Will Unwin 

Netherlands 2-5 France: Women’s Euro 2025 – as it happened

France finish top of the group after a rampant win over Netherlands
  
  

Delphine Cascarino scores twice for France in the second half as they close in on the quarter-finals.
Delphine Cascarino scores twice for France in the second half as they close in on the quarter-finals. Photograph: Stéphane Mahé/Reuters

Thank you very much for joining me for this one.

Here is Louise Taylor’s report from Basel.

Here is Tom Garry’s expert reporting from England’s thrashing of Wales.

Euros quarter finals:

Norway v Italy
Sweden v England
Spain v Switzerland
France v Germany

Full time: Netherlands 2-5 France

A fantastic second blew Netherlands away to ensure France finish top of the group.

GOAL! Netherlands 2-5 France (Karchaoui, pen, 90+2)

Sends the goalkeeper the wrong way.

90 mins: Penalty to France. Casparij punished for a foul on N’Dongala.

Five minutes added on.

89 mins: I suspect the Dutch will want roughly zero seconds added on. Jansen is ready to come on. Pelova goes off.

87 mins: Miedema is sat on the bench looking somewhat subdued.

Geyoro whacks a shot over from 20 yards but I am not sure it will be make a difference to the outcome.

85 mins: France are doing their best to kill time.

83 mins: Dijkstra and Egurrola are being given some minutes, Van de Donk and Spitse off.

81 mins: Almost five! Mateo and Baltimore combine well on the left, allowing the latter a great chance from six yards but Van Domselaar comes up big.

Wales have scored! Cain pulls the score back to 5-1.

79 mins: Mateo gets behind the defence but it is a tight angle, making it an easy save for the goalkeeper.

Sombath is off, N’Dongala on for France.

77 mins: Karchaoui performs a crude foul on Van de Donk. She is lucky to get away without a booking.

75 mins: Mead adds a fifth for England. Goals galore tonight in Group D.

73 mins: I suspect the final stages of this match will be very more focused on going through the motions.

71 mins: France are making a triple change, an indication that this is done as they look to give players some minutes. Katoto, Bacha and Cascarino off, Mateo, Bogaert and Diani on.

69 mins: Netherlands need five now. I am not sure it is worth brining Miedema on.

Brugts and Kaptein, however, have been sent on to turn things around.

Updated

GOAL! Baltimore impressively sees her shot come off both post. She need not worry because the ball comes out to Cascarino who does the rest without fuss.

GOAL! Netherlands 2-4 France (Cascarino, 67)

And another!

Updated

GOAL! It is all done now. Cascarino receives the ball around 45 yards from goal. She cuts inside and drives towards the edge of the box, with the Dutch unwilling to tackle. She does not turn down the invitation and finds the top corner from around 20 yards.

GOAL! Netherlands 2-3 France (Cascarino, 64)

GAME, SET AND MATCH. A stunning strike.

Updated

63 mins: It might be worth chucking Miedema on now.

GOAL! A loss of concentration gifts the ball to France near the halfway line. Cascarino gets hold of it and sends a fine pass over the top for Katoto, who gets it out of her feet before beating the goalkeeper. Netherlands need three goals again.

GOAL! Netherlands 2-2 France (Katoto, 61)

The Netherlands lose the ball needlessly on the halfway line and they are punished.

Updated

59 mins: Toletti actually needs to be replaced. Geyoro is on for the skipper.

57 mins: France are putting 10 players behind the ball to stifle the Netherlands. Not to mention, the timewasting. Toletti is having a good sit down here to kill some seconds.

55 mins: Cascarino tries to make up for her error by dribbling into the box and shooting, only to have her effort blocked by Casparij.

53 mins: MISTAKES GALORE! First, Van Domselaar comes out in an attempt to claim a cross but under no pressure fails to catch it and the loose ball falls to Cascarino with the open goal in front of her. Inexplicably, however, she fires a shot over. What a miss!

51 mins: Groenen is down holding her face after running into a teammate.

49 mins: The Dutch are enjoying plenty of the ball in the early stages here. They just need to do something with it.

47 mins: Spitse sends a direct ball down the middle for Beerensteyn to chase. It goes straight through to the goalkeeper but it is a sign that the Netherlands plan to pile the pressure on.

Second half

Here we go again!

Can the Netherlands do it?

The winners of Group D will play Germany in the quarters, while the runners-up will be up against Sweden.

Half time! Netherlands 2-1 France

After a very good first 45 minutes, the Netherlands are still in with a shout here. They need two more (unanswered) goals in the second half and they will be going through at France’s expense.

45 mins: Three minutes added on.

4-0 to England. Alessia Russo.

43 mins: Peyraud-Magnin is down getting treatment after her own defender clattered into her in the buildup to the goal.

GOAL! Netherlands break down the left and Pelova pulls the ball back; Beerensteyn and the goalkeeper miss it but it does not matter for the Dutch as they see the ball bounce off the unwitting Bacha and into the net.

GOAL! Netherlands 2-1 France (Bacha OG, 41)

Bacha hides her face.

