France shock reigning champs England at women's Euros
Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore scored two quickfire goals towards the end of first half as France recorded a ninth straight win and stunned the defending champions in Zurich on Saturday.
Keira Walsh reduced the deficit three minutes from time but it wasn't enough to prevent England from becoming the first titleholders to lose their opening match at a women's Euros.
The defeat also ended England coach Sarina Wiegman's remarkable flawless record in the competition, after winning 12 out of 12 matches across two tournaments as she steered first the Netherlands to the title and then England.
🇫🇷 France beat the holders!#WEURO2025 pic.twitter.com/uHw9TBynX1
— UEFA Women's EURO 2025 (@WEURO2025) July 5, 2025
"We're frustrated because we had such three very good weeks and we trained really well, but that's never a guarantee that of course you win the game," Wiegman said.
"You have to do things really well and we just didn't get it right at those moments."
The Lionesses next face the Netherlands on Wednesday, before taking on Wales in their final group match four days later.
The Netherlands beat Wales 3-0 in the early match in Group D.
It was a statement victory for France, who - despite being without injured captain Griedge Mbock - were in firm control for most of the match, apart from the opening 15 minutes and a tense finale after Walsh's goal.
However, France coach Laurent Bonadei was quick to dismiss any suggestion his team was emerging as one of the favorites
"I wont change my position on our status. At the moment we haven't won anything, we are still challengers with a lot of ambition," he said.
England got off to a strong start and Lauren James almost gave England the lead within 40 seconds with a clever run into the box but fired narrowly over.
Alessia Russo thought she gave England the lead in the 16th minute, turning in the rebound after Lauren Hemp's shot was saved but it was ruled out for a tight offside decision on Beth Mead in the buildup.
As England appeared to deflate after that call by the video assistant referee, France grew in ascendancy and broke the deadlock in the 36th.
Elise De Almeida won the ball in her own half before surging down the right and threading the ball through to Delphine Cascarino, who put in a low cross for Katoto to tap in at the back post.
France doubled heir lead just three minutes later. Baltimore mazed her way into the area, close to the byline, and Lucy Bronze inadvertently kept the ball in play with her attempted tackle, allowing the Chelsea forward to curl into the far side of the net.
England hadn't even had a shot on target before they got back into the game late on. A corner was cleared only to the edge of the area for Walsh to calmly control before firing into the top right corner for only her second international goal.
The Lionesses almost completed an improbable comeback in the final minute of stoppage time when France goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin missed her punch and Hemp turned it goalwards but Selma Bacha cleared it off the line.
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