
The defense of the wife of England of their European title began to lose, with 2-1 beaten by France in Zurich.
It is the first time that a reigning champion has lost his opening match of the next tournament, with the lionesses largely surpassed and saved by the impressive French.
But their performance was booked with two clear spells. Alessia Russo had the ball at the back of the net in the 16th minute, but her strike was excluded by VAR for a Beth Mead offside in the structure.
France reacted the better, benefited from the sloppy game of England and used their benefits in both wings – Lucy Bronze and Jess Carter struggled against the pace of Sandy Baltimore and Delphine Cascarino.
And it was another point of the last to set up France for a deserved opener. Her pass in the box was came home by Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who had been driven into Leah Williamson behind Leah.
Three minutes later, France doubled their lead, giving England the total number of goals they admitted in a few minutes during Euro 2022 (2).
Baltimore took the double challenge of Williamson and Chelsea Team-Mate Bronze off the cross. England's right back stuck a leg to block, but that only sent the ball back to the winger, who then returned home.
There was a VAR assessment for an error on Russo in the structure, but the technology remained in the field to leave the goal and sent the mostly Stoic Sarina Wiegman in an angry eruption with the fourth civil servant.
France continued to look comfortable in the second half – until England was offered a lifeline in the 87th minute. Keira Walsh, who struggled to pull the strings for the lion ribbons as she does so often, aimed at home from a liberated angle for her second international goal.
The lion ribbons kept on pushing – Michelle Agyemang looked clear when she came up as a late replacement – in which Lauren Hemp had cleared up a picking effort from De Lijn after Pauline Peyraud -magnin had opened her goal.
But it was not enough for England to grab an undeserved point, making them third in group D. They will have to win their next two games against the Netherlands and Wales to have a chance to continue to the Knock Rondes.
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