Women’s EURO 2025: Defending champion England loses opener; Miedema scores 100th goal for Netherlands

England set a number of unwanted firsts as it began the defence of its Women’s European Championship title by losing to France 2-1 on Saturday.

Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore scored two quickfire goals towards the end of the first half as France recorded a ninth straight win and stunned the defending champion.

Keira Walsh reduced the deficit three minutes from time, but it wasn’t enough to prevent England from becoming the first titleholder to lose its 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.

The Lionesses next face the Netherlands on Wednesday, before taking on Wales in their final group match four days later.

It was a statement victory for France, which — despite being without injured captain Griedge Mbock — was in firm control for most of the match, apart from the opening 15 minutes and a tense finale after Walsh’s goal.

France celebrates beating England, the defending champion, in their European Championship match in Zurich.
| Photo Credit:
AP

England got off to a strong start and Lauren James — starting her first match since a hamstring injury at the start of April — 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 minute.

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 its 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.

France was almost out of sight at the start of the second half, with Hannah Hampton having to scramble behind her and grab the ball before it crossed the line, after fumbling an effort from Grace Geyoro.

Keira Walsh scores the only goal for England against France in a 1-2 loss.
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REUTERS

England hadn’t even had a shot on target before it 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.

Miedema completes century of goals as Netherlands beats Wales

Netherlands legend Vivianne Miedema’s 100th goal in international football was key to a 3-0 win over debut-making Wales at the Women’s European Championship on Saturday.

After Miedema’s injury-hit season, no one expected the all-time Dutch record goal-scorer to complete her opening game in the toughest of groups.

Netherlands’ Vivianne Miedema celebrates scoring her 100th international goal.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

Those 70 minutes of Miedema were more than enough in a dominant win that gave Wales a tough lesson in its entry to major women’s tournament football.

The result suggested the Euro 2017 champion — and 2019 World Cup finalist — was up to advancing from Group D.

Miedema made her historic mark scoring with a delightful curling shot in stoppage time at the end of the first half.

“Special, very special,” Miedema told Dutch broadcaster NOS about the mark she eventually reached at age 28 after three years blighted by injury. Her 95th was scored in 2022.

The Dutch added two more goals in the second half, by Victoria Pelova in the 48th minute and by wing back Esmee Brugts, nine minutes later.

It could have been more. The Wales crossbar was struck twice between the second and third goals by shots from Jill Roord and Jackie Groenen. Roord also struck a post with a first-half shot.

The Netherlands next plays on Wednesday in Zurich against England, in a reunion with their former coach, Sarina Wiegman.

Wiegman, who played 99 times for the Dutch, went on to coach her home country to that European title in 2017 and the 2019 World Cup final loss to the United States.

Miedema, Groenen and Daniëlle van de Donk were starters in those teams and on Saturday against Wales.