Latest news with #Women'sFootball
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
France v Wales: Women's Euro 2025
Update: Date: 2025-07-09T18:06:44.000Z Title: More on the Wales bus crash. Content: Update: Date: 2025-07-09T18:06:40.000Z Title: Content: Shep-en-Isis has lain in a glass coffin there for more than 200 years after being removed from her tomb on the west bank of the Nile near Luxor and, eventually, gifted to the north-eastern Swiss city. Just lately, though, there has been quite an argument about whether she should leave her adopted monastic home and be returned to Egypt. Louise Taylor takes a look at Wales's chances. Update: Date: 2025-07-09T18:00:00.000Z Title: Starting lineups Content: France: Peyraud-Magnin, Samoura, Sombath, Toletti, Geyoro, Malard, Majri, Diani, Bacha, Mateo, N'Dongala Subs: Lerond, Picaud, Lakrar, De Almeida, Karchaoui, Katoto, Gago, Baltimore, Jean-Francois, Mbock Batty, D Cascarino, Bogaert Wales: Middleton-Patel; Woodham, Evans, Green, Holland, James, Barton, Fishlock, Rowe, E Morgan, FF Morgan Subs: Clark, Soper, Ingle, Roberts, Cain, Ladd, Hughes, Estcourt, Joel, Powell, Jones, Griffiths Update: Date: 2025-07-09T18:00:00.000Z Title: Preamble Content: This is the moment for Wales, they need something here to stay in the competition. They were brushed aside by the Netherlands and then their team bus crashed, forcing training to be cancelled. Obviously reaching this tournament is an incredible achievement for the Welsh but what an historic moment it would be to get points on the board. France, on the other hand, want qualification for the knockout stages done and dusted tonight. They will want six points on the board going into a final game against the Netherlands. France were the better side in their opening victory over England and a similar performance here would make them a very difficult opponent for the Welsh. Kick-off: 8pm BST/9 CET
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
What do England need to qualify? Women's Euro 2025 group permutations explained
The business end of the Euro 2025 group stage has quickly rolled around with many teams already at the risk of elimination and others close to booking their place in the quarter-finals. Holders England were one of those teams facing early jeopardy after the Lionesses fell to a 2-1 defeat to France in Group D and their clash against Netherlands on Wednesday was described as 'must-win'. The Lionesses could have become the first European champions to be eliminated from the group stage of the Women's Euro but they instead thrashed the Netherlands to keep their title defence alive. It puts the defending champions in a great position to reach the quarter-finals if they beat Wales, who face France this evening. Group D England will likely reach the quarter-finals if they beat Wales, but the picture will be a bit clearer after Wales play France tonight. If Wales draw, they could qualify for the quarter-finals by beating England and if France beat the Netherlands. But if Wales lose, they will be out after two games and it would give England a good sense of what is required. If they beat Wales and France avoid defeat to the Netherlands (France win or draw), England would be through. Where it could get complicated is England beat Wales and the Netherlands defeat France, leaving those three teams on six points and breaking the head-to-head record tiebreak. However, as England have thrashed Netherlands and only lost 2-1 to France, the Lionesses would be in a great position to qualify. The Netherlands would need to beat France 5-0. Results so far Wales 0-3 Netherlands France 2-1 England England 4-0 Netherlands Remaining fixtures France v Wales France v Netherlands England v Wales Group A Norway became the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals after Switzerland beat Iceland 2-0 in Bern. Switzerland's late second could be crucial ahead of their final-day shoot-out with Finland, as it means the hosts can progress with a win or a draw. Finland need to beat Switzerland to reach the quarter-finals. Norway are through as group winners after beating both of Switzerland and Finland. Results so far Iceland 0-1 Finland Switzerland 1-2 Norway Norway 2-1 Finland Switzerland 2-0 Iceland Remaining fixtures Switzerland v Finland Norway v Iceland Group B After Spain's 6-2 win over Belgium, the world champions were sent through and the Belgians were eliminated by the 1-1 draw between Italy and Portugal, whose dramatic equaliser kept their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals alive. Portugal must beat Belgium to have any hope of finishing above Italy, who can book their place in the knockouts by avoiding defeat against Spain. If Italy lose, Portugal can overtake them with a win, but only if there is also a six-goal swing in goal difference. A 3-0 win for Portugal and a 3-0 defeat for Italy would be enough, for example. Results so far Belgium 0-1 Italy Spain 5-0 Portugal Spain 6-2 Belgium Italy 1-1 Portugal Remaining fixtures Spain v Italy Belgium v Portugal Group C Sweden and Germany are both through and Denmark and Poland are out after two games. Sweden and Germany play each other on Saturday to determine who will go through as group winners, with Sweden requiring only a draw given their slight edge on goal difference. Germany have to win to top the group. Denmark 0-1 Sweden Germany 2-0 Poland Germany 2-1 Denmark Sweden 3-0 Poland Remaining fixtures Germany v Sweden
