Wales Eliminated But Lionesses Back on Track

Posted on by footybet
Lauren James
Lauren James (Credit James Boyes via Wikipedia)

Mexico won the Concacaf Gold Cup earlier in the month, whilst we have also recently witnessed the finals in the U19 and U21 Euros. The final of the Club World Cup will see Chelsea play Champions League champs PSG on Sunday but this exciting summer of football is far from over.

The women’s Euros are taking place in Switzerland and having begun on the 2nd of July, they are really just getting going. The final will take place on the 27th of July, in Basel, and Sarina Wiegman’s England will be one of the team’s hoping to make it to the last two. The Lionesses are the defending champions and are among the favourites to go all the way.

One team who will almost definitely not be progressing past the group stage, let alone to the final, is Wales. Having lost their opener against Netherlands 3-0 they really needed to get something from their second clash against France but once again fell to a heavy defeat. That has all-but condemned them to the earliest exit possible, though they could – if only in theory – scrape through if they were to thrash England.

They are not alone in struggling though, and indeed several other teams lack even Wales’ mathematical chance of making the last eight in this 16-team finals. Iceland are dead and buried in Group A, Belgium the same in Group B, and both Denmark and Poland have their fate sealed in Group C.

Wales Outclassed in Group of Death


Barring an incredible upset in their final game, where England are heavy favourites for the win, Wales will be exiting this tournament after three games. They are priced at odds of 250/1 to make a miracle escape from that fate but 1,000/1 is a more realistic price.

They were always set to struggle in what is a genuine group of death. England are the defending champions, Netherlands (then managed by Wiegman) won the previous tournament, and France are tipped by many to be triumphant in 2025. All three are excellent sides in with a chance of going all the way and so Rhian Wilkinson’s team knew that, realistically, they were playing for pride only.

Get a win, a draw, or even, perhaps, simply put in a decent performance, against England, and they can probably walk away knowing they gave it their all. Thus far they have just not been good enough and have lost both of their games by a three-goal margin.

In their last match, on Wednesday the 9th of July, they did at least manage to score a goal. They went behind after just eight minutes and must have feared the worst but their all-time record goalscorer, Jess Fishlock, also their most-capped player ever, got them back in the game just five minutes later. She became the tournament’s oldest goalscorer in the process, at the age of 38!

The Welsh almost made it to the break level and had they done so, who knows, maybe they could have pulled off a shock? But sadly they conceded in stoppage time at the end of the first period and from there the outcome looked inevitable. France, as they demonstrated against England, are a class act, and they controlled the game.

Overall they boasted 75% of the ball and thoroughly deserved their win. That said, Wales mustered four shots on target, and held their own in the second half. Against Netherlands they had five attempts at goal, all off target, mostly from range, so this can be viewed as progress, despite the end result. They just need to beat England by five next up, hope France win against Netherlands and the quarters beckon!

Joy for England as Lionesses Rediscover Form


Wales’ task in that final game, which will take place on the 13th of July in St. Gallen, was made to look all the tougher though when their opponents romped to an easy win over Netherlands. England were perhaps not as bad as some made out against France and the game could certainly have been very different had a very tight offside decision not gone against the Lionesses.

Even so, defeat in the opener was a disappointment and in such a tricky group, immediately put the pressure on Wiegman and her team. They responded to that pressure magnificently though and put the England boss’s compatriots to the sword ruthlessly.

Given the Dutch came into the game buoyed by their comfortable and comprehensive win over Wales, England’s 4-0 victory was all the more impressive. The winners were especially good in the first half and following a fast, open start, they took the lead after 22 minutes.

It was a really classy goal from the “cheat code”, Lauren James. Alessia Russo received a brilliant, Ederson-esque through ball from keeper Hannah Hampton and then played it to James. The Chelsea forward cut inside with ease and then lashed home from the edge of the area.

James added another in the second half and was superb during the 69 minutes she played. She had five shots in all and created two openings for others, as well as completing a match-high (barring subs) 94% of her passes.

Russo was also excellent and a little unlucky not to get on the scoresheet. However, the powerful Arsenal centre forward recorded three assists, even if her fellow attackers often did much of the work for her with their superb finishing. She missed some chances and had a goal ruled out by VAR but looked bright, and she will hope to get among the goals in the decisive clash with Wales.

Georgia Stanway got England’s second just before half time with a fine strike from outside the area, James making it three on the hour mark. Ella Toone got the fourth after 67 minutes before England showed their strength in depth by bringing on Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead and others.

It was a fine performance from the Lionesses who were, make no mistake, under pressure coming into the clash. They gave up a mere 0.22 xG as the Dutch managed just a single shot on target. On this showing Wiegman’s outfit should prove far too good for Wales and book their spot in the quarters, with Sweden or Germany their likely opponents.