England kept their Euro 2025 qualification hopes alive with a 2-1 win over group leaders France in Saint-Etienne. Sarina Wiegmann’s side were composed for the most part, and first-half goals from Georgia Stanway and Alessia Russo secured all three points. Kadidiatou Diani’s penalty put the home side back in the match, but England drew on all their experience and tenacity as European champions to secure a vital win.
It was a rematch of two of Europe’s biggest teams, ranked No. 2 vs. No. 3 in the world, which had met just four days earlier. England lost 2-1 at St. James’ Park in what manager Wiegman described as a “totally unnecessary defeat”, leaving England fans a bit shaken.
So some eyebrows would have been raised when Wiegman made just one change to a starting line-up that looked visibly fatigued on Friday. The only difference was Hannah Hampton, who came on to replace Mary Earps, who was withdrawn early in the game with a slight back injury. Captain Leah Williamson continued to partner Millie Bright in the backline, while Ella Toone retained her no.10 role, winning her 50th international cap, aged just 24.
In contrast, France coach Hervé Renard, returning from suspension, made two changes, bringing on the experienced Amandine Henry and Grace Geyoro in midfield and bringing Sakina Karchaoui up front to support the attack.
As with the previous game, both teams started cautiously as they tried to find their rhythm early on, with England appearing content to keep the ball at the back, regaining their confidence in possession and choosing the right moments to push forward.
The visitors had the first notable shot when Stanway played in Toone inside the box but the midfielder fumbled a shot from in front of goal, and France almost made England pay for their wasteful play soon after when Diani deflected Karchaoui’s cross under pressure from Williamson.
As England began to settle, they began to find gaps that France could barely cope with, and the home team looked particularly vulnerable down the wing, with Lauren Hemp and Lucy Bronze making runs and spreading the play to meet their captain’s trademark balls across the field.
As gaps began to open up, England took the lead in spectacular fashion. Stanway is known for her natural ability to score from long distance and when she received a pass from Hemp about 20 yards out, she had no hesitation in scoring. With one look at goal, she smashed a shot past the helpless Pauline Perreault-Magnan, who was spreading her legs and defending the French goal.
The Lionesses showed no signs of slowing, continuing to outwit their opponents. Ten minutes before the end of the first half, Russo extended her lead by breaking through the French defence and slotting in a precise pass from Hemp. She had been looking for goal all evening and converted the chance for a hat-trick with an instinctive striker’s finish. The goal gave France plenty to think about, but they left the pitch at half-time feeling a little lonely.
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Renard had had enough and brought on Toretti and Delphine Cascarino at half-time for Henry and Karchaoui. The effect was immediate, as the home team visibly stepped up a gear, spurred on by the raucous home supporters sitting behind the other goal. The speed of Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto put pressure on the defence and made England more direct in their attacks, but they did little to trouble Hampton.
But England were saved when, in the 72nd minute, Williamson tangled with Geyoro and the referee awarded a penalty, which Diani took with style, scoring on his 100th international cap, and the goal put England suddenly in a precarious position with a quarter of the game remaining.
The Lionesses’ frustration at conceding a goal in a largely flawless game was clear and it took them a while to settle down again. They stayed compact and allowed France to control the ball in their own half while focusing on taking key attacking players out of the game.
The win gave Leonard’s England encouragement to continue progressing. Cascarino fired an audacious half-volley from a tight angle over the bar and Chloe Kelly, who replaced a tired Beth Mead, made a decisive block to block Geiyoro’s shot. Hampton also made an instinctive save from Katoto’s shot late on to seal the win for England. The win moves England level with Sweden in League A Group 3 with two games remaining. England will host the Republic of Ireland in July before completing their qualifying campaign against Sweden.
