England’s interim head coach Hege Riise has suffered her first defeat in charge of the Lionesses with her side going down 3-1 to France in Caen this evening.
Against a weakened France side, England started slowly and while they created some good chances, the Lionesses were found guilty of not putting them away. At the other end of the pitch, some sloppy defending from across the back-line contributed to all three goals conceded.
France started the game the brighter of the two sides but they failed to severely test Ellie Roebuck in the England goal.
England warmed to the task and Pauline Peyraud-Magnin was required to save shots from Beth Mead and Nikita Parris before Sandy Baltimore and Valerie Gauvin tested Roebuck at the other end.
Ellen White then had a goal chalked off for offside before France took the lead moments later when Baltimore had the beating of Alex Greenwood and she rifled the ball into the top corner of the net.
As the game moved towards half-time, Gauvin missed a big chance from close range for France before Parris blundered at the other end, failing to direct the ball into the net when in an excellent position to score.
Rachel Daly went close for England early in the second half before Roebuck was required to keep Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Viviane Asseyi efforts out of the net.
France were then awarded a penalty kick when Daly ran into Elisa De Almeida and Asseyi successfully slotted the ball home, sending Roebuck the wrong way.
The second half introduction of Lauren Hemp produced a spark for England and it was her dart into the box which drew a foul from Marion Torrent. The Lionesses were awarded a penalty as a result which Fran Kirby calmly dispatched.
Jordan Nobbs then tested Peyraud-Magnin from distance before a Keira Walsh effort rattled the post in a frantic late spell from the visitors but they were soon to be stung again when some slack defending allowed Kadidiatou Diani to set up Katoto for a tap-in.
That goal completed a 3-1 victory for France and England must now quickly regain their focus ahead of Tuesday’s meeting with Canada in Stoke.
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