Key events
Today’s other game in Group D has just finished: Wales 0-3 Netherlands. Underdogs Wales held out against the Netherlands until first-half stoppage time, at which point the previously quiet Vivianne Miedema stepped up with a screamer, and the 2017 champions never looked back. Emillia Hawkins delivers the details in the new-fangled minute-by-minute idiom.
1. Netherlands W1 D0 L0 F3 A0 Pts 3
2. England W0 D0 L0 F0 A0 Pts 0
3. France W0 D0 L0 F0 A0 Pts 0
4. Wales P1 W0 D0 L1 F0 A3 Pts 0
The big news for the Lionesses: Lauren James starts the game. The half-hour run-out she got against Jamaica last week has stood her in good stead. It’s the Chelsea forward’s first start for club or country since picking up a hamstring injury in April.
A couple of James’s Chelsea team-mates are in France’s starting XI: midfielder Oriane Jean-François and winger Sandy Baltimore. Their centre-back and captain Griedge Mbock has a calf issue and isn’t risked.
The teams
France: Peyraud-Magnin, de Almeida, Lakrar, Sombath, Bacha, Karchaoui, Jean-Francois, Geyoro, Baltimore, Katoto, Cascarino.
Subs: Lerond, Samoura, Toletti, Malard, Majri, Diani, Mateo, Gago, Mbock, N’Dongala, Bogaert, Picaud.
England: Hampton, Bronze, Williamson, Greenwood, Carter, James, Walsh, Stanway, Mead, Russo, Hemp.
Subs: Moorhouse, Charles, Toone, Le Tissier, Clinton, Morgan, Agyemang, Kelly, Beever-Jones, Park, Wubben-Moy, Keating.
Referee: Tess Olofsson (Sweden).
Preamble
It’s the final game of the first wave of matches, and the best of them has been saved until last. The champions England begin the defence of their title against France, fourth favourites to lift the trophy and the biggest nation in this tournament never to win a major international prize. This, you suspect, is going to be tasty.
It’s not that easy to predict, mind. France have the overall upper hand in the head-to-head, with five wins from ten meetings to England’s two. But it’s the most recent match-ups that are the most instructive, and these teams met last year in qualifying for these finals, and traded 2-1 away victories within the space of four days. So good luck calling it.
Perhaps overall form clears the picture? Well, perhaps: France are on an eight-game winning streak, while the Lionesses have been inconsistent of late, defeated by Belgium and Spain in recent Nations League matches. But Sarina Wiegman’s women can also boast a victory over the world champions this year, and they’ve recently put five past Belgium, six past Portugal, and seven past Jamaica. So yeah, good luck calling this. The game kicks off at 8pm UK time, 9pm in Zurich. It’s on!
