England’s campaign to defend their European crown began on the wrong foot as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to France in a much-anticipated Group D clash in Zurich. In what was widely regarded as the toughest fixture in the group for Sarina Wiegman’s side, the Lionesses failed to rise to the occasion and were left to rue a sluggish and disjointed performance against a dynamic French outfit.
The encounter had all the markings of a heavyweight contest, but it was France who showed the greater sharpness, composure, and attacking intent throughout. England enjoyed a promising opening spell, with early energy and a few glimpses of flair, particularly from Lauren James. The Chelsea forward, declared fit ahead of kick-off, offered some hope with her confident runs and creativity on the ball.
There was a brief moment when it seemed England had made the breakthrough. Alessia Russo reacted quickly to bury the rebound after Lauren Hemp’s effort had been parried, but celebrations were cut short. A VAR review determined that Beth Mead had been marginally offside in the build-up, and the goal was chalked off.
That disallowed goal appeared to drain momentum from the Lionesses, while simultaneously sparking France into life. The French began to control the tempo, dictating play and pinning England back. Their dominance was soon rewarded. In the 36th minute, Marie-Antoinette Katoto latched onto a loose ball in the box and calmly slotted past Mary Earps from close range to give France a deserved lead.
England barely had time to regroup before France struck again. Just three minutes later, Chelsea winger Sandy Baltimore doubled the advantage with a composed finish following a flowing attacking move. The second goal was a reflection of France’s growing confidence and England’s inability to close spaces defensively or maintain structure in midfield.
Trailing 2-0, England looked short of ideas and struggled to find rhythm as France continued to frustrate them with disciplined defending and sharp counters. Wiegman made a series of substitutions in an attempt to inject fresh energy, but clear chances remained scarce.
With the game seemingly drifting towards a comfortable French win, Keira Walsh offered a late glimmer of hope. In the 87th minute, the experienced midfielder unleashed a stunning long-range strike that flew into the top corner — her second goal in 88 international appearances. The strike lifted England, and they mounted a final push in stoppage time, piling forward in search of an equaliser.
However, France held firm in the dying moments, showing resilience and game management to see out the result. For England, it was a sobering start to their title defence — a performance lacking cohesion, especially in the midfield battle, and one that will raise questions ahead of their next group fixtures.
France, meanwhile, leave Zurich with three points and a significant psychological boost. For the Lionesses, immediate improvement will be needed if they are to navigate their way out of Group D and mount a serious challenge to retain their European title.
