England’s victory against France on French soil has left striker Alessia Russo believing that the battle to qualify for the Euros will be tougher than ever before. This historic win, the first in 51 years, has boosted England’s chances of automatically reaching next year’s tournament. Currently level on points with Sweden, who are in second place, Sarina Wiegman’s side will need to secure one of the top two spots in their group to avoid having to compete in play-offs.
Russo’s first-half goal, her 19th in a senior England game, contributed to the Lionesses’ dominant performance against France. Alongside Beth Mead, Lauren Hemp, Ella Toone, and Georgia Stanway, Russo helped England control the game for the first 45 minutes. Despite France’s late fightback, England managed to hold on for the win.
Reflecting on her performance, Russo admitted that she would need to watch the game back to determine if it was her best for England. She acknowledged the challenge posed by France, a top side with some of the best center-backs in the world. While she was pleased to get on the scoresheet, Russo believes there is still room for improvement and recognizes that the level of competition for Euro qualification has never been higher.
England’s gritty performance in this match was a testament to Wiegman’s decision to stick with the same line-up that lost to France in their previous encounter. The team’s control over the game was evident from the early stages as Georgia Stanway and Russo found the back of the net to give England a 2-0 lead.
France made some changes in the second half, but England managed to hold them off until late in the game when they conceded a penalty. Kadidiatou Diani converted the spot-kick for France, but it wasn’t enough to deny England their victory.
Looking ahead, England will face Sweden and the Republic of Ireland in their final two Euro qualifier matches in July. These games will be crucial in determining whether England can secure automatic qualification for the tournament next year. With the level of competition higher than ever, the Lionesses will need to maintain their standards and continue to work on their game to achieve their goal.