ENGLAND Women are set for a high-stakes clash against France Women at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Tuesday in the Women’s Euro 2025 qualifiers.
The Lionesses are eager for revenge following a narrow 2-1 defeat in Friday’s reverse fixture at St James’ Park.
France Women, sitting at the top of Group Three, are just one win away from sealing their spot at next year’s European Championships.
Les Bleues have dominated their qualifiers, securing maximum points from their three matches.
They started their campaign with back-to-back 1-0 victories against the Republic of Ireland and Sweden before edging out England in a tightly contested match on Friday.
In their latest encounter, England’s Beth Mead opened the scoring, but France’s Elisa De Almeida equalized with a clever finish from a corner.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Marie-Antoinette Katoto clinched the victory for France with a decisive strike in the 68th minute.
With this win, France maintain a four-point lead over Sweden and England. A win on Tuesday will confirm their place in an eighth consecutive European Championship, while a draw might suffice if Sweden fails to secure a win against Ireland.
France will aim to continue their strong defensive performances, having conceded more than one goal in only one of their last 13 international matches.
England, meanwhile, face a tougher challenge. With just four points from their first three qualifiers, the Lionesses are battling to finish in the top two.
Their campaign began with a 1-1 draw against Sweden and a 2-0 victory over Ireland, extending their unbeaten streak to six matches. However, their defeat to France has left them in third place on goal difference.
Despite having the safety net of the playoffs, England are determined to secure automatic qualification and continue their run of seven consecutive European Championship appearances.
The Lionesses will also look to maintain their impressive scoring form, having netted in each of their last 11 matches since the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.
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