Wiegman Declares England’s Euro 2025 Qualification Prospects Strengthened by Victory Over France
Rebounding from an initial 2-1 setback against France, England revitalized their campaign in the Euro 2025 qualifiers by reversing the tide and claiming a 2-1 victory.
Last Friday at St. James’ Park proved challenging for England, with the team succumbing to tactical lapses that handed France two goals. However, the rematch saw a different England; dominant from the start, Georgia Stanway and Alessia Russo swiftly put their team ahead.
The tide could have turned when Leah Williamson’s foul resulted in a French penalty, coolly netted by Kadidiatou Diani. Yet, England clung on, narrowing the gap to two points behind Group A3 leaders, Les Bleues.
Post-match, Wiegman lauded her squad’s rebound but tempered future predictions as they gear up for upcoming July qualifiers.
Speaking to ITV Sport, Wiegman emphasized, “It’s a collective effort. Anticipate a tough second half; they’ll come at us, but our solidarity was key to retaining our lead.”
“The pressure was intense; we often cornered ourselves needing sharper decision-making,” she added. “They thrive off turnovers, leveraging their speed. We aim to snuff out these opportunities in future games.
Wiegman admitted the victory was a morale booster: “Winning heightens spirits, and now we’re stronger contenders. This group, stacked with stellar teams, was never going to be easy. Triumphing today definitely betters our Friday performance.”
A standout, Russo reflected on the team’s upgraded performance. “We’ve recalibrated to our expected standard but there’s room for improvement. Competing for Euros qualification has escalated in difficulty.”
“Facing top-tier defenders like France’s, it’s rewarding to score. Even more gratifying was the superior chances we crafted tonight. We know our capability; tonight, we better showcased our potential,” Russo concluded.
