France beat England, while Spain also win in Women’s Euro qualifiers

LONDON – France coach Herve Renard believes his team’s performance on May 31 has given an “important signal” to their rivals, as they came from behind to beat England 2-1 in Newcastle in a pivotal Women’s Euro 2025 qualifier.

Reigning European champions England had gone ahead on the half-hour mark at St James’ Park when Arsenal’s Beth Mead fired home after the ball broke to her in the box.

But Les Bleues equalised before the break as Elisa de Almeida hooked in a volley from a corner, and they stunned the home crowd by going in front midway through the second half thanks to a fine finish from Marie-Antoinette Katoto.

France then held on to make it three wins out of three as they sit top of Group 3 in League A, from which the top two will progress directly to the European Championship in Switzerland.

The result potentially complicates the holders’ chances of making the Finals, with England now level on four points with Sweden, who won 3-0 away to Ireland in Dublin.

“It was perhaps not France’s best match but we have shown we can be strong when we travel,” said Renard, who coached the Saudi Arabia men’s team at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

“It’s the reward for teamwork, and the best possible way to prepare for the Olympic Games at home in Paris.”

England manager Sarina Wiegman was disappointed with the loss.

“We should have won the game,” she said. “No matter how good the goals were, you have a chance to stop it. The first one was fantastic and so was the second. It is disappointing and we definitely need to tighten up on second balls.”

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd of Chelsea scored twice for Sweden either side of a goal by Fridolina Rolfo.

Ireland are bottom without a point halfway through the campaign.

The reverse fixtures take place on June 4, when France and England meet again in Saint-Etienne, with Wiegman’s side aware that they can ill afford to suffer another defeat.

France’s win is a boost for a side also preparing for their bid for Olympic gold at the July 26-Aug 11 Games on home soil, where Spain and Germany will be the other European contenders.

Jenni Hermoso scored as world champions Spain won 2-0 in Denmark.

The Spaniards made it three wins out of three in Group 2 as the forward gave them the lead before Mariona Caldentey scored a penalty.

The World Cup holders, whose side featured several Barcelona Champions League winners even if Aitana Bonmati was left on the bench, are three points clear of the Danes at the top of the group.

Behind them, Belgium got their first points with a 2-1 win in the Czech Republic.

Elsewhere, Germany have maximum points in Group 4 after recovering from the loss of an early goal to beat Poland 4-1, with Giulia Gwinn netting twice.

Austria and Iceland drew 1-1 in the same group, while Group 1 leaders the Netherlands defeated Finland 1-0 and Norway played out a 0-0 draw with Italy in the same section.

Meanwhile in League B, the Group 2 qualifier between Scotland and Israel in Glasgow was delayed for over half an hour after a demonstrator avoided security at Hampden Park and chained himself to a goal post.

The match, like the “return” match in Hungary on June 4, was taking place behind closed doors.

That decision was taken against the backdrop of the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, which also means Israel would not be able to play at home next week.

However, pro-Palestinian protests still took place outside Scotland’s national stadium, and it emerged just before the kick-off that somebody had managed to access the arena and attach themselves to one of Hampden’s goal posts with a heavy-looking chain around their neck.

The protester, wearing a “Red Card For Israel” T-shirt, was removed before the teams emerged for a second warm-up.

Scotland won the match 4-1. AFP