England's Women's Euro 2025 title defense began on a sour note with a 2-1 defeat to France in their opening match in Zurich. Despite a late surge and a goal from Keira Walsh, the Lionesses couldn't overcome France's first-half dominance.
Sarina Wiegman's side, considered by many to be among the favorites, started the game with Lauren James in the starting XI. England thought they had an early lead when Alessia Russo scored, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review for a marginal offside.
France gradually gained control, with Hannah Hampton, England's goalkeeper, forced into action. Marie-Antoinette Katoto put France ahead in the 36th minute, followed quickly by Sandy Baltimore who doubled the lead three minutes later. The defending champions went into halftime trailing by two goals.
England emerged from the break with renewed energy, but struggled to break down the French defense. France almost extended their lead further, but failed to capitalize. Late substitutions injected some much-needed impetus into the Lionesses' attack. Keira Walsh's late goal in the 87th minute offered a glimmer of hope, but it ultimately proved to be a mere consolation.
Wiegman acknowledged the difficulty of the group, which also includes the Netherlands and Wales. France, boosted by eight consecutive wins heading into the match, presented a formidable challenge. Their coach, Laurent Bonadei, emphasized the importance of playing with confidence and utilizing the team's collective quality and attacking variety.
The defeat leaves England with a lot to ponder as they look ahead to their remaining group games. While the Lionesses have plenty of talent within their squad, as Wiegman stated before the tournament, they will need to improve their performance to progress further in the competition. The team's focus quickly turns to their next match, where they will be seeking to bounce back from this disappointing start.
The Lionesses started with Hannah Hampton in goal, a defense of Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson, Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter. Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway were in midfield, with Beth Mead, Lauren James and Lauren Hemp supporting Alessia Russo upfront.
