MATCH REPORT | Spain show their courage with a commanding win over Portugal! (7-1)

Balaídos promised a fantastic atmosphere – and it delivered, with the crowd fully behind La Roja. The national team responded in kind, putting on a show of football and goals. Some fans were still taking their seats when Salma Paralluelo opened the scoring, firing home a cross from Mariona Caldentey in just the 2nd minute.

Spain came out flying, and before the 10-minute mark, Aitana Bonmatí added a second – a piece of magic with her left foot in the 8th minute. Four minutes later, the two time Balon D’or winner struck again – this time with her right – scoring her 30th goal for Spain and making it 3-0 by the 12th minute.

Alexia Putellas joined the party before the half-hour mark, finding the space and striking sweetly to beat Morais and put Spain 4-0 up.

Montse Tomé's side utterly dominated the first half, with Portugal barely managing to cross the halfway line or create any danger. The connection with the crowd – who were loving every moment and even got the wave going – was electric.

During the break, Tomé made changes, bringing on Esther González, Athenea del Castillo, and Olga Carmona for Salma Paralluelo, Pina, and Ouahabi respectively. Francisco Neto responded with a double substitution of his own, bringing on Jacinto and Capeta for Borges and Faria.

But the rhythm didn’t change. Spain continued their assault, and Mariona Caldentey capped her brilliant performance with a goal to make it 5-0. The night in Vigo still had more magic in store, with Alexia Putellas – the queen herself – conjuring up another stunner, her 34th goal for Spain.

La Roja continued to shine, pressing from every area of the pitch, hungry for more. Esther González grabbed another, taking advantage of a rebound – her second goal in as many games since returning to the squad.

Patri Guijarro made way for Vicky López in the 62nd minute, and Neto responded by bringing on Fonseca and Ribeiro for Marchão and Dias in the 65th. Portugal found a consolation goal through Pina Fonseca in the 71st minute, making it 7-1.

Montse Tomé used her final change to bring on Cristina Martín-Prieto for Alexia Putellas, who left the pitch to a standing ovation from the 15,526 fans in Balaídos.

If the theme of this international break – starting from the squad announcement – was "The Courage of Our Own", as a tribute to Galician women, then the players certainly lived up to it. They showed grit and determination to put seven past Portugal and collect the full six points on offer from Matchdays 3 and 4 in UEFA Women’s Nations League Group A3.