ENGLAND WOMEN'S 2 - SPAIN WOMEN'S 3: KAREN BARDSLEY'S HEADACHE

ABOVE: Bardsley fails to hold on to the ball and it drops into her own net

KEEPER Karen Bardsley’s own-goal three minutes into stoppage time robbed England of a draw in their opening Euro 13 Group C match against Spain in Sweden last night.

Laura Bassett looked to have salvaged a point with England’s second equaliser a minute from normal time four minutes after Jennifer Hermoso had put Spain 2-1 up.

But right at the death Adriana Martin crossed from the left and the ball seemed to come off keeper Bardsley’s head under pressure from Alexia Puttelas and loop into the net.

The game started at a fast pace with Spain taking first blood through Veronica Boquete before Eniola Aluko equalised in the seventh minute.

But it looked as if Spain had snatched a dramatic late win when Hermoso put them ahead again before defender Bassett swung her leg at Anita Asante’s header from Rachel Yankey’s corner three minutes later to level at 2-2.

Spain took the lead in the fourth minute when Boquete finished off a flowing move up the left wing to beat Bardsley in the England goal.

But England were back level three minutes later when Aluko burst into the Spain box after picking up Jill Scott’s inch-perfect through ball from the left to fire into the bottom left-hand corner.

The two sides went into half-time locked at 1-1 and cancelled each other out after the break.

But Spain’s Vicky Losada was unlucky not to put her side ahead in the 74th minute when she wasted a golden opportunity and hit the bar from six yards. England then went close when Ellen White just sent the ball wide of the right post after a good counter- attacking move with Karen Carney sending in a perfect cross.

It is vital England now win their next game, against Russia on Monday.

Coach Hope Powell said: “Our tiredness was more mental, theirs was more physical.

"The players now have to lift their chins up. There are two more games. We have to try to win the games.

“The players will lift themselves up. They will have to learn from their mistakes and do better next time.”

Group rivals France recorded the first victory of Euro 13 as they crushed Russia 3-1 with two goals from Marie-Laure Delie and a third from Eugenie Le Sommer.