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Inside Sarina Wiegman's gameplan to save England from Women's Euro 2025 embarrassment
When the England players got back into the dressing room after Saturday's defeat to France, they were very quiet, until Sarina Wiegman felt she had to do more than say the right words. She had to deliver the right message. 'We win on Wednesday,' she said. England, of course, must win on Wednesday, and they will be already out of Euro 2025 with a defeat. Yet, as simple as that message was, and as simplistic as the idea might sound, the words have worked. England feel in a much better 'headspace' ahead of what is essentially a knock-out match against Netherlands in Zurich. A little bit like the more direct football that they played in the final minutes of France game, that sense of clarity helped. It's brought a focus, where there was previously uncertainty. Insiders state that Wiegman's squad were much more nervous before the France match than they had let on. As defending champions, they felt a new pressure, with that compounded by how it wasn't really the same team. They weren't certain of how they were going to play, and training sessions in the build-up hadn't been smooth. Then, the worst happened. England weren't just beaten by France, but often looked a shambles. The tactics, with Lauren James at the top of midfield, didn't work. At full time, England came into the dressing room extremely agitated, which was why Wiegman's message was effective. A line was drawn, and the challenge is clear. It's win or bust, and the first ever women's European champions to go out in the group stage. Wiegman, of course, hasn't been playing up any of that. 'We don't talk about consequences,' the England manager said. 'We talk about our gameplan.' Training has been more focused, but not due to any sense of panic. Alessia Russo spoke of how they are more 'chilled'. Beside her, Wiegman was in conspicuously good form at the pre-match press conference in Zurich's Stadion Letzigrund, laughing a lot. You wouldn't have thought this was a manager facing up to unprecedented first-round humiliation. That's just as well, because this match has so many strands and stakes beyond the finality of the circumstances. Wiegman even joked about whether she should speak Dutch, which is of course one of the main narratives. If the England manager is obviously far too accomplished a coach to even ask about whether her nationality will come into it - 'it won't', she said - that isn't the case for everyone else. The Dutch are really up for this, their motivation made all the more intense by how intertwined the two football countries are and so much of the noise around the entire campaign. 'For many players, it's a very special game,' Dutch star Vivianne Miedema said. It aggravates some in their camp that Wiegman decamped for what could be perceived as a 'bigger job'. You'd wonder what current Dutch coach, Andries Jonker, thinks of that. He'd no doubt tell you if asked, given that he has already turned the Netherlands Euros into his own personal theatre by rounding on critics. Wiegman's deadpan description was that he is 'more emotional' than her. The usual term would be 'irascible'. Only adding further edge to this is that Jonker was an influential figure in Wiegman's development as a coach, but his contract is not being renewed after Euro 2025, and he is set to be replaced by one of the England manager's own proteges. That is Wiegman's current assistant, Arjan Veurink. Some close to the England camp even believe a bigger discussion is warranted about how the Football Association could be criticised for providing a pathway for Dutch coaches rather than their own, especially given the paucity of prospective candidates for the job. That discussion might have taken place had England won on Saturday. Instead, the possibility of their elimination has only complemented other connections and storylines. Miedema was naturally asked about taking on her partner, Beth Mead. They've faced each other before but not like this. 'We both know what we're going through,' Miedema said. 'I will do everything possible to win the game.' Miedema pointed to how she is one of numerous Dutch players with many friends in the England team, having joined Manchester City from Arsenal, with the added twist that she then saw them win the Champions League. Jonker, typically, put it bluntly. 'You don't want to hurt your friends… but this is a fact. In football, you have to play against each other and you want to win.' It's maybe just as well the stakes are so clear. The players would otherwise have a lot swirling around their heads. And that's before you even get to the idea that they are again playing for the healthy future of the women's game itself. For all the progress of the last three years - mostly driven by this English squad - viewing figures are down and the game is facing new financial difficulties. Even Euro 2022 was a slow burn that steadily grew with the public. It's been similar here, especially with the sheer amount of sport on at the moment, from Wimbledon to the Lions. By contrast, the Euro 2025 knockout stages will almost have a window to themselves, making it all the more imperative to get there. Georgia Stanway did mention 'remembering that we're playing for the little girl that wanted to be here' but that inspirational thought is just about all they need in their heads right now from that kind of thinking. Wiegman knows they don't even need the stakes of the game in their heads. 