England confronted by France's Euro 2025 declaration, as Miedema surpasses one hundred goals milestone
In a thrilling start to the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 tournament, France emerged victorious against the defending champions England at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich. The final scoreline read 2-1 in favour of France, marking a disappointing start for England's title defence.
The first half of the match was dominated by France, who took an early lead in the 36th minute. Delphine Cascarino provided a low cross for Kadidiatou Diani Katoto to tap in an open goal at the far post. Three minutes later, Sandy Baltimore doubled France's lead, capitalising on a defensive error by Lucy Bronze.
England tried to mount a comeback in the second half but were largely ineffective until late in the game. Keira Walsh scored a stunning volley from outside the box with three minutes remaining, giving England hope. However, France held on to their lead, despite a late scare when Lauren Hemp nearly scored as France cleared a shot off the line in stoppage time.
Meanwhile, in Group D, the Netherlands had a comfortable 3-0 victory over Wales. Vivianne Miedema scored her 100th international goal for the Netherlands, while Victoria Pelova and Esmee Brugts also found the back of the net. The Netherlands' win puts them in a strong position in the competition, setting up an intriguing future clash against England.
France's win over England was marked by clinical finishing and capitalising on defensive mistakes, while the Netherlands' victory over Wales was a testament to their dominance in the group. England now faces the Netherlands in their next group stage fixture, making it a pivotal game for both teams.
Delphine Cascarino stated that she expected a good performance from France, and that they were both good going forward and in defence. Lauren James returned to the starting XI for England but was below her best, and England struggled to put pressure on France, resulting in a frustrating performance. Sarina Wiegman lost her perfect Euros record as coach with Saturday's defeat.
France will face Wales next on Wednesday, while England will play the Netherlands again at the Letzigrund Stadium. The stakes are high for both teams, as they look to secure a place in the knockout stages of the tournament.
In the realm of European leagues, France's football team demonstrated their Champions League-worthy performance against England, asserting their dominance with a 2-1 win. Meanwhile, the Netherlands displayed their prowess in group D, securing a 3-0 victory over Wales, setting the stage for an anticipated clash against England in the upcoming group stage fixture.
