**Zurich, Switzerland** – England Women’s quest to defend their European Championship title got off to a rocky start as they fell 2-1 to a dominant France side in their Euro 2025 Group D opener at Letzigrund Stadion.
The reigning champions struggled to find their rhythm against a relentless French team, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore netting first-half goals to put Les Bleues in control. Keira Walsh’s late strike provided a glimmer of hope for the Lionesses, but it wasn’t enough to salvage a point.
England started brightly, with Alessia Russo finding the net in the 16th minute, only for VAR to rule it out due to an offside in the build-up. France capitalized on England’s defensive lapses, with Katoto opening the scoring in the 36th minute after a swift counter-attack orchestrated by Delphine Cascarino.
Just three minutes later, Baltimore doubled France’s lead, shrugging off challenges from Leah Williamson and Lucy Bronze before slotting home. The goal survived a VAR review for a potential foul on Russo, leaving England frustrated.
The Lionesses showed resilience in the second half, with Walsh pulling one back in the 87th minute with a powerful strike from a cleared corner. Substitute Michelle Agyemang added energy to England’s attack, and Lauren Hemp came close to an equalizer, but her effort was cleared off the line.
England captain Leah Williamson acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, stating, “We lost a game. Cheap defending one vs one. Not good enough. We couldn’t keep it in the areas we needed to keep it.”
Head coach Sarina Wiegman expressed her disappointment, highlighting England’s struggles with possession and France’s effective counter-attacks. “We played ourselves out of the game by playing short passes, which really helped them and not being tight enough,” she said.
France coach Laurent Bonadei praised his team’s performance, expressing surprise at England’s tactical approach. “England are a really good team, but we were able to exploit their weaknesses,” he noted.
The defeat leaves England third in Group D, with crucial matches against the Netherlands and Wales ahead. The Lionesses must regroup quickly to keep their hopes of progressing alive.
**Key Moments:**
- **16’:** Russo’s goal disallowed by VAR for offside.
- **36’:** Katoto opens the scoring for France.
- **39’:** Baltimore doubles France’s lead.
- **87’:** Walsh scores a late consolation for England.
England will look to bounce back in their next fixture, while France aims to build on their strong start
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