France Defeats England 2-1 in Women's Euro 2025 Opener

France defeated defending European champions England 2-1 in their Euro 2025 Group D opener in Zurich, with first-half goals from Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore securing the win. England's Alessia Russo had a goal disallowed for offside, and despite a late strike from Keira Walsh, the Lionesses could not recover, leaving them facing a crucial upcoming match against the Netherlands. Group D is widely regarded as the toughest group in the tournament, featuring three top-11 FIFA-ranked teams: England, France, and the Netherlands, with experts predicting a high chance that the eventual tournament winner will emerge from this group. England, led by Sarina Wiegman, entered the tournament as reigning champions but have faced several squad disruptions, including retirements and injuries, prompting talk of a "new England" team eager to defend their title. France, despite past underachievement in major tournaments, have shown strong form recently, winning all their Nations League matches and topping England in qualifying, signaling their intent to challenge for the title. Chelsea teammates Lucy Bronze and Sandy Baltimore, who will face each other on the pitch, embody the close ties and rivalry between the two nations as the tournament progresses.