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New York Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Euro 2025 roundup: Sweden stays solid, a lack of draws and a team of standouts
After a cautious opening round of matches, Euro 2025 burst into life in the second round of group matches, with some big wins, late drama and early exits. The Athletic's Michael Cox watched every match to bring you the moments you may have missed. Here are some early patterns and a best XI from the last four days. The most striking aspect of the first 16 matches in this competition is the lack of draws. Only one match has finished level: a 1-1 finish between Portugal and Italy in Group B. There's no particular reason why this has happened. Granted, there is a large difference in ability between the favourites and some of the outsiders in the competition, but there have been seven victories by a single goal, some of which could easily have been draws. But the lack of draws has meant big gaps in the groups. No fewer than five sides — Iceland, Belgium, Denmark, Poland and Wales — have been mathematically, though not all officially, eliminated before the final round of matches, having lost twice in a row. By comparison, this was only the case for two sides in each of the previous 16-team European Championships. It's often considered in negative terms, but one of the obvious features of the women's game is that the goalkeepers aren't as adept at covering the goal as men's goalkeepers. That's only natural, with smaller players guarding a goal of the same size. And therefore, a particularly promising way of scoring goals in women's football is aiming for the top corner. It's never a bad idea at any level of the game, of course, but in women's football it's particularly valuable. Advertisement The good news is that bending the ball towards the top corner produces amongst football's best goals. And this tournament has seen several similar strikes: delicate efforts from inside-left positions into the top-right corner. Finland's Katariina Kosola got the tournament up and running in style with this type of effort to win the opening game against Iceland. Dutch striker Vivianne Miedema continued the trend after a couple of chop-backs to escape the attention of two Wales defenders. Claudia Pina of Spain provided the most spectacular example with a long-ranger against Belgium, while Italy captain Cristiana Girelli used a decoy overlapping run to cut inside and bend home the opener against Portugal, whose goalkeeper Patricia Morais could get absolutely nowhere near the effort. The temperature dropped, and the intensity rose. Without wishing to make this column a regular Switzerland weather update, the improvement in the quality of matches in the second round of group games owed much to the cooler temperatures. The opening couple of days made it very difficult to play at a high intensity. Norway's 2-1 win over Switzerland was 30 degrees at kick-off, while it was 29 degrees for Italy's 1-0 win over Belgium and 28 degrees for the Netherlands' 3-0 win over Wales. And all of these figures involve the temperature in the shade, of course. In direct sunlight for the 6 pm kickoffs, things have been even more difficult. By and large, those matches were flat. It was as chilly as 14 degrees on Monday, probably the best day of matches so far, featuring Spain's thrilling 6-2 win over Belgium, and Portugal and Italy's exciting 1-1 draw. The next day, Sweden enjoyed playing in milder weather, attacking with speed and purpose in their 3-0 win over Poland after a sluggish opening 1-0 win over Denmark. Temperatures are set to rise again for the final group games, although with all matches starting at 9 pm, it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Going into a tournament, we look at teams' potential starting XIs and primarily get excited by their attacking flair. But defences rather than attacks often win tournaments. It's fair to say that France, England, Spain and Germany have all looked better going forward than at shutting opponents out. Advertisement Therefore, it's worth considering that, after two matches, Sweden are the only side yet to concede a goal. This has been achieved despite the absence of Magdalena Eriksson, for a long time their most dependable centre-back, and despite manager Peter Gerhardsson making two changes to the left side of his defence between the 1-0 win over Denmark and the thumping 3-0 victory over Poland. In Nathalie Bjorn, Sweden might have the competition's most in-form defender, considering she's fresh from a double-winning campaign with Chelsea when her team-mates voted her player of the year. With the unheralded Julia Zigiotti Olme protecting the back four, and Jennifer Falk looking calm in her first tournament as her country's No 1 goalkeeper, Sweden are probably the most solid team in the competition. Tougher tests await, but Sweden always manage to battle their way through to the semi-finals — often because of their defence. Anna Koivunen, Finland. Great goalkeeping performances often come in defeat. Koivunen made a string of fantastic saves against Norway and is clearly adept at passing the ball well with both feet. She could do little about the two concessions in a 2-1 loss: a clumsy own goal and a cross that bounced in off the far post. Iman Beney, Switzerland. At only 18, she already appears a real all-rounder. From wing-back she's shown she's capable of dribbling past opponents, arriving at the back post for headed efforts, and in the 2-0 win over Iceland produced an extraordinary long-range half-volley that flew into the sidenetting. It's little wonder Manchester City have snapped her up already. Nathalie Bjorn, Sweden. In a rotated defence, Bjorn was excellent against Poland, keeping Ewa Pajor quiet and pushing up to press and win the ball high. Only Sweden have yet to concede a goal at Euro 2025. Advertisement Noelle Maritz, Switzerland. Defensive-minded full-backs are often perfectly suited to playing on the outside of a back three. Maritz has been aggressive in challenges and positive with pushing forward into attack. Sarai Linder, Germany. The left-back played an interesting role in attack in the second half, pushing infield to become an inside-left. But she also showed her defensive ability in the first half, covering behind her centre-backs to stop Pernille Harder when the Danish captain was seemingly through on goal. Patri Guijarro, Spain. She had another commanding holding midfield performance in the 6-2 win over Belgium, tirelessly working to find angles to receive forward passes and pushing up aggressively to win possession high up the pitch. Geraldine Reuteler, Switzerland. Coming off a fine season with Eintracht Frankfurt, Reuteler has been the hosts' best player so far, scoring in both games. In the opener, she started as a support striker, while in the crucial 2-0 win over Iceland, she drove forward from midfield, opening the scoring with a fine finish on the run. Alexia Putellas, Spain. After missing Euro 2022 and not being fully fit for World Cup 2023, Putellas looks back to her best. She scored two cleverly-struck goals in the 6-2 thrashing of Belgium and was involved in many of her side's best moves. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Sweden. Absolutely electric in the 3-0 win over Poland, Rytting Kaneryd provided some wonderful balls into the box, promising the move for Sweden's opener and recording the assist for the second. Lauren James, England. In the absence of a starring centre-forward performance, James gets the nod here. OK, she played from the right flank for England's 4-0 victory over the Netherlands, but she still had the license to move inside to score twice, including a wonderful opener. Advertisement Claudia Pina, Spain. She played from the left, then played from the right, but usually popped up in central positions. Pina took fantastic corners that Belgium simply couldn't deal with and then curled in a beautiful long-range goal towards the end.
