With half of their EURO2025 qualifiers played, England no longer occupy an automatic qualification spot after falling to a 1-2 defeat against France at St James’ Park in Newcastle.
The Lionesses seized the lead in the first half despite an early injury that forced Mary Earps’ withdrawal on her 50th senior appearance, but stunning strikes from both Elisa de Almeida and Marie-Antoinette Katoto were enough to ensure France head home with all three points.
The two sides will face off again next week, with Saint-Étienne the host venue on that occasion.
As it happened
England were afforded a nightmare start at St James’ Park, on what should have been a celebratory evening for three key figures in and around the squad. With Sarina Wiegman and her assistant Arjan Veurink taking charge their 50th match since their September 2021 arrival, Mary Earps would also be looking for a solid performance as she picked up her 50th senior cap.
It wasn’t to be though, and her appearance lasted just eight minutes on the banks of the Tyne after an early injury, seemingly a hip tweak, forced her to be replaced by Hannah Hampton.
The 42,561-strong crowd launched into a minute of well-supported applause soon after, as fans came together to honour the life of 10-year-old Leah Harrison. Donning the captain’s armband, Leah Williamson held up a commemorative shirt with her name on during the pre-match anthems.
Embed from Getty ImagesEngland began to force the better chances after a shaky start – but the finishing touch simply wasn’t there, with a cross-field ball for Beth Mead carrying just a little too much power for the Arsenal forward, before Lucy Bronze’s cross was held well by Pauline Peyraud-Magnin.
Lauren Hemp and Ella Toone would prove to be crucial in nurturing the Lionesses’ attacks throughout the evening, with the latter just slotting wide of the right post following a teasing delivery from Hemp with 23 minutes on the clock.
But Sarina Wiegman’s side wouldn’t be rueing missed opportunities for long, as Mead slotted home the opener on the half-hour mark to cue raucous applause at St James’ – a feat reserved only for the very best, and almost never for a former Sunderland player.
It was a move initiated by Leah Williamson, splitting the French midfield to find Manchester United’s Toone. Hemp came next, driving forward on the left flank before dragging a ball back through the box that was emphatically bundled home by the 29-year-old after evading countless other white shirts.
Embed from Getty ImagesHannah Hampton would singlehandedly preserve that lead just four minutes later, performing a magnificent save to her left to deny Maëlle Lakrar from a corner – and les Bleues continued to knock on the door, with a Delphine Cascarino delivery being sliced over by Marie-Antoinette Katoto mere moments later.
France’s very best was yet to come though. Having trailed for just eleven minutes in NE1, a corner delivery provided Elisa de Almeida with an opportunity to attempt the spectacular – and that she did, side-footing a first-time effort rippling into the back of the net to restore parity from twelve yards out.
Embed from Getty ImagesTheir dominance would continue into the second half – and while Sandie Toletti’s tame effort in the 47th minute was never going to trouble Hampton, another set-piece delivery would.
The Lionesses had perhaps been lucky not to fall behind ten minutes into the half when Delphine Cascarino rolled disappointingly wide of the left post, but Friday’s hosts would be left stunned when another spectacular strike followed a French corner.
There were no De Almeida heroics this time, though the right-back was influential in keeping the ball in the danger zone to allow Kadidiatou Diani to nod forwards for Katoto; the forward forcing a thunderous effort across the face of goal and into the far corner with a little over twenty minutes still to play in Newcastle.
Embed from Getty ImagesEngland were afforded a flurry of late chances to draw level on the night, with Stanway’s desperate effort from the edge of the box sailing well over the crossbar before substitute Chloe Kelly blasted wide.
The result leaves England provisionally missing out on automatic qualification for EURO2025, with the hefty nature of Sweden’s victory over the Republic of Ireland allowing the Blågult to leapfrog the Lionesses and claim second spot in the group.
There are still three more games left to play though, with England travelling to Saint-Étienne next week to face France once more.
The lineups
ENG: Earps; Carter, Williamson, Bright, Bronze; Stanway, Walsh; Mead, Toone, Hemp; Russo
FRA: Peyraud-Magnin; Bacha, Lakrar, Renard, de Almeida; Dali, Toletti, Karchaoui; D Cascarino, Katoto, Diani