It is not certain, but the hope of England to qualify for Euro 2025 is complicated after yesterday’s defeat (1-2) at St James Park against France. Defender Elisa de Almeida and forward Marie-Antoinette Katoto took advantage of two corner kicks to counter Beth Mead’s opening goal.
The defeat means Sarina Wiegman’s side drop to third place in qualifying Group A3, with difficult games in France and Sweden, as well as a home draw against the Republic of Ireland. Only the two best teams will automatically qualify for next summer’s European Championship in Switzerland.
Things started early for English. Mary Earps, making her 50th cap, was injured after dribbling past Bright. The Manchester United goalkeeper continued to play after consulting the medical team, but not for long. A goal kick sent him back to the grass in pain before he left the field.
The first goal came after half an hour, when Beth Mead took advantage of a loose ball in the area to make it 1-0. The goal sent cheers across the stadium, but England did not go into half-time with the lead intact: De Almeida set Keira Walsh free before volleying home from a corner taken by Kenza Dali in stoppage time.
After the break, England picked up the pace and increased the anxiety. Wiegman’s team needed a victory to assert their authority in the ‘group of death’. England would dominate possession but not create the necessary chances and France struck in the 68th minute.
Wiegman wanted to bring back the game with some changes that, however, did not have the expected effect. France and Sweden are ahead, and Wiegman, nine months after playing in the World Cup final, faces possibly the most difficult phase of his England tenure.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
