France 2-1 England (Katoto 36’, Baltimore 39’ | Walsh 87′)
STADION LETZIGRUND — In the delirium of the Swiss heat, through the gust of the maniacally waving tricolore, at least it was easy to stifle the sighs. It was not supposed to go like this, England beginning their European Championship title defence with a disastrous – and painfully self-inflicted – defeat to France.
The Lionesses will rue the fractional Beth Mead offside in the build-up to Alessia Russo’s opener, disallowed by the video assistant referee. They can wish Keira Walsh’s consolation had come that little bit earlier. They can question why no foul was given on Russo moments before France’s second. The trouble with hypotheticals, of course, is that they are but sticking plasters over the worst of English fears.
In three first-half minutes, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Balitmore ripped through two floundering full-backs in Jess Carter and Lucy Bronze. All the warning signs, everything they feared could possibly go wrong, did. The passes were sloppy, the possession ceded needlessly.
A torrid night for England’s full-backs (Photo: AP)The return of Lauren James initially looked like it would inject a new fizz into the No 10 role, the Chelsea forward dazzling as she embarked on a mazy 30-yard run to create the move for Russo’s chalked off goal. James’ magic will not be enough, though, if England are so liable to fall on their own sword at the other end.
Granted, there will be few greater tests at Euro 2025 than France, the perennial semi-finalists who could yet win the whole thing. A few trumpets at one end of the pitch tried to proclaim football was coming home until smarting reality, and its old friend VAR, started to pinch.
So – no excuses. Katoto was free because she had broken clear of Leah Williamson, who alongside Alex Greenwood in the heart of defence endured a torrid night as they were continually exposed. Equally, there were occasions when they found themselves too tight and left their colleagues vulnerable out wide.
But it all started before that when Lauren Hemp lost Elise De Almeida. Carter will be having nightmares about the pace of Delphine Cascarino and the horde of gold bibs that subsequently exploded onto the pitch from the French bench.
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Bronze knew she would have the same uphill battle against Baltimore, beaten and then left on the floor as her younger Chelsea teammate found the top corner.
Sarina Wiegman desperately tried to both shore things up on the left and inject some momentum. On the hour mark she whipped off Carter, Mead and James and threw on Niamh Charles, and the two goalscorers from the 2022 final in Chloe Kelly and Ella Toone.
Instead it was Walsh who added a sprinkling of hope, picking the ball up on the edge of the box to scoop it past Pauline Peyraud-Magnin for just her second international goal.
It set up a frantic finish, yet too little, too late.
The weight of expectation had been bearing down heavily. All of their European champions are inevitably under scrutiny, but none quite like Hannah Hampton, replacing Mary Earps as No 1. There were moments when she earned a standing ovation from Wiegman on the touchline, and others when she looked nervy, letting the ball wriggle under her before recovering.
Now England must have everything crossed they can do the same. Wednesday’s second group match against the Netherlands, who eased past Wales earlier in the day, is now all or nothing.
The result, in itself, is no disgrace. France have one of the best front threes in the world and this was always going to be one hell of a baptism of fire for an England side that has been in transition since the 2023 World Cup. Then again, Les Bleus can say the same, with legendary captain Wendie Renard, record goalscorer Eugenie Le Sommer and midfielder Kenza Dali all left at home.
One side rose to that challenge – the other did not.
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