England’s hopes of a strong start to their European Championship title defence were dealt a harsh blow as they fell 2-1 to a determined and well-organised France side in the opening match at Stadion Letzigrund. The defeat marked the first major tournament loss under Sarina Wiegman outside of a final and plunged the Lionesses into a tough battle in what has quickly become the tournament’s group of death.
England began brightly, pressing aggressively and showing intent to dominate early on. Lauren James, returning after a long injury layoff, came close to scoring inside the first minute, firing over after a neat cutback from Alessia Russo. The early momentum suggested England could unsettle the French side, who were missing key figures such as captain Wendie Renard and record goalscorer Eugénie Le Sommer, decisions that raised eyebrows and cast a shadow of doubt over France’s chances.
However, England’s best effort to take the lead came to nothing when Russo’s goal was ruled out after a tight VAR offside call, deflating the hosts’ early energy. France then grew into the game, exploiting England’s defensive vulnerabilities and sloppy passing. Georgia Stanway’s poor pass was intercepted by Élisa De Almeida, who quickly set up Delphine Cascarino to deliver a dangerous cross that found Marie-Antoinette Katoto. The forward coolly finished, giving France the lead.
The second goal followed soon after and was a product of poor defending and miscommunication. Lucy Bronze’s attempt to support Leah Williamson against Sandy Baltimore backfired when the full-back lost control and inadvertently set up Baltimore, who found the net with a powerful strike. This doubled France’s advantage and left England with a mountain to climb.
The French team looked more composed and hungry, capitalising on England’s lapses and controlling the tempo as the match progressed. England struggled to find cohesion, their passing often sloppy and predictable, unable to match France’s fluid attacking movements. It took until the 60th minute for Wiegman to make substitutions, bringing on Ella Toone, Chloe Kelly, and Niamh Charles to try and turn the tide.
Despite a late surge, England’s fightback fell short. Keira Walsh, from a corner, managed to pull a goal back with a precise shot from the edge of the box, injecting some hope. Young substitute Michelle Agyemang caused problems for the French defence but didn’t have enough time to change the game’s outcome.
The loss leaves England with a challenging path ahead as they prepare to face the Netherlands next, a team that started their campaign with a confident 3-0 win over Wales. While the defeat is a setback, the team’s resilience and experience in tough tournaments give them a chance to recover and still make an impact. Yet, the road to defending their title will demand sharper focus, improved defensive discipline, and more clinical execution in the matches ahead.