'The outcome of course has consequences but that was the same in the finals of the Euros and World Cup. So we talk about how we do what we want to do.' Russo revealed that the squad have had conversations about 'playing without fear'. That makes clarity of play all the more important, which is why the final minutes of the 2-1 defeat to France may be influential. England went back to a direct style, and they suddenly began to play with speed, and intent. It was the one time they looked like themselves. That perhaps explains Stanway's comment about ' wanting to be 'proper England' … back to what we're good at'. Except, the Dutch are very different to France. If Wiegman will not go with exactly the same formation, there is an argument that the approach from that game is better suited to this match. England need to be on the ball more, but not get panicked when the Netherlands have it. Opposition players who have faced Jonker's side have noticed how they get frustrated when facing a low-mid block. Wiegman also conspicuously mentioned 'how we can exploit spaces the Netherlands leave behind'. She has long had a gameplan for this match, for obvious reasons. 'We have bounced back before,' Russo said. 'I think everyone's ready.' England, however, need more than words.
News24
08-07-2025
- Sport
- News24
Banyana coach Des Ellis lauds ‘Noxy' Cesane's 50th cap
Nabil Ramdani/BackpagePix Banyana kicked off their campaign at Wafcon with a positive result, thanks to Noxolo Cesane. The game against Ghana was a big milestone for Cesane. A win against Tanzania will seal Banyana's qualification to the knockout stage. Banyana Banyana attacker Noxolo Cesane earned her 50th international cap for the senior national women's team when the defending champions began their TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) campaign with a 2–0 win over Ghana on Monday in Morocco. At 25, Cesane's 50 appearances are a testament to her rapid rise since her Banyana debut in 2019. 50 caps for Noxolo Cesane with Banyana Banyana. 📋 History. 🙌 #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2024 — CAF Women's Football (@CAFwomen) July 7, 2025 She won the penalty which helped SA claim all three points to top Group C, which also has Mali and Tanzania. Said head coach Desiree Ellis of her charge: 'Noxy came into this team in 2019 at the Cosafa Cup and was a revelation.' In 2022 [at the Wafcon also in Morocco], especially in the first match against Nigeria, she had a fantastic game. Today again, she showed her true qualities and is well deserving of her 50th cap. Desiree Ellis Cesane, who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, has since cemented her place in the Banyana squad, becoming one of the most trusted players in Ellis's midfield. Fast facts Cesane scored four goals for Banyana and contributed two assists during the triumphant Wafcon 2022 campaign. Her 50th cap places her alongside goalkeeper Kaylin Swart in the '50-cap club'. However, Cesane and Swart are still some way off the pace to join a special 100 caps club, whose members include Janine van Wyk, JerNoko Matlou, Portia Modise, Refiloe Jane, Jermaine Seoposenwe and Lebogang Ramalepe. While the spotlight was on Cesane's milestone, Banyana delivered a crucial result on the field. Despite a slow start, the defending champions grew into the game and opened the scoring through Linda Motlhalo, who converted a video assistant referee-awarded penalty after Cesane was fouled in the box. Moments later, Seoposenwe made it 2-0, finishing off a clever through ball from veteran defender Ramalepe. Banyana weathered a strong second-half surge from Ghana, who hit the crossbar multiple times. SA held firm to secure the clean sheet and victory. While Ellis has introduced fresh faces from the Hollywoodbets Super League, she continues to rely on a core group of experienced players, especially in major tournaments. Tried and tested Banyana's starting 11 against Ghana featured several veterans of the 2022 Wafcon-winning squad. The balance between youth and experience could prove vital as SA look to defend their continental crown. Next up, Banyana will face Tanzania on Friday, 11 July. The Tanzanians are coming off a 1–0 defeat to Mali and sit third in the group. Victory for Banyana will secure a quarter-final place and keep their title defence on track.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'England need to bottle disappointment and use it as fuel against Dutch'
