Group D: England slump to 2-1 defeat to France, leaving Euro title defence under early threat

A substandard England performance saw the Lionesses slump to a 2-1 defeat to France on Saturday, putting immediate pressure on their hopes of back-to-back European crowns.

In front of a lively crowd at Zurich’s Letzigrund Stadium, the reigning champions looked flat in midfield and nervy at the back. It quickly turned into a night to forget.

France’s two goals came inside four ruthless minutes. Marie-Antoinette Katoto struck first in the 36th, before Sandy Baltimore doubled the lead in the 39th — with both goals the product of England’s full-backs being repeatedly overwhelmed by France’s wingers, Baltimore and Delphine Cascarino. It was a pattern that ran painfully through the 90 minutes.

France’s high press and lightning transitions exposed England’s usually composed midfield, who were frustratingly wasteful on the ball. The defeat also snapped Sarina Wiegman’s 12-match unbeaten European run, and marked an unwanted piece of history: England became the first defending women’s Euro champions to lose their opening game.

A marginal VAR call will dominate headlines — Beth Mead was ruled offside by what looked like a cat’s whisker — but don’t let that obscure the bigger picture: this was a limp England display, short on sharpness and conviction.

England’s lone shot on target arrived in the 87th minute, when Keira Walsh guided a precise effort beyond France’s keeper. It sparked a late flurry, but by then the damage was done.