France outclass England, placing defending Euro champs on edge

ZURICH, Switzerland — France surprised defending champions England to win their Euro 2025 Group D opener 2-1 in Zurich on Saturday.

Laurent Bonadei’s facet have loved a exceptional run of type in 2025 they usually continued this on a balmy night in Switzerland as objectives from Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore handed England a chastening defeat, who bought a late comfort from Keira Walsh.

England headed into this match as one of many favorites, however have been outclassed by the French for a lot of the sport as they handed Sarina Wiegman’s workforce a painful defeat.

England did take an early lead by means of Alessia Russo after 13 minutes, however the effort was chalked off attributable to Beth Mead being a toe offside.

From there, France dominated and England began to make a sequence of errors. Katoto pounced to faucet dwelling a Delphine Cascarino cross after 36 minutes whereas Baltimore exploited defensive chaos within the English ranks to double their lead three minutes later.

Regardless of England making their standard adjustments on the hour mark, it did little to stem the tide and France have been not often threatened within the second half till the closing phases. Wiegman launched Michelle Agyemang on the eighty fifth minute mark and her presence within the field helped create area for Walsh to steer a shot dwelling.

England pushed for a late equalizer, that by no means got here. They now face a must-win match towards the Netherlands, whereas France will look to go two from two towards Wales on Wednesday. — Tom Hamilton

England’s error rely was punishing

Heading into this opener, England have been eager to push their message that they are probably not right here as defending champions, however as an alternative seeking to do one thing no England senior workforce has ever achieved: win a serious match on international soil.

The group have been quietly optimistic and in place.

However towards France, for many of the match, they froze. The error rely was exceptional. Gamers who’re normally so dependable have been making uncharacteristic, poorly judged passes, they have been giving the ball away in harmful areas, and the workforce misplaced any early momentum they’d.

The midfield was far too uncovered whereas Cascarino and Baltimore had the liberty of the wings, with Jessica Carter and Lucy Bronze struggling to comprise these threats. France’s first aim from Katoto got here off a unfastened go from Georgia Stanway to Lauren Hemp, which allowed France to counter, whereas Bronze was out of place for France’s second, an unlucky ricochet permitting Baltimore loads of time to fireplace dwelling.

Each had far an excessive amount of area. There have been unfastened passes from gamers like Mead, whereas at one level Leah Williamson and Alex Greenwood collided to offer Élisa De Almeida an opportunity. All of it contributed to France’s commanding maintain on the match.

Although England rallied late on, for a lot of this, it was jarring to observe. They merely have to chop out these errors towards the Netherlands, or they’re heading dwelling early. — Hamilton

France’s midfield battle was key in win

Previewing this match, it was clear that midfield management would decide the winner.

With two entrance threes dealing with one another — Hemp-Russo-Mead for England and Cascarino-Katoto-Baltimore for France — it was all about dominance in midfield to feed good balls to your forwards, which means that whoever would do this finest would win the sport.

In the long run, it wasn’t even a contest. After a balanced opening ten minutes, France’s midfield overwhelmed their English counterparts.

Supervisor Bonadei determined to begin with Oriane Jean-François alongside Grace Geyoro and Sakina Karchaoui, and he made the proper alternative. The Chelsea participant was all over the place, so impactful with and with out the ball, whereas Geyoro dictated play and Karchaoui’s motion precipitated fixed issues.

Walsh and Stanway by no means bought into the sport, and Lauren James turned a bystander. France’s 4-3-3 formation at all times supplied an additional participant towards England’s 4-2-3-1. — Julien Laurens

France’s Baltimore and Cascarino, essential on the wings

Except for Spain — who can even damage you thru the center — the primary attacking risk among the many match favorites at these Euros continues to come back from the wings.

We noticed it with Germany on Friday, as Klara Bühl and Jule Brand ran riot. And we noticed it once more with France. Cascarino on the proper and Baltimore on the left completely tormented England in the course of the hour they spent on the pitch.

