England suffer slender loss to France in Women's World Cup opener
- By Adam Higgins
- Jun 9, 2015
- 6 min read
ENGLAND began their 2015 Women’s World Cup campaign with a spirited display but narrow defeat to a highly-rated France side in Moncton. Lyon striker Eugenie Le Sommer crashed a rising drive into the top corner for the only goal on 29 minutes after England carelessly surrendered possession on the edge of their own box.
The best opportunities fell to Le Sommer throughout a tight contest in which France's quality as the world's third-best nation told.
England, currently sixth in the world rankings, competed well for long periods and made France work tirelessly but ultimately were not adventurous enough in their approach while coach Mark Sampson will be disappointed that some of their passing lacked intensity.
No illusions: Sampson, who suffered only his fourth defeat in charge, set his side up to stop a hugely-talented France from playing (Picture from BBC Sport)
The 32-year-old Welshman has targeted to reach the semi-finals in his first major tournament in charge after presiding over a 100% record in their qualification campaign with 10 wins, scoring 52 goals and conceding just once.
But his side experienced a difficult opening match in Group F as their winless run against Les Bleues extended to 16 attempts stretching back to November 1974.
Despite the slender loss, England have reason to be optimistic with two games to come against lower-ranked opponents, and the four best third-place teams also qualify for the last 16, as the Lionesses bid to go beyond the quarter-final stage at a World Cup for the first time.
Their hopes were dashed in the last-eight four years ago on penalties by France, who also sent England home from the 2013 European Championships with a 3-0 group-stage defeat in Hope Powell’s final game in charge.
And their dominant performance in Moncton underlined why Philippe Bergeroo’s side, who are yet to win a major tournament, are tipped to better their fourth-place finish of 2011 and among the favourites to lift the trophy on July 5.
Experienced: The 61-year-old former France goalkeeper took charge of his 32nd game as coach of the nation's women's team (Picture from BBC Sport)
The two European sides had to wait until the ninth game of the seventh Women’s World Cup finals, expanded from 24 to 32 nations for the first time, to take to the field and were desperate to make first impressions count.
Sampson illustrated England’s ‘avoid defeat’ mentality by springing a surprise in the selection he named two days earlier with defender Lucy Bronze making a first major tournament appearance in midfield in a 4-5-1 formation.
Tactical: Fara Williams sat in front of the back four with Lucy Bronze and Claire Rafferty employed to double up on Elodie Thomis (Picture from BBC Sport)
Her Manchester City team-mate Steph Houghton was passed fit at left-back to captain a team boasting five changes from their friendly defeat to Canada on May 30 while in-form Chelsea striker Eniola Aluko started alone in attack.
France boss Bergeroo also raised eyebrows by dropping prolific PSG forward Marie-Laure Delie, who has been nursing a knee injury recently, in favour of Juvisy’s Gaetane Thiney.
The start of the heavy driving rain and blustery conditions coincided with kick-off but did not prevent England from making a positive start at the 13,000-capacity Moncton Stadium, near Canada’s east coast.
Manchester City’s Jill Scott was a combative presence in midfield as the Lionesses held their own while France gradually imposed their progressive passing game on the artificial surface.
England’s Notts County centre-back Laura Bassett did enough to knock Camille Abily off her stride as the Lyon midfielder guided a header well wide of the post in the first sighting of either goal.
Nevertheless, England undoubtedly had the better of the opening exchanges with the fluid system – utilising the 2014 PFA Women’s Player of the Year Bronze in front of left-back Claire Rafferty to stifle the threat of France’s pacy winger Elodie Thomis – perplexing their opponents.
France’s influence grew as the first half wore on with Louisa Necib’s free-kick calling England keeper Karen Bardsley into action before Fara Williams threw herself in front of a tame effort by Les Bleues defender Jessica Houara which deflected for a corner.
Bardsley was then forced into a near-post save from Thiney’s low shot but she was powerless just before the half-hour mark when Le Sommer let fly with a rasping effort from the edge of the box for her 45th international goal in 106 caps.
Rallying cry: England's Women fought bravely against their top-class opponents but struggled to create chances (Picture from BBC Sport)
Les Bleus, who enjoyed 59% of possession in the opening 45 minutes, began to demonstrate their class with Necib skilfully escaping the attentions of two England defenders to gain access to the box before firing into the side netting.
