England 4-0 Netherlands (James 22’ 60’, Stanway 45+2, Toone 67’)
ZURICH – A sizzling, critic-shushing triumph. The Lionesses did not just keep their Euros hopes alive with a 4-0 victory over the Netherlands but roared back into contention.
The Dutch were just the latest of Lauren James’ opponents to be lulled into a dreamlike haze, dazzled by the softness of touch and the deftness of the feint. When you think it might be all over, turn to a player whose feet move like she is walking on clouds.
This is the anatomy of a perfect goal, finished by a generational baller.
The celebration is as effortless as the finish. James has not even stopped to place it, still running as she paints the final strokes – one, two, three – before curving the ball into an arc that doesn’t fizzle until it dashes against the net. The one thing that remains straight in the ensuring chaos is the face of England’s ingenious magician, a cold stare into a sea of England shirts, hands on hips.
In the humiliation against France, James had proven Sarina Wiegman’s misshapen puzzle piece, so obviously the answer but not quite fitting the bigger picture. So she placed her to the right, brought in Ella Toone to prevent England being bullied and swapped around Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter.
For James, the vindication was ultimate, yet Hannah Hampton should take just as much satisfaction from the opener. With one visionary pass up to Alessia Russo, Hampton showcased the distribution that justified the decision for her to replace Mary Earps. Russo had the pace, she knew, and James the execution.
The difference between the Dutch and the English, Netherlands forward Vivianne Miedema surmised before kick-off, was the pressure on her nation to play “total football”, against a side willing to win at any costs. Instead, for the Netherlands here was nothing but total mortification.
In reality, this was no moral argument about footballing purity and heritage. England could do nothing but win, even as they pinged about possession with a sprinkling of orange inspiration from their Dutch coaches. They simply could not repeat what happened against France and risk slumping to the worst European Championship title defence in history.
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The second goal admittedly had none of the swagger of the first. That did not lessen its importance. James’ free-kick was casual, nonchalant, Russo’s header bolshy – exactly what England were not doing on Saturday, up for every second ball and aerial challenge.
All that remained was for Georgia Stanway to pelt her effort from the edge of the box past Daphne van Domselaar via a deflection. In Stanway’s own words, they call that “proper English football”.
What Lauren Hemp does is a little more elaborate, less little England, repeatedly eviscerating Manchester City teammate Kerstin Casparij on the left before deservedly getting in on the act. Hemp wriggled through a mass of bodies to set up an unlikely chance for Toone, whose rebound off Casparij fell to James for England’s third.
The scars of Saturday may have been smarting for Russo when she had another goal chalked off for offside – genuinely offside, this time – against Leah Williamson. Yet when it came to a do-or-die encounter like this one, England would not have to rely on marginal decisions. Toone would put the icing on the cake with a low thump into the bottom corner, perfectly placed by Russo.
A remarkable revival from the Lionesses, and just as steep a descent for the Dutch. They came armed with tulips and a hand-written sign that said “Wiegman come home!” There is now a serious risk that it is they who will be booking the return tickets.
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