This article was first published 1 year ago

Champs England lose to France; easy for Netherlands

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Vivianne Miedema scores her 100th international goal as the Netherlands rout Wales.

Marie-Antoinette Katoto sends the ball past England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton to put France ahead in the Women's Euro 2025 Group D match at Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland, on Saturday.

IMAGE: Marie-Antoinette Katoto sends the ball past England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton to put France ahead in the Women's Euro 2025 Group D match at Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland, on Saturday. Photograph: Stephane Mahe/Reuters

France forwards Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore scored first-half goals as they beat reigning champions England 2-1 in their Women's Euro Group D opener on Saturday, handing Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman her first defeat at the finals of the competition. 

After championship-winning runs with Netherlands in 2017 and England in 2022, Wiegman came into the game unbeaten in 12 games at the Euro finals, but the beginning of the end of that run came when Katoto scored from close range in the 36th minute.

Her goal was the result of a brilliantly simple counter-attack, with Elisa De Almeida winning the ball and sending it down the line for Delphine Cascarino to chase and she squared it perfectly for Katoto to score with a simple finish.

 

Sandy Baltimore celebrates scoring France's second goal after a virtuoso solo performance.

IMAGE: Sandy Baltimore celebrates scoring France's second goal after a virtuoso solo performance. Photograph: Bernadett Szabo/Reuters

The second goal three minutes later was a virtuoso solo performance from Sandy Baltimore, who dribbled and jinked and almost lost the ball before firing it high over Hampton into the net from a tight angle.

An uncharacteristically rudderless England enjoyed plenty of possession but struggled to string together their passes, and the French pressed cleverly, pouncing on any poor touches to win the ball and force the English on to the back foot.

England did not register a shot on target until Keira Walsh celebrates reducing the margin for England minutes from the final whistle.

IMAGE: Keira Walsh celebrates reducing the margin for England minutes from the final whistle. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

reduced the deficit with a strike from distance in the 87th minute, prompting a late charge from the Lionesses that almost saw them snatch an unlikely point.

Alessia Russo, who had an early goal ruled out after a VAR check, and Grace Clinton both went close and 19-year-old substitute Michelle Agyemang had a goal-bound effort blocked by Selma Bacha, who threw herself at everything to protect the French goal in the closing minutes as her side hung on to win. 

Netherlands, who beat debutantes Wales 3-0 earlier on Saturday, top the group after the first round of games ahead of their clash with England on Wednesday in Zurich, while France can book their spot in the knockout stage with a win over Wales in St. Gallen the same evening. 

Miedema scores 100th goal as Netherlands rout Wales

Vivianne Miedema dispatches a curling shot from outside the area into the far top corner of the Wales goal to put the Netherlands ahead in the Group D match at Stadion Allmend, Lucerne, Switzerland

IMAGE: Vivianne Miedema dispatches a curling shot from outside the area into the far top corner of the Wales goal to put the Netherlands ahead in the Group D match at Stadion Allmend, Lucerne, Switzerland. Photograph: Annegret Hilse/Reuters

Vivianne Miedema scored her 100th international goal to send the Netherlands on their way to a 3-0 win over Wales in their Group D opener at the Women's European Championship at the Allmend Stadion in Lucerne.

Wales came into their debut match at a major tournament as underdogs against the 2017 champions and, after frustrating the Dutch for long periods of the opening half, Miedema's milestone strike before the break ended the Welsh resistance.

"It's special. When you're a child, you don't even dream of this, or maybe you do dream, but achieving it is special," Miedema told NOS Sport.

"We had some difficulties in building the plays, but it was good for me to score my goal right away."

Vivianne Miedema celebrates scoring her 100th international goal.

IMAGE: Vivianne Miedema celebrates scoring her 100th international goal. Photograph: Piroschka Van De Wouw/Reuters

The Welsh were pinned back in their own half for long stretches, often making things difficult for themselves with some wayward passing but also regularly putting their bodies on the line in the box to block the constant Dutch danger.

Jill Roord hit two powerful efforts in the first half, one saved by Wales keeper Olivia Clark, the other thundering back off the upright, while the Welsh intent was underlined by Lily Woodham picking up a booking inside 25 minutes for time-wasting.

Wales looked like hanging on until the interval but, deep into added time, Miedema struck a curling shot from outside the area which sailed into the far top corner, a goal worthy of the captain's milestone in her 126th international appearance.

Esmee Brugts scores the Netherlands's third goal past Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark.

IMAGE: Esmee Brugts scores the Netherlands's third goal past Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Reuters

The Dutch doubled their lead less than three minutes after the break, with Danielle van de Donk laying a pass back to Victoria Pelova in the box who blasted a shot through the legs of defender Gemma Evans and beyond the keeper.

Roord again hit the woodwork, as the Netherlands almost added a third immediately, and they did find the net again in the 57th minute.

Jackie Groenen's shot rattled the crossbar and, from the rebound, Pelova floated a ball to the back post which was finished off by Esmee Brugts.

The Dutch threatened to run riot but despite plenty of chances were unable to add to their tally.