England Bounce Back with 4-0 Victory Over Netherlands to Stay Alive at Euro 2025
England delivered a commanding response to recent criticism by defeating the Netherlands 4-0 on Thursday, keeping their Euro 2025 campaign alive and on track for a place in the quarter-finals.
After a 2-1 loss to France in their Group D opener, the Lionesses were under intense scrutiny. Manager Sarina Wiegman, facing pressure for the first time at a European Championship, made several key tactical changes that proved decisive.
Wiegman’s Adjustments Lead to Turnaround
Lauren James, criticized for her role in the France defeat, was moved from the central role to the right wing a switch that paid immediate dividends. James scored twice and was a constant threat throughout the match.
Ella Toone replaced James in the No. 10 position and scored England’s third goal. Meanwhile, Jess Carter was shifted to central defense and Alex Greenwood returned to left-back, a pairing that helped England earn a clean sheet against the Dutch.
“We wanted to exploit the space they left, and the changes gave us that flexibility,” Wiegman said after the match. “We knew what we had to fix.”
England Back to Their Best
England dominated from the start, with Alessia Russo assisting three goals — the first player to do so in a Women’s Euro match since 2013. The Dutch side, featuring star striker Vivianne Miedema, struggled to create chances and recorded just four shots, their lowest total at a major tournament since 2011.
The result keeps England’s hopes of advancing alive. A win over Wales in their final group match would send the reigning champions into the last eight.
“We said we’d do our talking on the pitch,” said Russo. “That was a proper English performance.”
Pressure on Wiegman Eased
Wiegman entered the tournament with a perfect Euros record, having won all 12 matches across two previous tournaments. The loss to France marked her first defeat and triggered questions about England’s tactics and mentality.
However, with Thursday’s victory, she matched Germany’s Tina Theune for the most wins by a manager in Women’s Euros history (13), while her teams have now scored 40 goals in 14 tournament games the highest average among coaches with four or more matches.
“I had to stay focused and keep the team focused,” Wiegman said. “There was tension, of course, but also belief. The players responded incredibly.”
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