Wales remain bottom in Nations League group after heavy defeat in Germany

Wales remain bottom of their Women’s Nations League group following a 5-1 defeat by Germany in Sinsheim.

Ceri Holland gave Wales hope of achieving a positive result against the two-time world champions, her 42nd-minute equaliser the first time the Dragons had scored against Germany in five games.

But Lea Schuller twice punished Wales’ aerial fallibility before Giulia Gwinn, from the penalty spot, Sjoeke Nusken and Nicole Anyomi scored late on to put the gloss on a dominant home performance.

Germany lost talismanic captain Alexandra Popp, a two-time Champions League winner, to injury before kick-off but Wales came under early pressure as Laura Freigang and Sarai Linder went close.

Wales were down to 10 players with Hannah Cain attempting to shake off a knock when Linder crossed from the left after 25 minutes and the unmarked Schuller powered home a bullet header.

Olivia Clark saved Wales from falling further behind with an outstretched foot denying Freigang, and that stop took on added importance 60 seconds later.

Sophie Ingle crossed from the right and Angharad James flicked the ball into the path of Holland, who finished smartly from six yards for her fourth international goal.

Germany’s lead was restored within 60 seconds of the restart as substitute Linda Dallmann made an instant impact by crossing for Schuller to head in a carbon-copy second.

Wales fell apart in the final 10 minutes after Ingle grabbed Hegering at a corner and Gwinn rifled the penalty off the underside of the crossbar.

Substitutes Nusken and Anyomi rounded off matters in the dying moments as Wales suffered a second successive 5-1 Nations League defeat and remain without a point after three games.