I was part of the England squad that lost our opening group game at Euro 2009 and went on to reach the final. We lost 2-1 to Italy. Casey Stoney got sent off, I had to move into the left-back position and got injured. It didn't go to unlike this England team now - who will have to bounce back from their 2-1 defeat by France - there wasn't the same external pressure. Sarina Wiegman's side are defending champions now and there is more expectation. Ultimately, there's another opportunity to recover and make improvements. You can't dwell on that result for too long. We lost and were gutted, but we had to park it and bottle up that feeling of disappointment and use it as added fuel. That's all you can do. Every player handles that emotion differently. But it's about handling that disappointment. Where did it go wrong against France? France winning that game doesn't make them European champions. England losing that game doesn't mean they are seemed to click for France and they executed everything with quality - they were brilliant on the day. That was the just didn't execute things wasn't a shock result. France have rebuilt to try to win something and are one of the tournament favourites. England have been inconsistent for two years now, since reaching the Women's World Cup final. They didn't take control of the game at all. The level in Europe is getting stronger all the time. You have to be at your best in every talked about England losing their duels afterwards. Was that a tactical issue or a lack of desire? Were we too far away from the opposition to make the tackles or did we just not take control? If it's the latter, the players just have to be better - and they will know that. The best example was when Sandy Baltimore had two players on her during the second goal and she wriggled away from them. We didn't do what we should have done and engaged with midfield, Sakina Karchaoui was running everywhere and we needed someone to lay a glove on her and let her know she wasn't going to have a field day. We needed to disrupt the game, use the dark arts a little bit to decompress and just figure things are the characters and leaders in the squad who can sense that momentum is going against us? I think that's a question mark for England. I don't see it from the outside. I don't see the communication. We have mature players and considered personalities, but do we have a presence on the pitch? Lauren James got herself into great positions in the first 10 minutes and she could have scored but that didn't happen. Alessia Russo did score, but it got chalked off for offside. For whatever reason, it felt like the air left the team when those things happened as opposed to them realising they had breached the France defence. That should have given the team the lift to go again - but it had the opposite effect. Can England still reach the quarter-finals? Of course, England can still qualify for the quarter-finals. Absolutely. But they can't afford to not have learned from the France game. They face the Netherlands next and that will be an equally challenging game, but can we take advantage of our qualities more often? We need to frustrate Vivianne Miedema so she's further away from the goal. We need to stop Jill Roord taking long-range Netherlands are very similar to England in their style of play, and we know so many of them individually because a lot play for English clubs or have done when they are at their best, can play through the lines, find Russo to link up with the other forwards and get Keira Walsh involved in the game. There is a fluidity to the way they play. But I have always questioned how good we are at defending fast transitions and whether defensive midfielder Walsh can do that role solely. She does not really have a defensive presence when the game is scruffy. We emphasise her in-possession game, but we don't really look at her off the ball. Maybe that's where England look vulnerable and exposed, when she is on her own in a single pivot.I often wonder why we don't play with two defensive midfielders? Everyone knows we want to play through Walsh so they mark her out of the game. Why don't we recognise those moments when Georgia Stanway might need to drop back? It's little tweaks. I'm not saying make wholesale changes. Within the system, the players have to recognise how to change when the game is looked vulnerable for the same reasons against Haiti and against Nigeria at the World Cup two years ago. We are not counter-pressing well enough to stop those attacks, so we need a structure that allows us to not be so vulnerable.I'm a big fan of James but she only had an impact in spells of the game against France in the number 10 role, and a player of her quality needs to be in a position where she can isolate defenders more often. I could see Wiegman's planning but it didn't work. You have to have good awareness in that role defensively. I would play her out wide against the Netherlands. Ella Toone can play in there. We have seen her have an impact off the bench, albeit less often over 90 minutes, but she can fulfil that Agyemang came on and made an impact but I don't think people should be screaming for her to start after five minutes. Aggie Beever-Jones could come in for this type of game because she will bring energy and runs in behind, which complements Russo's hold-up had not experienced losing a game at a Euros until now but her side have experienced losing to France before. It's rare we see them lose back-to-back games against strong opposition so of course they can bounce Asante was speaking to BBC Sport's women's football news reporter Emma Sanders.
