Belgium beats Portugal for its first win at Euro 2025 and its last

By: The Associated Press Posted: 4:17 PM CDT Friday, Jul. 11, 2025 Last Modified: 4:42 PM CDT Friday, Jul. 11, 2025

SION, Switerland (AP) — Janice Cayman scored in stoppage time for Belgium to beat Portugal 2-1 and a first win in its final game at the Women’s European Championship on Friday.

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SION, Switerland (AP) — Janice Cayman scored in stoppage time for Belgium to beat Portugal 2-1 and a first win in its final game at the Women’s European Championship on Friday.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/07/2025 (451 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SION, Switerland (AP) — Janice Cayman scored in stoppage time for Belgium to beat Portugal 2-1 and a first win in its final game at the Women’s European Championship on Friday.

Amber Tysiak thought she already scored Belgium’s winner in stoppage time but that goal was struck out for an offside call, the second Belgium goal ruled out after a VAR check.

Portugal needed a win to have any hope of making the knockout stage but got off to a bad start when Belgium captain Tessa Wullaert slid in to meet Jill Janssens’ cross for the third-minute opener.

Belgium's Tessa Wullaert celebrates with teammates after scoring her sides first goal during the Women¥s Euro 2025, group B, soccer match between Portugal and Belgium at Stade de Tourbillon in Sion, Switzerland, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

“We go out of the tournament but it’s on a high,” Wullaert said. “We really deserved this after all the games we played. I don’t think the luck was on our side and even today we got two goals canceled.”

More bad news for Portugal came from Bern where Italy took a shock lead against tournament favorite Spain. Portugal was hoping for a heavy Italian defeat to enable its progress to the quarterfinals on goal difference — as long as it also won.

Telma Encarnação got Portugal’s only goal late and couldn’t prevent her team’s elimination.

Spain came from behind to beat Italy 3-1 and both teams progressed from Group B, the world champion with a perfect three wins from three games, Italy second on four points, followed by Belgium on three and Portugal with one.

Portugal showed urgency only toward the end of the first half, when Ana Capeta found herself alone facing the goalkeeper. Her attempted lob didn’t go to plan, and Lisa Lichtfus again thwarted the Portugal star after the break.