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Goals from Georgia Stanway and Alessia Russo got England back on track in their quest to qualify for Euro 2025

 Updated 
Tue 4 Jun 2024 17.29 EDTFirst published on Tue 4 Jun 2024 14.02 EDT
Georgia Stanway scores to put England in front against France in Saint-Étienne.
Georgia Stanway scores to put England in front against France in Saint-Étienne. Photograph: Naomi Baker/The FA/Getty Images
Georgia Stanway scores to put England in front against France in Saint-Étienne. Photograph: Naomi Baker/The FA/Getty Images

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Sarina Wiegman has her say, speaking to ITV: “We worked so hard to stay together and keep the win.

“[Alessia Russo’s] working so hard on that: holding up, also being in the right position in the build, being in the right position when we come into the final third.”

“We have to make better decisions [in the second half] … we played into their hands a bit.

“We did better than Friday. Friday we played parts of the game really good too but in the final third and in our final third with the corners we didn’t do well.

“The first half, I think that’s one of the best halves we’ve ever played.”

England, however, remain third in Group A3. Sweden beat the Republic of Ireland 1-0 tonight to also move to seven points, and they’ve got the advantage with goal difference.

FULL-TIME: France 1-2 England

England hold on, just about. That second-half display wasn’t all too great from the visitors after the show they put on in the first – but they’ve got the much-desired three points.

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90+5 min: Williamson boots away a ball in the left-back region before Russo, once again tonight, holds up the ball well before playing it into the left channel. England then win a corner after Renard clears.

90+3 min: Kelly dinks a ball forward for Fran Kirby, who is helped by a mistake from De Almeida but can’t get in position to launch an effort.

89 min: Hampton pulls off a brilliant save! Katoto gets on the end of a low ball across goal and the keeper tips it around for a corner, moving to her left. Terrific reflexes.

88 min: France skip down the right through Cascarino but her ball across can only find the swinging boot of Bronze.

87 min: Russo finds the ball on the left and holds it up well to win a throw. England are slow to take it, with Kelly going in the book for being a time-thief.

85 min: Kelly delivers a crucial block after the ball sits up for Cascarino to launch inside the box.

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83 min: Bacha has got heart to go with ability; she was clutching her hamstring not long ago but she’s kept going. Cascarino plays a one-two inside the box but can’t keep the ball in play when trying to cut back from the byline.

80 min: Renard pings a switch from inside her half, with Cascarino running on to it inside the box from the right … her first-time hit can’t find the target. It would’ve been a stunner.

77 min: Bacha soldiers on for now as Stanway tries a left-footed drive from the edge of the box … It travels wide.

76 min: Bacha, who has put in a serious shift for her country, is down and looking as if she’s going to have to come off.

73 min: A flurry of yellow cards were dished out just before that penalty, with Bronze one of the players going in the book after some words with the ref.

GOAL! France 1-2 England (Diani 72)

Diani steps up … and sends Hampton the wrong way! Nervy times for the English.

Kadidiatou Diani pulls a goal back from the spot for France. Photograph: Manon Cruz/Reuters
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Penalty for France!

Williamson brings down Geyoro, who outfoxes the defender with a smart turn. It’s a simple decision for the referee.

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68 min: Bacha sends a ball down the line for Diani, whose cross is headed away before France work it around again, Geyoro’s shot blocked out for a corner by Bronze’s outstretched foot. That could’ve easily ended up being an own goal.

65 min: Lakrar plays a loose pass at the back, with Toone intercepting – she tries to dink the keeper from the edge of the box but can only offer a simple save.

64 min: Crisis averted for England; Hampton is fine to continue. Carter cuts out a French through ball.

62 min: Uh oh. Hampton is down for England and in a bit of bother. A reminder: they’re already missing Mary Earps due to injury.

60 min: Inventive from England as the cross is played low to Stanway on the edge of the box … but her mis-hit shot travels high into the night sky.

58 min: Renard wins a header inside the box from a France free-kick, but the ball trickles away from danger.

56 min: France are finding momentum, with Bacha locating space on the left wing to begin the attacks.

Selma Bacha evades the tackle of Beth Mead. Photograph: Jeff Pachoud/AFP/Getty Images
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55 min: Bacha drives France forward and Katoto receives inside the box, doing brilliantly to turn Williamson inside-out … but she loses her balance trying to strike a shot and England survive.

53 min: Bacha, who has been lively on the left for France, picks up the ball from range and fires in a hopeful shot – but it’s wide. For a second, it looked as if it was going to trouble Hampton, moving to her left.

50 min: Bright clears before Hampton collects well inside the box as Diani tries to run on to a through ball. England are just having to weather a bit of pressure at the start of this second half.

48 min: Sharper from France, keeping hold of the ball before Bacha delivers a fine ball in from the left for Katoto, who can’t get her header on target.

HALF-TIME: France 0-2 England

A terrific first-half for England, led by the performance of Russo up top. She’s held up the ball, brushed off challenges with ease and got the second goal after Stanway’s fine opener. Sarina Wiegman’s trust in the side that played last week has paid off.

45+3 min: Renard is found at the far post, heads it across goal … and Katoto heads wide from close range. England are very nearly found wanting from a set-piece … once again.

45+2 min: Stanway is penalised for a crunching challenge on Bacha, and France have a free-kick out on the left.

45+1 min: Four minutes are added on as the Saint-Étienne crowd roar France forward. Williamson gets her head on a French cross from the left.

45 min: France work it around patiently before Henry lines up a shot from about 30 yards out; she hoofs it well wide with her left foot.

43 min: Stanway nearly repeats her opener, the ball laid off to her in the same region – this time her stinging effort travels wide.

41 min: Hemp takes a corner from the left, with the ball nearly dropping nicely for Millie Bright to shoot, a last-gasp intervention denying her.

40 min: Walsh wins the ball in midfield and England are on the move again, Russo crossing from the right as she tries to pick out Hemp.

38 min: The masterful Hemp is one-on-one on the left against De Almeida and sends in a lovely cross that Mead attacks but can’t get to.

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