IT is coming up to 11pm UK time, and England’s Lionesses have just lost their Euro opener to France. Worse yet, though they landed a couple of jabs in an entertaining contest, Sarina Wiegman’s side have been convincingly beaten, undone by a terrific French team blessed with a formidable front line.
The vanquished players can’t wait to leave the field in Zurich, to regroup and reassess, but first a couple of them must fulfill media obligations to fend off queries with the usual platitudes. We must do better. Lessons will be learned. There are positives to take from the game. That sort of thing.
In their heart of hearts though – just like in the hearts of every England fan watching on – this felt like the worst possible start to defending their Euro crown. It felt like England’s Euro 2025 was over before it had even had chance to begin.
Fast forward to the here and now, however, and the mood is very different in camp as Sweden lie in wait in the quarter finals.
Wales were expected to be brushed aside, while three points via the Netherlands was always attainable given their dodgy backline. It was the manner of these victories that most impressed, though: comprehensive and ruthless. After residing on the bench vs France, Ella Toone has been fantastic, scoring in each subsequent game and additionally creating three big chances. Stanway and Walsh have been solid and neat in the middle, while up front Alessia Russo got off the mark last time out after conjuring up a hat trick of assists against Oranje.
Either side of the Arsenal striker the two Laurens – Hemp and James – have taken it in turns to have stand-out performances. The former has racked up seven key passes to date.
Granted, Sweden posses their own individual threats – not least in Stina Blackstenius, who has registered two goals from five shots on target – but the Lionesses are unquestionably roaring again and with Wiegman’s side having scored in both halves in six of their last eight, let’s go with a blanket bettering this Thursday.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Norway take on Italy intent on reaching the last four in a major tournament for the first time since 2013.
In the Scandinavians favour is an attacking triumvirate of Hansen, Hegerberg, and Maanum who boast 125 international goals between them. Counting against them is an Italian back five that is so often parsimonious and routinely well drilled.
Indeed, with Le Azzurre hardly prolific in front of goal – lacking as they are a proven finisher and hampered by a conservative approach – a low-scoring encounter is fancied in Geneva, especially as these sides met twice in qualifying last year and managed just a goal apiece across the 180 minutes.
As for which side edges it, let’s go with Italy by virtue of their ability to keep a clean sheet.
If the first quarter-final threatens to be a grind the last – on Sunday – promises to be a cracker with Germany clashing with France for the 11th time in international competition. Intriguingly, despite Germany notching 2+ goals in nine of the previous ten meetings, Les Bleues scored first on nine occasions.
Could a similar scenario play out at the weekend? Certainly, France are more than capable of a blistering start, courtesy of an array of attacking talent, each bringing their A-game to Switzerland. Delphine Cascarino has particularly stood out, amassing six shots against the Netherlands as France completed a full house of victories in their group. Lyon’s Marie-Antoinette Katoto too is in pristine form, which bodes badly for DFB-Frauenteam.
That’s not to say of course that Germany are without their own difference-makers. Lea Schuller has scored eight in her last 10 international starts while Klara Buhl has been highly effective down the left.
Only two players, meanwhile, in the competition have taken on more shots on target than Jule Brand.
If this one finishes goalless either something is amiss or the keepers will warrant the Legion of Honor and Order of Merit respectively. Midfielder Elisa Senß, incidentally, is worth checking out in the cards market, the Eintracht Frankfurt star averaging a foul every 30 minutes to date.
Lastly, there is the hosts Switzerland drawing the short straw and encountering the tournament favorite, Spain, and what is there left to say about La Roja? It’s like trying to find a fresh superlative about the Sistine Chapel.
To this juncture, Montserrat Tome’s fabulous collective have scored the most goals, accrued the most possession, boast the best passing accuracy and have taken on a tournament-high number of attempts and surely they will prove too strong for a Swiss side whose main objective was to reach the knock-outs.
If Spain’s passing, movement and technical craft isn’t enough to fill onlookers with admiration – and it really is – there is also a plethora of individuals to marvel at, not least two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas who has been outstanding. The 31-year-old has seven goal involvements to her name and that is only set to increase by the competition’s end.
Yet, for all of these things, what really impresses is how Spain have dealt with rare bouts of adversity. Against Belgium, a Putellas opener was cancelled out, but there was no hint of panic. They simply kept to the game-plan, probed and schemed, and went in at the break 2-1 up. Against Italy, they found themselves a goal down after ten minutes. Four minutes later, they were level.
It’s hard to see any side unseating La Roja this summer. That goes double for a Swiss side that succumbed 7-1 to them the last time they met.
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