England produced a scintillating attacking performance to defeat Wales 6-1 and book their spot in the Euro 2025 knockouts.
A Georgia Stanway penalty opened the floodgates early on, and the Lionesses never looked back, scoring six goals from six different players in a commanding performance.
The hosts set the tone from the opening whistle, asserting control and moving the ball with confidence. Stanway earned and converted a penalty in the 13th minute after being fouled by Carrie Jones.
The Bayern Munich midfielder coolly slotted her spot-kick into the bottom left corner, giving England the early advantage their pressure warranted.
Just eight minutes later, Ella Toone doubled the lead after capitalising on a rebound inside the six-yard box. Her first attempt was blocked, but she reacted quickly to fire into the top corner from close range.
England’s third followed soon after, with Lauren Hemp heading in Ella Toone’s cross at the back post to make it 3-0 by the half-hour mark.
Wales had few answers for England’s relentless forward play. Their best moment of the first half came in stoppage time, when Jess Fishlock went close with a left-footed effort that drifted just wide.
A big win to secure progression from Group D! 🔒🙌 pic.twitter.com/HdBcoK9nVl
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 13, 2025
But any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished when Alessia Russo made it 4-0 in the 44th minute. The striker tapped in from close range after being set up by Toone, who was a constant creative presence in the first half.
England head coach Sarina Wiegman rang the changes at the break, introducing Beth Mead and Jessica Park among others, and the momentum continued. Mead got on the scoresheet herself in the 72nd minute, finishing a well-worked move with a left-footed shot after being teed up by substitute Aggie Beever-Jones.
Wales pulled a goal back in the 76th minute through Hannah Cain, who lashed a powerful shot into the roof of the net following a swift counter-attack led by Jess Fishlock.
It was a deserved consolation for Wales’ most dangerous player, but it did little to shift the balance of the match.
England responded quickly and rounded off the scoring in the 89th minute when Beever-Jones, who had looked lively since coming on, headed home from close range after a cross from Beth Mead.
There was still time for Keira Walsh to force a save from Olivia Clark in stoppage time with a long-range effort, but the final whistle confirmed a dominant win for England.
After losing their opening game to France, it eased pressure on the Lionesses, who can now fully focus on retaining their title.
Netherlands 2-5 France
𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐓 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄́𝐄𝐒 ! 🤩
Menées, nos Bleues ont trouvé les ressources pour renverser les Pays-Bas et filer en 1/4 contre l’Allemagne 👊#PBSFRA l #FiersdetreBleues l #WEURO2025 pic.twitter.com/QuIpiWyZoN
— Equipe de France Féminine (@equipedefranceF) July 13, 2025
France produced a stunning second-half display to thrash the Netherlands 5-2 in the other Group D match.
Despite trailing at half-time, the French side turned on the style with four goals after the break, overwhelming their Dutch opponents in Utrecht.
France took the lead in the 22nd minute when Sandie Toletti calmly slotted home from the centre of the box.
The Netherlands responded quickly, with Victoria Pelova firing into the top right corner to level, before a Selma Bacha own goal handed the Dutch a 2-1 lead before half-time.
But France roared back. Marie-Antoinette Katoto equalised on the hour with a composed finish, and just moments later, Delphine Cascarino put France ahead with a thunderous strike from distance.
Cascarino doubled her tally soon after, making it 4-2 with a close-range finish.
The Netherlands couldn’t cope with the relentless pressure. Melween N’Dongala won a penalty late on, which Sakina Karchaoui confidently dispatched to seal a dominant French win.
