England got their Women’s European Championship title defence off to a bad start with a 2-1 defeat to France.
It sees Sarina Wiegman’s side create a piece of unwanted history with England the first defending champions of a Women’s Euros to lose their first game of the next edition of the tournament.
Things looked to have got off to a bright start when Alessia Russo fired the ball in on the rebound after Lauren Hemp stung the hands of France goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud Magnin.
However, the goal was chalked off following a VAR review with Beth Mead being ruled marginally offside earlier in the attack.
The Lionesses lost their way later in the first half with France scoring twice in the space of four minutes.
A free-flowing move down the right was finished by Marie-Antoinette Katoto as she slotted home a pinpoint low cross from the right.
On 39 minutes, England found themselves in deeper trouble when Sandy Baltimore’s thunderous strike found the top corner – the ball kindly falling to her after Lucy Bronze inadvertently diverted it into her path while on the ground.
“Seeing the players faces as they made the way up the steps and into the dressing room They’re shell-shocked as well,” talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham summed up at half time.
Keira Walsh’s toe poke from the edge of the box on 87 minutes following a corner kick gave England hope of an undeserved point.
But they gave themselves too much to do as they failed to find an equaliser and began their campaign in Switzerland with defeat.
The result means the pressure only grows for the Lionesses ahead of their second group stage match against the Netherlands on Wednesday, live on talkSPORT.
For now, the inquest on Saturday night’s performance begins as Adrian Durham unpicks where it all went wrong for Wiegman’s side in his player ratings.
‘Awful night’
A key player in England’s glory three years ago, it was a night to forget for Georgia Stanway.
England’s midfield was overrun in the first half culminating in them slipping to a 2-0 deficit at half time.
Durham said of the Bayern Munich star: “Awful night for Stanway, very little impact from the England legend.”
‘Inexplicably poor’
Beth Mead was the pick of the bunch at the last Women’s Euros, winning the Player of the Tournament prize as well as being joint-winner of the Golden Boot.
But there’s little sign Mead will add to her six European Championship goals at these finals, with Durham also critical of her ball retention ability.
Durham said of Arsenal forward Mead: “Inexplicably poor performance, giving the ball away for fun.”
‘A joy to watch’
A poor night for the Lionesses but there were some good individual performances, including from Alessia Russo, who was perhaps unfortunate to have had her early goal chalked off.
Michele Agyemang stretched the France defence very effectively in her ten minutes on the pitch and almost snatched an equaliser for England in stoppage-time – Durham giving her a 9/10 rating.
Durham also had praise Chelsea’s Lauren James, who could be something of a not-so-secret weapon for the Lionesses.
He said on James: “She scared the life out of France in the hour she was on, a joy to watch.”
Message to the boss
Durham’s most brutal rating was reserved for head coach Wiegman, with the talkSPORT host suggesting her in-game management was found wanting.
As he gave Wiegman 1/10, Durham said: “She’s a legend of course, but… a message to Sarina…
“We’re 2-0 down, need goals, so why leave two young hungry fearless strikers on the bench?”
Adrian Durham's Lionesses player ratings
Hannah Hampton – 6/10
Lucy Bronze – 3/10
Jess Carter – 2/10
Leah Williamson – 3/10
Alex Greenwood – 4/10
Keira Walsh – 4/10
Georgia Stanway – 2/10
Lauren James – 7/10
Lauren Hemp – 3/10
Beth Mead – 2/10
Alessia Russo – 7/10
SUBS
Ella Toone – 4/10
Chloe Kelly – 4/10
Niamh Charles – 4/10
Michele Agyemang – 9/10
Sarina Wiegman – 1/10