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Head of football in Republic of the Congo accused of embezzling $1.3m of Fifa funds
The president of the Republic of the Congo's football federation (Fecofoot) has been accused of embezzling $1.3m (£960,000) of Fifa funds, including almost $500,000earmarked for the country's women's team. Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas may be charged with money laundering and forgery offences after being summoned to attend a hearing in Brazzaville this week. He was arrested at the end of May by the central intelligence and documentation office (CID), a department of the ministry of the interior. Mayolas and Fecofoot's general secretary, Badji Mombo Wantete, have denied the allegations and described them as a 'conspiracy'. It is alleged that Mayolas, since being elected as president of Fecofoot in 2018, has used a series of shell companies to embezzle funding from world football's governing body. According to a declaration signed by the presidents of every women's club in the country's top flight that was sent to the Congolese authorities in March, only $20,000 of the $500,000 Fifa sent to Fecofoot in 2021 as part of its Covid-19 relief plan was paid out. Mayolas has also denied claims that he embezzled $800,000 for the national training centre in Ignié, which remains incomplete eight years after it was supposed to be finished and has fallen into a state of disrepair. 'All the funds have been blocked and nothing is happening,' said a source who did not want to be named. 'It's been such a long time and no one understands where the money has gone.' Mayolas and Wantete did not respond to questions from the Guardian. They were banned for six months by Fifa in 2015 after being found guilty of 'offering and accepting gifts and other benefits' when Mayolas was Fecofoot's vice-president. Mayolas was suspended by the country's sports ministry in February after being investigated for fraud. But Fifa stepped in and banned Congo from international football for 'third-party interference', meaning that in March they had to forfeit World Cup qualifiers against Tanzania and Zambia, who were awarded 3-0 victories. Congo were reinstated in May when Fecofoot was permitted to resume control of its headquarters in Brazzaville, although Mayolas and Wantete were prevented from travelling to Fifa's congress in Paraguay and arrested a few days later. It is understood members of Fifa's ethics committee visited Congo in March to look into claims that Mayolas was embezzling funds but that it has yet to launch a formal investigation. Fifa has declined to comment on the accusations.
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
England not concerned about ‘consequences' of must-win Netherlands clash
England head coach Sarina Wiegman said the Lionesses are not considering the consequences of defeat against the Netherlands at Euro 2025. After losing 2-1 to France in Zurich, the holders will be out of the Euros after just two games if they fall to a second defeat and France pick up just one point against Wales. Wiegman has reached the last four major finals at the Euros and World Cup with the Netherlands in 2017 and 2019 and the Lionesses in 2022 and 2023. And Wiegman said the pressure of battling against a group-stage elimination is the same as a major final as the Lionesses look to keep their tournament alive. 'We don't talk about consequences, we talk about our game plan,' Wiegman said. 'We bring it back to that it's a game, it's a football game, and the outcome, of course, has consequences, but that was the same at the final, at the Euros and the World Cup.' 'We bring it back to what we have to do, and the focus is on what actions we have to take to play our best, and that's the conversations we have when we train. 'Of course it's gonna be an intense game, and we knew this was going to be a hard group. We are focusing on our game plan and just executing that. 'What we're occupied with is playing football, executing a task, sticking together and doing that together. Getting the right connections, and just work really hard and do everything to win the game.' Striker Alessia Russo said England have to play without fear of elimination and be as 'free as possible' as they face the Netherlands with their title defence on the line. It's some of the conversations we've had in the team. We've got so many great players. It's a big part of what we are as a team. We have players who can create something out of nothing. Making sure everyone is in a good headspace is important. We have a gameplan but also individuals who can create magic. 'We have played in high-pressure moments before. We're just looking forward to it. The Lionesses have bounced back from disappointing results under Wiegman in the past, notably in February when they responded to a 1-1 draw with Portugal by beating Spain a few days later. 'Ultimately we don't like losing but when a result like that happens you have to reflect and come together as a team. We have bounced back before. 'We know we weren't up to it against France but in our own standards we want to be better. That sets the bar for us. We're our own biggest critics as players so we're all ready to get out there and have another good game.'