Updated

40 mins: France have a corner on the left. It pinballs around the box but goes back out to Bacha who sends in a lovely cross which an unmarked Katoto flicks wide.

38 mins: Van de Donk takes down Karchaoui to give France a free-kick in a more dangerous position. Toletti curls a cross into the box, rather than shooting, and Netherlands easily clear.

36 mins: Baltimore leads a counter attack but Pelova has a plan to stop it. She comes in from the side and gets a book for her work.

France have a free-kick almost 40 yards out. It is tapped to Bacha who gets hold of her shot but it is straight at the goalkeeper.

34 mins: Beerensteyn is the latest to have a chance, leaping to meet a Casparij cross only to send it over from close range. Netherlands are certainly creating chances.

They almost get another thanks to a Wilms through ball which Beerensteyn but Samoura beats her to it, giving away a corner in the process.

32 mins: Van de Donk receives the ball around 20 yards from goal, takes a touch and drills a shot but the goalkeeper gets down well.

England are winning 3-0 against Wales. Lauren Hemp.

30 mins: Grant chases down a ball over the top and drills a cross towards the penalty spot; a couple of orange shirts sprint in the hope of reaching it but a French defender is first.

28 mins: Netherlands also have an ace up the sleeve in the form of Miedema on the bench. France will not be keen on her coming on if there is still a chance for the Dutch.

GOAL! Peyraud-Magnin makes a great save from a Grant volley, only to see Pelova pick up the pieces and fire into the top corner. Three more required for Netherlands.

GOAL! Netherlands 1-1 France (Pelova, 26)

Well … it’s a start.

Updated

24 mins: Netherlands now need four goals. I can’t see it happening, if I am being honest.

England are 2-0 up, too. Ella Toone.

Who doesn’t like a dead rubber?

GOAL! Netherlands give the ball away, allowing France to counter. The France captain receives a pass on the edge of the box from Katoto and she takes a touch, before firing into the bottom corner.

GOAL! Netherlands 0-1 France (Toletti, 22)

France look set to top the group.

Updated

20 mins: The referee gets in the way of a Netherlands pass and has to pull back play. Oh the shame.

18 mins: England are winning, in case you are wondering. A Stanway penalty.

16 mins: Spitse sends in a cross from the right to Van de Donk who gets under the ball and heads up and over. Van de Donk claims she is fouled but that is not true.

14 mins: Wilms goes through the back of Baltimore and gets a talking to rather than a yellow card.

12 mins: Neither team has control of this game at this stage. Very much a game played in moments. France are wasting time because they only need a draw here to progress. Could be a long night.

10 mins: Netherlands win a corner on the left flank. Spitse takes responsibility and sends a cross into a dangerous position but it is cleared.

8 mins: Cascarino drives through the Netherlands, cutting in from the right and fires at goal but it is straight at Van Domselaar. The rebound is sent in by Karchaoui but the goalkeeper repels the ball once more.

6 mins: Bacha sends in a free-kick from the left flank but an orange head immediately removes the danger.

4 mins: Netherlands soon do test the goalkeeper as Pelova fires a low drive from just outside the area but the goalkeeper gets down well.

Updated

2 mins: It is a lively crowd in Basel tonight, make a decent racket at kick-off.

On the pitch … Casparij gets the left and lifts a cross to the back post for to Grant attack but she just can’t get anything on it. A good sign of intent from the Dutch.

Kick off

Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!

The players are heading out to the pitch with their corporate mascots.

Peter Oh sends some cheese in: “What an appetising pairing of two big cheeses of world football! Fromage neutral’s perspective, it should be a Gouda match.”

Where can I get these glasses?

Need to know more about a player?

We have another option.

Starting lineups

Netherlands (4-4-2): Van Domselaar; Wilms, Spitse, Janssen, Casparij; Van de Donk, Roord, Groenen, Pelova; Grant, Beerensteyn

Subs: Kop, De Jong, Dijkstara, Buurman, Leuchter, Miedema, Brugts, Janse, Snoeijs, Kaptein, Egurrola, Van der Zanden

France (4-3-3): Peyraud-Magnin; De Almeida, Samoura, Sombath, Bacha; Jean-Francois, Toletti, Karchaoui; Cascarino, Katoto, Baltimore

Subs: Lerond, Picaud, Lakrar, Geyoro, Malard, Majri, Diani, Mateo, Gago, Mbock Bathy, N’Dongala, Bogaert

Updated

The good news from Basel is that, in Andries Jonker and Laurent Bonadei, the Netherlands and France possess two managers who pour scorn on unwritten norms and treat received wisdoms with suspicion.


Louise Taylor previews this decider.

Preamble

Technically … every team in the group still have a chance of qualify. In more realistic terms, however, this game is a bit of a shootout for reaching the knockout stages because everyone expects England to beat Wales. France will definitely go through as long as they do not lose.

Netherlands need a three-goal win over the French to jump above them in the table. There is certainly the quality within the Dutch side to bang a few in, so this match should be far more enticing than some anticipate.

Kick-off: 8pm BST.

 

Leave a Comment

Required fields are marked *

*

*