England top, and then, as the Lionesses stood in a nervous huddle
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