England women's player ratings vs Belgium: Lucy Bronze and Beth Mead are some combo! Lionesses stars provide deadly link-up to propel Sarina Wiegman's side to top spot in Nations League group

England's Lionesses cruised to a comfortable 5-0 win over Belgium on Friday night to rise to the top of their Women's Nations League group and continue their undefeated start to 2025. Goals from Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright, Aggie Beever-Jones, Jess Park and Keira Walsh secured all three points for Sarina Wiegman's side on an evening of dominance, with the European champions unlucky not to be victorious by an even greater margin after Alessia Russo twice hit the same post in the first half.

Belgium have caused England problems in the past, beating them in the previous edition of the Nations League after the 2023 Women's World Cup, but while they were by no means terrible on this occasion, they struggled to create much against a sturdy and locked-in Lionesses defence, which set a solid foundation for plenty of positive things further up the pitch. It was midway through the first half when Bronze deservedly broke the deadlock from a fantastic Lauren James cross and then the full-back turned provider before the break, as her header was pounced on by Bright to double that advantage.

Though in a comfortable enough lead, England's pressure didn't relent after the interval. A brilliant cross from Mead gave half-time substitute Beever-Jones the chance to really make sure of the win, with her showcasing great movement and providing a clinical finish for her first senior international goal. Jess Park, another introduction from the bench, made it four after some superb pressing and, having seen Nicky Evrard tip a fantastic effort of hers onto the post earlier, Walsh joined Beever-Jones in finding the back of the net for the first time for the Lionesses when her deflected effort put the cherry on the cake late on.

GOAL rates England's players from Ashton Gate...