France mends its past and overpowers the reigning champion England.

France arrived at the Euro Cup in the midst of a generational revolution, hoping to bury its history of struggles in major tournaments and end the curse of never having won one. In their debut this Saturday at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich against England, the reigning champions and one of the favorites for the title managed to mend their past. The French team defeated the lionesses with goals from Sandy Baltimore and Marie-Antoinette Katoto, both following mistakes from the English side. The passivity, both in attack and defense, of the English players, along with their inaccuracy, were significant shortcomings. Les bleus imposed their quick counterattacks and speed against an England side that awoke with hunger ten minutes before the end after a goal from Keira Walsh. Thus, France adds its first three points in the toughest group of the Euro Cup after the Netherlands’ victory over Wales. But they also triumph over their past.

2

Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, Maëlle Lakrar, Élisa De Almeida (Melween N’Dongala, min. 79), Alice Sombath, Selma Bacha, Sakina Karchaoui (Sandie Toletti, min. 79), Oriane Jean-François, Grace Geyoro, Sandy Baltimore (Melvine Malard, min. 61), Marie-Antoinette Katoto (Clara Matéo, min. 61) and Delphine Cascarino (Kadidiatou Diani, min. 61)

1

Hannah Hampton, Jess Carter (Niamh Charles, min. 59), Alex Greenwood (Michelle Agyemang, min. 85), Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson, Lauren James (Ella Toone, min. 59), Georgia Stanway (Grace Clinton, min. 76), Beth Mead (Chloe Kelly, min. 59), Lauren Hemp, Keira Walsh and Alessia Russo

Goals
1-0 min. 35: Marie-Antoinette Katoto. 2-0 min. 38: Sandy Baltimore. 2-1 min. 86: Keira Walsh

Referee Tess Olofsson

Yellow cards
Ella Toone (min. 74), Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (min. 90)

Neither Sarina Wiegman —champion of the last two Euro Cups, first with the Netherlands and then with England— nor Lauren Bonadei left anything on the bench, fully aware of the importance of the outcome. The conclusion of the match depended on England controlling the midfield and neutralizing France’s quick transitions and speed. And that was precisely what did not happen. Wiegman initially opted for a double pivot with Georgia Stanway and Keira Walsh, the heart and brain of the team. The main asset of the lionesses was their offensive capability: Lauren James as an attacking midfielder supported by Beth Mead and Lauren Hemp on the wings, with Alessia Russo at the front. But their major weak point was their fragile defense, led by captain Leah Williamson, which struggled against the quick counterattacks of a France that did not lose its identity: quick transitions and wings with the speed of Sandy Baltimore and Delphine Cascarino, along with a forward like Katoto. Goals, with the offensive might of both teams, would not take long to arrive. But only for one side.

It was England that tried at the beginning, being more aggressive. Especially thanks to Lauren James: the Chelsea player enjoyed controlling the tempo of the English attack, making her team advance during the early minutes. Almost everything went through her. And just when it seemed the English were calming the energetic start, James accelerated a play that ended in a disallowed goal from Alessia Russo for offside.

The disallowed goal did not sink France; it had the opposite effect. The tides turned, and the verticality of les bleues emerged, overwhelming England, neutralizing James and winning individual duels, primarily on the wings, where they attacked the most, although they also attempted from outside the box. Elisa De Almeida and Cascarino easily surpassed Carter on the right, where the first goal came. De Almeida stole the ball after a bad pass from Stanway, drove forward, Cascarino ran into space and sent in a cross that Katoto easily finished. France needed just three touches.

And three minutes later, they headed into halftime with a two-goal lead. The next goal came from the other wing, but in the same manner. Selma Bacha and Baltimore easily got past Lucy Bronze on the left, and with another French recovery and quick counterattack, the Chelsea forward got past Hannah Hampton. Wiegman gestured angrily from the bench. Her players were unbalanced, and Keira Walsh barely appeared in an England side that was sinking.

The mistakes in ball distribution from the English team did not help, and they persisted throughout the second half. Minutes passed and England couldn’t find a way to penetrate France, appearing too passive, with very little decisiveness in their actions. The match slowed down, and not even Wiegman’s substitutions changed the English dynamic. When it seemed sealed, Walsh scored from outside the box the goal that England desperately needed, awakening her teammates. The English pushed hard in the last ten minutes. But France clung to their victory, defending as best they could, demonstrating that the revolution in their squad, and also on the bench, is starting to pay off.