Bronze and Carter had no solutions to their expertise and tempo. Cascarino, who performs for San Diego Wave within the NWSL now, gave an ideal help on the primary aim whereas the Chelsea ahead scored the second.

As a result of France have been so dominant in midfield, Les Bleues‘ two extensive gamers noticed loads of the ball in nice conditions too, typically remoted one-on-one, precisely the place they thrive.

They went on the England protection nonstop. The tempo of Cascarino, possibly the quickest participant within the match, is frightening, and Baltimore has turn into such an incredible all-around participant since her transfer to the Women’s Super League.

They are going to go once more now towards Wales on Wednesday, with the opportunity of already qualifying their workforce for the quarterfinals. — Laurens

The Lauren James gamble

At her finest, James is without doubt one of the finest attacking abilities in world soccer. However since injuring her hamstring towards Belgium again in April, James has had about half-hour of soccer, and that got here towards Jamaica final Sunday.

In opposition to France, she confirmed flashes of her attacking risk, however this was an enormous gamble from Wiegman to begin James from the outset, given her lack of match motion. James had probability after simply 43 seconds to open the lead for England, however her effort flew over the bar, after which after three minutes, her curled cross simply missed Russo’s head.

However James is an out-and-out attacker. Wiegman’s system extra generally sees the No.10 play as a hybrid No.8, becoming a member of Stanway and Walsh in defensive duties.

Having been given loads of area early on, France minimize down James’ area after which began dominating the center of the pitch, successful the midfield battle, and leaving England defensively susceptible. James lasted 60 minutes earlier than being changed with Ella Toone coming into the center of the pitch. That gave England extra defensive cowl and helped construct extra attacking momentum.

Both Toone or Grace Clinton have to begin towards the Netherlands in midfield with Wiegman dealing with a call on whether or not she begins James or Chloe Kelly on the wing, or retains the religion with Mead. –– Hamilton

Wiegman and England at the moment are below large stress

Wiegman’s main match document is exceptional. In her two European Championships up to now heading into this one, she received the 2017 version with the Netherlands, then guided England to their triumph in 2022. So we’re in uncharted territory right here.

This was Wiegman’s first-ever defeat as head coach at a European Championship. England’s run of main match success below Wiegman has been exceptional. However in each the Euros in 2022 and the World Cup in 2023, they began slowly. However on each these events, they discovered a method to win 1-0. Sadly for them, that run got here to an abrupt halt in Zurich.

This was not a efficiency from a Wiegman workforce we now have come to count on. For a lot of the match — regardless of their late rally — the errors have been plentiful, the protection shaky, the fullbacks backpedaling, and the attacking risk negligible. England solely registered their first shot on track when Walsh guided the ball dwelling late on.

They’ve lots to repair forward of the Netherlands on Wednesday, who will likely be driving their very own wave of optimism after defeating Wales 3-0. England are basically in must-win territory now, or their match will likely be over earlier than it ever bought going. — Hamilton

Geyoro celebrates centenary cap in model

Of the 2 gamers celebrating a landmark a centesimal cap on this sport, Geyoro is clearly the happiest.

Alex Greenwood, the England heart again, will not hold reminiscence of this night time regardless of attaining a uncommon feat.

100 matches to your nation may be very particular, and for Geyoro to take pleasure in it with a win over England — the reigning European champions — felt even higher. The 28-year-old PSG midfielder made her debut eight years in the past and has been by means of all of the disappointments, all of the losses in quarterfinals regardless of Les Bleues typically having a standing of favorites.

She has cried greater than she has laughed together with her nation. However she has additionally at all times given 100%, taking nice delight in carrying the No. 8 shirt. On Saturday, she bossed the sport once more. She received all her duels by recovering 5 balls, greater than anybody else on the pitch. For greater than 90 minutes, she was the proper centurion. — Laurens