Just four days after losing 2-1 to the same opponents at St James’ Park, the defending European champions served a reminder of the levels they are capable of reaching in a brilliant first-half display, but had to hold on amid a nervous ending.
Georgia Stanway’s thunderous strike set the tone early on as she put England 1-0 up, and Alessia Russo doubled the advantage, nodding in Lauren Hemp’s curling cross before half-time.
France should have scored when Kadidiatou Diani headed wide from a few yards out on their first set-piece before half-time, and the home side did eventually respond when England captain Leah Williamson conceded a penalty after the break.
Diani stepped up to deliver from the spot, sending goalkeeper Hannah Hampton the wrong way, after Williamson’s trip on Grace Geyoro.
Hampton, filling in for injured Mary Earps, had rarely been tested but France turned up the pressure in the second half and England were dragged into a scrappy affair.
Clinging to a slim lead at the end, Hampton produced a superb save to deny Marie-Antoinette Katoto from close range as England did enough to claim a valuable victory which sees them move two points behind Group A3 leaders France, though still in third place in the table on goal difference.
For the Lionesses, this was a much-improved performance and rewarded manager Sarina Wiegman for sticking to her selection choices, despite criticism over a perceived lack of rotation.
“It was [much improved]. I think we played a very good first half and created many chances too,” said Wiegman.
“The second half was always going to be different because they want to force goals. We had to work really hard to get the win.”
Wiegman was bullish when questioned on Friday and here was her justification – in patches, this was the European champions at their best against the team ranked third in the world – though it became nervy at times towards the end.
“You make those discussions. For me it is [just] putting the best players on the pitch. That’s basically my job, of course,” said Wiegman.
“You asked the question of being unpredictable. We want to be unpredictable. I think today we did really well.”
