England Women saved their blushes with a late penalty from Lyon forward Nikita Parris to draw 3-3 with Belgium in the Lionesses’ first game since finishing fourth at the World Cup last month.
Despite missing out on their ultimate goal of World Cup glory in France after losing to eventual champions the United States in the semi-finals, England cemented their status as one of the best sides on the planet by reaching the last four for a third consecutive major tournament.
Yet there was something of a reality check awaiting the Lionesses squad in the Belgian city of Leuven on Thursday evening, with sloppy defending firmly punished.