France came from behind to beat England 2-1 to continue their unbeaten start to their EURO 2025 qualifiers.
Sarina Wiegman’s side took the lead early in the first half courtesy of a Beth Mead strike, before Elisa De Almeida and Marie-Antoinette Katoto stuck for the French either side of half-time to secure victory.
Here are five things we learned from the match…
France battle to victory
In a match which pitted second in the FIFA World Rankings against third, England’s match against France was certainly going to prove to be a test for both sides involved. While both sides certainly showed glimpses of quality on the day, Hervé Renard’s side proved their resilience against a worthy opponent. While the Lionesses did offer more going forward than France’s previous opponents in the group, Les Bleues possessed more quality on the ball and certainly played with greater desire, with the French more often than not being the first to any loose balls.
France’s defence unlocked
France had not conceded in their opening two qualifying games, with two respective 1-0 wins over Ireland and Sweden. Despite sitting at the top of Group A3 before the matchup against the Lionesses, Renard insisted England were the favourites coming into the game in the North-East. While England began the affair on the back foot, Sarina Wiegman’s side grew into the game. Despite Beth Mead’s opener proving to be the Lionesses’ only goal, Wiegman will certainly still take positives from the fact her side are the only team to have broken down the resolute French defence in the European qualifiers to date.
England’s missing puzzle piece
Chelsea captain Millie Bright had played only 12 times this season coming into this match, with injury keeping the England defender on the sidelines for over five months. While Bright is certainly not yet back to her best, as shown by a few misplaced passes and ill-timed challenges on the day, Wiegman’s faith in the Chelsea captain is clear. Bright’s confidence on the ball and her ability to play passes over the top add another dimension to how England can advance the ball into the final third. She will undoubtedly play a vital role in England’s quest to retain the European championship next summer.
An evening to forget for Earps
Less than 24 hours after being named the Women’s World Cup hero at the Women’s football awards, Mary Earps took up position in between the posts for what was the Manchester United number one’s 50th cap for the Lionesses. However, Earps’ day ended before it had even begun in the North-East. The England number one went down injured in the first minute of the game and was withdrawn not five minutes later from the proceedings, much to the dismay of the 42,000 fans in St. James’ Park.
Hannah Hampton shows promise
One woman’s loss is another woman’s gain. Earps’ injury allowed 23-year-old Hannah Hampton to earn her fifth cap in an England shirt. Despite entering the game after an opening period which had seen her side under considerable pressure from the visitors, Hampton looked extremely confident with the ball at her feet and helped settle the England back-line in the wake of an opening period filled with misplaced passes and half-chances for the French.
