ST. GALLEN, Switzerland: Holders England reached the quarterfinals of Women’s Euro 2025 on Sunday after thrashing Wales 6-1 and taking second place in Group D behind France, who won 5-2 in a thrilling match with the Netherlands.
Georgia Stanway started England on their way from the penalty spot in the 13th minute and further goals from Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo, Beth Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones made sure of passage to the last eight.
England will face Sweden in Zurich on Thursday, a repeat of the semifinal at the last Euros three years ago which the Lionesses won 4-0.
But the Swedes look a tough proposition after topping Group C with a perfect nine points and swatting aside Germany on Saturday.
“We just wanted to be confident and enjoy it and I think we obviously play better football when we do that. I think there was more flow to the game tonight, there was better connections,” said midfielder Keira Walsh.
“(Sweden are) going to be a really tough opposition but we’re just going to keep trying to focus on what we’re doing, keep being confident, playing good football.”
France, meanwhile, will take on Germany in Basel in the last quarterfinal on Saturday, and are on the same side of the knockout draw as world champions Spain who face hosts Switzerland on Friday.
The French finished the group stage three points ahead of England after making it three wins from three thanks to Delphine Cascarino’s decisive double.
San Diego Wave forward Cascarino has been excellent in Switzerland, and she made sure that France would top the group with the key goals in a superb comeback from a goal down.
France, who opened the scoring through Sandie Toletti in the 22nd minute, trailed at the break to a Victoria Pelova strike and Selma Bacha’s clumsy own goal.
But Marie-Antoinette Katoto levelled for France just after the hour and the match was done six minutes later thanks to Cascarino’s fine finishes.
First Cascarino lashed France back ahead with a sumptuous, dipping long-range strike, before rolling in the fourth after Sandy Baltimore watched her shot ricochet off both posts.
Sakina Karchaoui completed the scoring from the penalty spot in stoppage time.
“I’m having a good Euros, and it’s a real pleasure to play in a major tournament. I’m pleased and I hope that we can go a long way,” Cascarino told reporters.
In St. Gallen, England knew a win would be enough to seal a spot in the next round regardless of what happened in Basel, and once Stanway slotted home her penalty after being brought down by Carrie Jones there was no way back for Wales.
Eight minutes later Toone doubled England’s lead after Wales failed to clear and the Manchester United forward tapped home after her initial effort was blocked on the line by Lily Woodham.
Toone then turned provider on the half-hour with a perfect searching cross for Hemp, before Russo rolled home from close range just before half-time to get off the mark for the tournament.
Mead drilled home England’s fifth in the 72nd minute, but Hannah Cain gave Wales fans something to cheer about by lashing a fine consolation goal past Hannah Hampton.
And Beever-Jones completed the rout one minute from the end to send England through on a high.
