France closes in on Euro 2025 quarterfinals with a 4-1 win over Wales
The Paris FC forward opened the scoring, was fouled for the penalty that Kadidiatou Diani converted, and then set up Amel Majri for the third goal. France captain Grace Geyoro sealed the result in the 63rd.
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It was France's 10th consecutive win this year.
France tops Group D with six points, three more than England and the Netherlands, while Wales remained bottom with zero points after two games on its tournament debut.
England revived its title defense following its opening loss to France by beating the Netherlands 4-0 earlier Wednesday.
France will win the group if it avoids defeat against the Dutch on Sunday, when England plays Wales in their final group match.
French rotations
France coach Laurent Bonadei made a host of changes to his lineup with only four players including the goalkeeper starting again from the 2-1 win over England.
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Alice Sombath and newcomer Thiniba Samoura, both 21, formed France women's youngest ever central-defensive partnership at a major tournament.
Mateo, another change, fired the favorites into an early lead with a fine finish after a corner, but Jess Fishlock equalized in the 14th when she prodded the ball inside the right post. It was Wales' first goal at a European Championship – scored by the team's oldest player.
Welsh celebrations
UEFA said Fishlock, 38 years and 176 days old, became the oldest player ever to score at the tournament, beating the record previously held by Northern Ireland's Julie Nelson, who was 37 years and 33 days old when she scored at the last edition.
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Welsh celebrations were unbridled and the goal seemed to knock the French players off their stride. It took some time before they recovered.
Then Ceri Holland conceded a penalty for a foul on Mateo in the 44th, and Diani scored with a weakly taken spot kick that went in off Wales goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel's legs before the break.
A mistake from Middleton-Patel after the interval led to the third goal with Mateo winning the ball off the goalkeeper and laying it back for Majri to score in the 53rd.
Lyon great Majri was making her first European Championship appearance. She missed Euro 2017 through injury and the last edition in 2022 after the birth of her daughter.
Middleton-Patel should have stopped Diani's cross but it fell for Geyoro to complete the scoring.
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