France outclass England, putting defending Euro champs on edge

Zurich, Switzerland – France amazed the defending champions in England to win its first Euro 2025 Group D 2-1 game in Zurich on Saturday.

Laurent Bonadei’s team experienced a remarkable series in shape in 2025 and they continued this during a soft evening in Switzerland as goals by Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore gave England a punishment in punishment, which obtained a late consolation from Keira Walsh.

England headed for this tournament as one of the favorites, but was upgraded by the French for a large part of the match when they gave the Sarina Wiegman team a painful defeat.

England took an early advance thanks to Alessia Russo after 13 minutes, but the effort was withdrawn because Beth Mead is offside.

From there, France dominated and England began to make a series of errors. Katoto jumped to type at home a cross of Delphine Cascarino after 36 minutes while Baltimore operated the defensive chaos in the English ranks to double their advance three minutes later.

Although England has made their usual changes to the hour bar, it did not do much to stem the tide and France was rarely threatened in the second half until the closing stages. Wiegman presented Michelle Agyemang in the 85th minute and her presence in the box contributed to creating a space for Walsh to point to a home.

England has prompted a late equalizer, which has never come. They are now facing an essential match against the Netherlands, while France will seek to spend two against the Wales Pays on Wednesday. – Tom Hamilton

The number of errors of England was punishing

Before this opening, England wanted to push their message according to which they are not really there as reigning champions, but instead, no senior team from England has never done: winning a major tournament on foreign soil.

The group was quietly optimistic and in a good place.

But against France, during most of the match, they froze. The number of errors was remarkable. Players who are generally so reliable made unusual and poorly judged passes, they gave the ball in dangerous areas, and the team lost all early momentum.

The midfielder was far too exposed while Cascarino and Baltimore had freedom of the wings, Jessica Carter and Lucy Bronze fighting to contain these threats. The first goal of Katoto France came out of a loose pass from Georgia Stanway to Lauren Hemp, which allowed France to counter, while bronze was out of position for the second, an unfortunate ricochet allowing Baltimore a lot of time to trigger at home.

The two had too much space. There were loose passes of players like Mead, while at one point, Leah Williamson and Alex Greenwood collided to give Elisa de Almeida a chance. All this contributed to the maintenance commander of France on the match.

Although England joined late, for a large part of that, it was shocking to look. They simply have to cut these mistakes against the Netherlands, or they return to their home early. – Hamilton

The battle of the midfielder of France was the key to victory

Preview of this match, it was clear that control of the midfielder would determine the winner.

With two vanguards face to face-Hemp-Russo-Mead for England and the Cascarino-Katoto-Baltimore for France-it was dominance in the midfield to feed good balls to your attackers, which means that the one who would best win the game.

In the end, it was not even a competition. After a balanced ten -minute opening, France’s midfielder overwhelmed his English counterparts.

Manager Bonadei decided to start with Oriane Jean-François alongside Grace Geyoro and Sakina Karchaoui, and he made the right choice. The Chelsea player was everywhere, so striking with and without the ball, while Geyoro dictated the game and the Karchaoui movement caused constant problems.

Walsh and Stanway never entered the match, and Lauren James became a passerby. The France 4-3-3 training has always offered an additional player against the 4-2-3-1 of England. – Julien Laurens

Baltimore and Cascarino of France, crucial on the wings

Aside from Spain – which can also hurt you in the middle – the main attacking threat among the favorites of the tournament of these euros continues to come from wings.

We saw him with Germany on Friday, while Klara Bühl and Jule Brand ran Riot. And we saw it with France. Cascarino on the right and Baltimore on the left absolutely tormented England during the time they spent on the ground.

Bronze and Carter had no response to their skills and rhythms. Cascarino, who plays for San Diego Wave in the NWSL Now, gave perfect help on the first goal while the Chelsea striker scored the second.

Because France was so dominant in the midfield, The Blue“Two wide players have also seen a lot of ball in large situations, often isolated in head, exactly where they thrive.

They went to La Défense in England constantly. The rhythm of Cascarino, perhaps the fastest player in the tournament, is scary, and Baltimore has become a great versatile player since his move to the female super league.

They will once again go against Wales on Wednesday, with the possibility of already qualifying their team for the quarterfinals. – Laurens

Lauren James Gamble

To his best, James is one of the best attacks on world football. But since his injury to the hamstrings against Belgium in April, James had about 30 minutes of football, and it came against Jamaica last Sunday.

Against France, she showed lightning of her attacking threat, but it was a huge bet of Wiegman to start James from the start, given her lack of match action. James had a good luck after only 43 seconds to open the advance for England, but his efforts flew over the bar, then after three minutes, his curved cross just missed Russo’s head.

But James is an attacker. The Wiegman system most often considers game n ° 10 as a hybrid n ° 8, joining Stanway and Walsh in defensive tasks.

Having received a lot of space at the start, France cut James’ space, then began to dominate the midfielder, win the battle in the midfield and leave England on the defensive plane. James lasted 60 minutes before being replaced by Ella Toone entering the middle of the field. This gave England a defensive coverage and helped create more attacker momentum.

Either Toone or Grace Clinton must start against the Netherlands in the midfield with Wiegman faced with a decision on the fact that she begins James or Chloe Kelly on the wing, or keeps the faith with Mead. –– Hamilton

Wiegman and England are now under enormous pressure

Wiegman’s main tournament record is remarkable. In her two European championships to date before this day, she won the 2017 edition with the Netherlands, then guided England towards their triumph in 2022. We are therefore in unexplored territory here.

It was the very first defeat of Wiegman as a head coach during a European championship. The English series of the success of the major tournament under Wiegman was remarkable. But in euros in 2022 and in the World Cup in 2023, they started slowly. But on these two occasions, they found a way to win 1-0. Unfortunately for them, this race stopped brutal in Zurich.

It was not a performance of a Wiegman team that we expect us to expect. During a large part of the match – despite their late rally – the errors were numerous, the defense trembling, the rear backwards and the negligible attacking threat. England only recorded its first shot on the target when Walsh guided the ball at home late.

On Wednesday, they have a lot to repair in advance on the Netherlands, which will lead their own wave of optimism after defeating the country with 3-0 Wales. England is essentially in unmissable territory now, or their tournament will be finished before it begins. – Hamilton

Geyoro celebrates Centenary Cap in style

Among the two players celebrating a 100th historic ceiling in this match, Geyoro is obviously the happiest.

Alex Greenwood, back in the center of England, will not keep a good memory of this night despite a rare feat.

100 games for your country are very special, and so that Geyoro takes advantage of it with a victory over England – the reigning European champions – felt even better. The 28 -year -old PSG midfielder made his debut eight years ago and suffered all disappointments, all losses in the quarter -final despite The Blue often have a favorite status.

She cried more than she laughed with her country. But she also always gave 100%, being very proud to wear shirt No. 8. On Saturday, she went again the match. She won all her duels by recovering five bullets, more than anyone on the ground. For more than 90 minutes, it was the ideal centurion. – Laurens