ST. GALLEN, Switzerland: France produced a dominant display to thrash Wales 4-1 and go top of Group D at Euro 2025 on Wednesday, outclassing their opponents who scored their first goal at a major championship.
After England beat the Netherlands 4-0 earlier in the day, France went top of the group on six points, followed by the English and the Dutch on three points each.
Wales, who face England in their final group game on Sunday, have yet to register a point but still have a mathematical chance of going through to the knockouts. France face the Netherlands in their last group game.
Clara Mateo was at the center of much of France’s attacking play and lashed them into an early lead, controlling a flick-on from a corner on her chest and firing a volley into the net in the eighth minute.
The moment thousands of Wales fans had been waiting for came five minutes later when Ceri Holland broke down the left and though her first attempt to find Jess Fishlock was blocked, she managed to steer the ball to the 38-year-old, who poked home Wales’ maiden goal at the women’s European Championship finals.
That was as good as it got for Wales, who looked set to go into the break level only for Holland to chop down Mateo in the box and Kadidiatou Diani’s spot kick crept over the line after striking the foot of keeper Safia Middleton-Patel.
Middleton-Patel was at fault just after the break as she lost control of the ball in the box, allowing Mateo to tee up Amel Majri, who thumped it into the net.
After that the Welsh wilted as the French dominated, with Grace Geyoro scoring their fourth in the 63rd minute, steering home a ball from the right following an extended period of possession to crown a convincing win.
“We’ve got six points after two matches and that’s what we need to remember. It won’t be an easy (next) game because the Netherlands will have no choice but to attack and score goals,” France coach Laurent Bonadei said.
Mateo was impressed with how her side bounced back from Fishlock’s equalising goal and how they went on to dominate.
“We had a bit of a scare at the start of the game but we had confidence in ourselves. It was a great evening, there are different strikers and that’s important for everyone’s confidence,” she said.
Dominant France thrash Wales 4-1 at Euro 2025 to go top of group
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Dominant France thrash Wales 4-1 at Euro 2025 to go top of group
- After that the Welsh wilted as the French dominated, with Grace Geyoro scoring their fourth in the 63rd minute, steering home a ball from the right following an extended period of possession to crown a convincing win
Hakimi declared fit for hosts Morocco’s AFCON bid
RABAT: Morocco captain and star player Achraf Hakimi is fit and ready for the host nation’s Africa Cup of Nations bid but may not start in the tournament’s opening game, coach Walid Regragui said on Saturday.
“Tomorrow will be my decision but he has more than done his job. His injury was not an easy one,” Regragui told reporters in Rabat where Morocco play minnows Comoros in the first match on Sunday.
“I still have another night to sleep and decide whether he starts or whether we protect him and see how it goes for the remaining games.
“He is able to start, but he might not start.”
Paris Saint-Germain right-back Hakimi, the African player of the year, has not played since coming off with a left ankle injury in a Champions League game against Bayern Munich on November 4.
The 27-year-old left the field in tears that night, clearly fearing for his chances of featuring at the Cup of Nations. The injury was later diagnosed as a severe sprain.
“I feel good. I am following the program given to me by the medical staff and the coach,” Hakimi, who also came sixth in this year’s Ballon d’Or ranking, said Saturday.
Regragui added: “He has made sacrifices over the last four or five weeks that nobody else could have made, and has set an example to the other players and the staff.
“Today we can see that the protocol we put in place after his injury has been more than positive but now we have the whole competition to manage.”
Morocco will also face Mali and Zambia in Group A as they bid to win a first Cup of Nations since 1976.
The tournament runs into the New Year and will finish with the final in Rabat on January 18.