CNA
08-07-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Young forward Agyemang hoping to help England take off at Euro 2025
ZURICH :England's Michelle Agyemang made a big impression in less than 10 minutes at Euro 2025, and she hopes she can make the most of anytime on the pitch when the Lionesses face the Netherlands in a must-win Group D game on Wednesday. Agyemang was an 86th-minute substitute in their 2-1 loss to France in their opener on Saturday, but had more touches in the French box (five) than any other England player, had a shot on goal that was blocked, and generally caused chaos for the opposition defenders. The 19-year-old made a great case for more minutes against the Netherlands with England in danger of becoming the first holders in tournament history to be eliminated in the group stage. "I think it's easy to look at the time and think, 'Ugh, there's not enough time left,'" Agyemang told reporters on Monday. "But obviously, that's the beauty of the game. Sometimes it only takes 10 seconds to make an impact. So I think anytime on the pitch is good enough for me." Agyemang had a stunning debut in the England senior team back in April against Belgium, scoring after 41 seconds with just two touches of the ball. Asked about the pressure as a late-game substitute, Agyemang said there was none. "Going in to change a game when there's not much going your way can actually be more beneficial, you just go in and take a game by the scruff of the neck," she said. "That's how I kind of felt the other day. On another day, that could have been three points for us." Agyemang has also made a good impression on her teammates in her brief time with them, impressing defender Lucy Bronze with her physicality in training. However, Agyemang said coach Sarina Wiegman has talked to her about dialling it down a bit. "I think I've improved on it, but yeah, Lucy was saying she thinks it's a super strength of mine, and I know Lucy's physical as well, so we like going at it in training," Agyemang said. The young forward hopes to emulate Lauren James, who she highlighted as a role model and whose dynamic attacking style is similar to her own. James stepped up to be a key player in England's run to the Women's World Cup final in 2023. "LJ is one of the most technically gifted players I have ever seen, and she's so calm and collected on the ball, and you can see that whether she's in front of goal, whether she's under pressure, she knows what she's doing," Agyemang said.
The Guardian
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Stanway urges England to go back to their roots for make-or-break match
Georgia Stanway wants the Lionesses to go back to their roots and be 'proper England' as they prepare to face the Netherlands at Euro 2025 after their opening-game defeat against France. 'We know as a team that we underperformed. We know as individuals that we underperformed,' Stanway said. 'I didn't want to do the press conference today because I'm fed up of talking now. It's time that we focus on putting things right on the grass. 'We're all just dying for the game to come round as fast as possible because we want to make sure that we're stepping on that pitch knowing what we've experienced but also wanting to make a change. 'We've spoken about wanting to be 'proper England'; we want to go back to what we're good at, we want to go back to a traditional style of football in terms of tough tackles, getting back to our roots and remembering why we're here, remembering that we're playing for the little girl that wanted to be here.' After the 2-1 defeat on Saturday, the Lionesses came together. 'We had good conversations, good meetings, we watched clips,' Stanway said. 'The day after the game, as soon as you get on that grass, you kind of forget about everything that's happened. I had a message from somebody that I knew and it was like: 'It's just like a bad night out that you want to forget it as much as possible. Move on to the next one.' So yeah, that's exactly what we're going to do.' England will be out of the tournament if they lose against the Netherlands in Zurich on Wednesday and France are not beaten by Wales. The pressure is on the holders but Lucy Bronze, who is competing at her seventh major tournament, helped to put things in perspective, recounting to her teammates how England lost their opening game of the World Cup in 2015, against France, before going on to reach the semi-finals. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion 'It was a together moment,' Stanway said. 'It was 2-1 [and] we could have got a draw. We just need to perform and we want the fans to stay with us, they know that we're capable. True fans stick with us to the end.' Stanway was disappointed with her own performance against France, with England's midfield overrun and outmuscled. 'For some reason, I couldn't do the things that I wanted to be able to do in possession,' the Bayern Munich midfielder said. 'That's why I just knew that I had to run around and I had to put some tackles in, that was my way of showing if I can't do something on the ball then I'll work my socks off to make sure that I can do it off the ball.' Despite not having played much football after knee surgery earlier this year, Stanway is able to take positives from her current circumstance. 'You're able to work on things in the gym that you haven't had time to work on before, you're able to get fitter, faster, stronger, and for me that is the case,' she said. 'I've got test results now that I've not seen in the last two years and I do think that is because of the time that I got to do the rehab sessions.' Stanway believes the key to success against the Netherlands will be good communication. 'On the pitch if you need something and you're not getting it, or if you want something and you're not getting it, it can feel like a lonely place, and we don't ever want to experience that as a team. We want to make sure we've got the eye contact and are communicating in the good and the bad moments, because that's when we get the best out of each other.'
