Williamson: “We weren’t good enough” Lionesses stunned by France in Women’s Euro opener

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·7 luglio 2025

Williamson: “We weren’t good enough” Lionesses stunned by France in Women’s Euro opener

England’s Women’s team faced a shock defeat in their title defence after a 2‑1 defeat to France in their opening UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 match in Zurich. Champions in 2022, the Lionesses became the first holders in tournament history to lose their opening game.

France struck twice late in the first half, with Marie‑Antoinette Katoto converting a tap‑in before Sandy Baltimore curled a stunning effort into the top corner, all against the run of play after VAR disallowed Alessia Russo’s early goal. England showed late promise through Keira Walsh’s long‑range strike in the 87th minute but couldn’t salvage a result.

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Captain Leah Williamson issues blunt assessment

Lionesses captain Leah Williamson delivered a direct summary via Goal.com: “We lost the game [with] poor defending one‑versus‑one … Not good enough with the ball, we weren’t good enough,” she stated, emphasising individual responsibility.”

On England’s defensive errors, she added: “We lost the game with cheap defending one‑v‑one … We learnt from those mistakes in fairness”. Her tough language underlines England’s need to regroup quickly ahead of their crucial match against the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Alessia Russo (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Tactical sparks and questions for Wiegman

Despite a spirited second half, defensive lapses dominated the performance. Critics have questioned coach Sarina Wiegman’s reluctance to make early substitutions and a cautious tactical setup. Lauren James struggled in midfield and England suffered from poor pressing and midfield balance.

Still, England rallied late, creating chances after Walsh’s goal and injecting urgency via substitutes Grace Clinton and Michelle Agyemang. Players like Georgia Stanway and Jess Carter came under scrutiny, with defensive discipline a key concern.

With the Netherlands looming, England require sharper defending, smarter substitutions and greater midfield clarity. Williamson and her teammates must erase the mistakes of Zurich and rediscover the composure that secured the Lionesses Euro 2022 glory.

Did you watch the game Gooners? I don’t think we could have gotten off to a worse start..

Your thoughts welcome in the comments below.

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