A 2-1 defeat to France dealt a hefty blow to England’s hopes of avoiding entering the Euro 2025 qualifying playoffs, after Elisa de Almeida and Marie-Antoinette Katoto capitalised from corners to cancel out Beth Mead’s opener.
Sarina Wiegman’s side slipped to third in qualifying group A3, with tricky games in France and Sweden as well as a home tie against the Republic of Ireland to come. Only the top two sides will qualify automatically for next summer’s European Championship in Switzerland.
France manager Hervé Renard had warned that his side weren’t here “just to visit Newcastle. We are here to play a competitive game. It will be a fantastic atmosphere and even when it’s against you it’s also pushing you,” he said. That was how it played out, a France side laden with stars from Champions League runners-up Lyon feeding off the frustration of the crowd and patiently waiting to punish the somewhat earnest England for their profligacy
The sun was out in Newcastle and supporters came out in force to welcome the Lionesses to St James’ Park for the first time. More than 47,000 tickets had been issued beforehand and there were few empty seats at kick-off, fans having poured through the city’s streets towards the stadium hours before kick-off, swarming around the players’ entrance to catch a glimpse of the household names.
Wiegman was able to name the centre-back duo Leah Williamson and Millie Bright in her starting XI for the first time since February 2023 in a huge boost to England’s qualifying campaign and Ella Toone started in the No 10 role with Lauren James ruled out for both fixtures against France with a foot injury.
Les Bleues were without Lyon’s Vicki Becho and Renard had to watch from the stands, with both serving a suspension.
Under the lights, but with the sky still bright, there was an early blow for the home team, with Mary Earps, winning her 50th cap, appearing to have pulled something as she passed to Bright. The goalkeeper played on after some consultation with the medical team but her time on the pitch didn’t last, a goalkick sending her back to the turf in some pain before Hannah Hampton was called on.
The early stoppage was a reflection of the stop-start nature of the game, neither side asserting their authority in the opening 20 minutes.
England carved out the first meaningful chance though, Alessia Russo’s defence-splitting ball wide to Hemp on the left was sublime, and the Manchester City forward’s cross was met by Toone but her side-footed effort trickled wide.
The opening goal arrived at the half-hour mark, Toone finding Hemp this time. The winger’s ball into the middle was left by Russo and Toone before Georgia Stanway collided with Selma Bacha as they competed for it allowing Mead to fire in the loose ball. The goal lifted the crowd, but England would not make it to the break with their lead intact, the full-back De Almeida wriggling free of Keira Walsh before hooking a volley in from a Kenza Dali corner in stoppage time.
England had a chance to retake the lead in the lengthy period added on for Earps’ injury, though. Beth Mead cut inside from the right before curling her effort towards the far post but Pauline Peyraud-Magnin made a smart save, before Russo fired a volley wide from close range from the resulting corner.
After the break England ramped up the tempo and the anxiety ramped up with it, Wiegman’s team needing a win to assert their authority on the “group of death”. Sandie Toletti’s tame shot at Hampton shortly after the restart was a warning sign, but England were applying the pressure, Williamson close to bundling the ball in after a scramble.
after newsletter promotion
Williamson had predicted the game would be “fairly even”, and she was right, England dominating possession but not creating the chances to go with it. Hemp was the Lionesses’ brightest outlet, but France bided their time and delivered a crushing and potentially killer blow in the 68th minute. England failed to properly clear a corner, Kadidiatou Diani headed back in and Katoto twisted and lashed in on the volley.
Wiegman withdrew Mead and Stanway in favour of Fran Kirby and Chloe Kelly for the remaining 12 minutes as they sought the equaliser. The latter would go close within minutes, but she mistimed her volley from a Hemp cross.
The changes were conservative though, Kirby having not played a huge amount of football towards the end of the season and Kelly out of form, while young dynamos Aggie Beever-Jones, Jess Park and Grace Clinton remained on the bench.
Advantage France and Sweden, and Wiegman – nine months after playing a World Cup final – faces arguably the most tricky phase of her England tenure.
Comments on this report will open soon