Katoto caps France comeback to hurt England’s Euro 2025 qualifying hopes | Women’s Euro 2025 qualifiers
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Still not a disaster, but a 2-1 defeat by France dealt a major blow to England’s hopes of avoiding the Euro 2025 play-offs after Elisa de Almeida and Maria-Antoinette Catotto capitalized on corners to cancel out Beth Meade’s opener .
The loss means Sarina Wiegmann’s side drop to third in qualifying group A3, with tough games in France and Sweden as well as home to the Republic of Ireland. Only the top two countries will automatically qualify for the European Championship in Switzerland next summer.
France manager Herve Renard – watching from the stands because of a penalty – warned his side were not here “just to visit Newcastle. We are here to play a racing game. It’s going to be a fantastic atmosphere and even when it’s against you, it pushes you as well,” he said. This is how it went, a France team full of stars from Lyon, the Champions League runners-upfeeding the crowd’s frustration and patiently waiting to punish a somewhat serious England for their profligacy.
The sun was out and the supporters came out in force to welcome the Lionesses to St James Park for the first time. More than 47,000 tickets were issued in advance and there were few empty seats at kick-off, with fans pouring into the city’s streets towards the stadium hours before kick-off, crowding around the players’ entrance to catch a glimpse of the home team’s names.
Wigman was able to name centre-back duo Leah Williamson and Millie Bright in his starting XI for the first time since February 2023, but it meant Alex Greenwood was sacrificed and dropped to the bench. Meanwhile, Ella Toon started in the No.10 role with Lauren James ruled out for both matches against France with a leg injury.
There was an early blow for the home side as Mary Earps, who won her 50th cap, looked to have pulled something when she passed to Bright. The goalkeeper continued to play after some consultation with the medical team, but her time on the pitch was short-lived, a goal sending her back to the grass in slight pain before Hannah Hampton was called on.
The early stalemate reflected the stop-and-start nature of the game, with neither side asserting their authority in the opening 20 minutes.
The opener arrived after half an hour, Toon finding Lauren Hamp. The winger’s ball in the middle was left by Russo and Toone before Georgia Stanway collided with Selma Bacha as they raced for it, allowing Mead to fire in the loose ball. The goal lifted the crowd but England would not go into the break with the lead intact, full-back De Almeida getting away from Kiera Walsh before volleying home Kenza Daly’s corner in stoppage time.
However, England had a chance to regain the lead in the long period added on for Earps’ injury. Meade broke down the right before curling an effort at the far post, but Pauline Peiro-Manin saved smartly before Rousseau volleyed home from close range from the resultant corner.
After the break, England upped the ante and anxiety grew with it, Wiegmann’s side needing a win to cement their authority in the ‘group of death’.
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Williamson predicted the game would be “fairly even” and he was right, England dominating possession but not creating chances to do so. Hemp was the Lionesses’ most glaring outlet, but France bided their time and struck a crushing blow in the 68th minute. England failed to clear a corner properly, Kadidiatou Diani headed home and Katoto spun and volleyed home.
Wigman withdrew Meade and Stanway in favor of Fran Kirby and Chloe Kelly with 12 minutes remaining as they looked for the equaliser. The latter would have gone close within minutes, but she failed to get her volley home from Hemp’s cross.
The changes brought experience but were conservative, Kirby having not played much football for Chelsea this season and Kelly out of form and dropped in favor of Mary Fowler at Manchester City, while young dynamos Aggie Beaver-Jones, Jess Park and Grace Clinton remained on the bench.
France and Sweden advantage and Wiegmann – nine months after playing in a World Cup final – faces perhaps the toughest stage of her time in England. They can be confident of Tuesday’s second leg as they limited chances for France’s powerful front three of Catotto, Diani and Delphine Cascarino from open play. They need to find their edge in the final third and still be smarter in defending set pieces.
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