City’s England duo edged out by France in Euro 2025 opener | OneFootball

Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp couldn’t prevent England from starting their European Championship defence with a 2-1 loss to France.

Greenwood, making her 100th appearance for England, started at centre-half with Hemp on the left flank.

But quickfire goals from Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore towards the end of the first half put France in control, with Keira Walsh’s stunning late strike proving a mere consolation.

England had started the stronger, and thought they’d taken the lead in the 16th minute when Hemp’s stinging drive from a tight angle was parried into the path of Alessia Russo, who tapped home from close-range.

The offside flag cut the celebrations short by the finest of margins, but it was an indication of how strongly the reigning European champions had started proceedings.

But France, tipped by many as dark horses at Euro 2025, almost responded in audacious fashion when Sakina Karchaoui’s attempted lob on the counter-attack whistled just wide of the post midway through the second half.

They’d taken a little while to get going, but the French would gain a stranglehold as half-time approached with two quickfire goals.

The first came when Katoto stole a yard on Leah Williamson to tap home from Delphine Cascarino’s inch-perfect cross from the right flank.

And a second would follow within three minutes, as Baltimore jinked her way through challenges from Lucy Bronze and Williamson before rifling across goal and into the top corner.

England felt they should’ve had a foul in the build-up to that strike when Russo went down under pressure from Maelle Lakrar, but their protests fell on deaf ears.

It was almost three soon after the restart when Grace Geyoro’s effort squirmed under the body of Hannah Hampton, but the Chelsea stopper recovered to scramble the ball off the line.

At the other end, Hemp saw a brief glimpse of goal after a cleverly worked corner routine, but saw her effort blocked at the near post.

But the momentum was still with France, who went close again when the Lionesses managed to scramble a loose ball away from danger inside the penalty area with 25 minutes to play.

England continued to battle with Ella Toone twice going close in quick succession as stoppage time approached, with Greenwood then replaced by Michelle Agyemang as the Lionesses searched for a route back into the game.

WATCH: City players heading to Euro 2025

And it came from the resultant corner, with Walsh firing an outstanding first-time drive into the top corner from the edge of the area to halve the deficit.

That strike brought the Lionesses to life, with Hemp teeing up Agyemang inside the area soon after only for the young forward to see her effort blocked at the vital moment.

Deep into stoppage time, Hemp had one final sight of goal when the ball landed kindly for the City winger after a free-kick, but her effort was cleared off the line.

It meant the reigning European champions start their Euro 2025 campaign with defeat, adding even greater significance to their next Group D clash with the Netherlands on Wednesday afternoon (17:00 UK kick-off).