England had been tactically astute to drop deep and nullify France’s considerable threat but ended the first half in which they failed to have a single shot on target as comfortably second-best.
The closest they came was when Chelsea midfielder Katie Chapman – called up to the squad for the first time in five years – hooked wide after France custodian Sarah Bouhaddi rushed off her line in an attempt to catch Ellen White’s cross.
Aluko, part of the Chelsea team currently top of the Women’s Super League, was hard-working but cutting a lonely and isolated figure much to England’s frustration.
The Lionesses did not learn their lessons at the start of the second period as lackadaisical play in their own defensive third almost cost them within 60 seconds when Le Sommer intercepted a slack Houghton pass before curling into Bardsley’s midriff.
Threat: The Lyon forward - in her second World Cup finals - netted seven goals during France's qualifying campaign (Picture from BBC Sport)
The impressive 26-year-old, who has won the French top-flight five years in a row, then rifled a half-volley over the crossbar from a cushioned Laure Boulleau pass.
The game plan to contain France worked to an extent yet England, with all their character and work ethic, struggled to trouble a disciplined French defence led by imperious captain Wendie Renard.
A clear-cut chance materialised when Jill Scott directed Aluko’s corner straight at Bouhaddi from 15 yards, injuring her left knee in the process.
It prompted England’s best spell as Sampson gambled with the introduction of Manchester City striker Toni Duggan, scorer of 10 goals in qualification, and Reading forward Fran Kirby, who has been suffering with a stomach bug recently, in place of White and Alex Scott.
Forward-thinking: The 23-year-old came on for her 25th cap but could not add to her 14 England goals (Picture from BBC Sport)
France could also have been reduced to 10 men when Abily appeared to elbow Bassett in the face amid a melee in the penalty area but no action was taken by the Greek referee Thalia Mitsi.
England will have been pleased to see Lyon’s Thomis depart for PSG midfielder Kenza Dali with 20 minutes remaining while Birmingham’s Jade Moore entered the fray for the Lionesses as Chapman was withdrawn to change into a diamond set-up.
Sampson urged his players to push forward in the closing stages in their quest to snatch an unlikely equaliser.
But their inability to break down the commanding France rearguard was desolately apparent and the French were able to maintain possession to see out a deserved but slender victory.
England will be dissatisfied with a losing start even in their toughest match but are now expected to make up for the disappointment by recording wins against Mexico in Moncton on Saturday and Colombia in Montreal four days later.
TEAMS:
Substitutes: Duggan (on for White 60'), Kirby (on for A Scott 68'), Moore (on for Chapman 76').
Not used: Chamberlain (GK), Telford (GK), Greenwood, Stoney, Nobbs, Carney, Potter, Taylor, Sanderson.
Booked: Chapman (65')
Goals: None
Substitutes: Dali (on for Thomis 71'), Bussaglia (on for Le Sommer 80'), Lavogez (on for Necib 87').
Not used: Deville (GK), Gerard (GK), Delannoy, Diani, Delie, Mbock Bathy, Butel, Majri, Hamraoui.
Booked: None
Goals: Le Sommer (29')
Referee: Thalia Mitsi (Greece) - 7/10 Attendance: 12,500
POST-MATCH REACTION:
"I thought we managed the first half superbly. You are always vulnerable to a counter when you encourage your team to try and play the ball out of defence like we do. But the longer the half went on there was only one team who was going to score to get back into it. That was a superb England performance."
"I was disappointed with France. I expected more from them with the quality they had on the pitch. I don't think it's too bad a result for England. It wasn't a great game for either team."
"England will take a lot of heart from this game. As an England critic and fan, I can take a lot of positives from this game. Mexico are no pushovers but England now are armed with the capability of changing their tactics. That will hold them in good stead against Colombia too.
"There has been a lot of rotation, and there is great flexibility and adaptability in the side. The girls can be proud of their performance and one quality effort from France which flew into the top corner. England were punished."
"France want to grow into this tournament and they looked like they cruised it. There's a confidence boost for England in that they didn't get beaten by three or four goals which we thought might happen.
"That's important. We expect France to beat everyone in the group so it becomes a mini group. If England had been beaten three or four that would have damaged their confidence."
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