France and England Secure Euro 2025 Spots with Victories, Spain Stunned by Czech Republic

LONDON: France secured its spot at Euro 2025 with a 2-1 win over Sweden, and reigning champion England is within touching distance after a 2-1 home win over Ireland in the penultimate round of League A group games on Friday.

The top two teams in each of the four groups in League A will join host Switzerland in the finals, while the remaining pairs go into a series of playoffs for the seven remaining spots.

With 10 points from its five games so far, France can finish no worse than second in Group 3 and England only needs a draw away to the Swedes, who have seven points, to go through.

The French took the lead with a stunning strike from distance from Sakira Karchaoui and Johanna Rybrink brought the Swedes level after the break, but Marie-Antoinette Katoto grabbed a winner to send the French through.

On a rainy night in Norwich, Alessia Russo broke the deadlock for England in the fifth minute, latching on to a superb through-ball from Beth Mead and rounding keeper Courtney Brosnan before slotting home.

Rooted to the bottom of the group after four straight defeats, the Irish improved as the game went on but the concession of a penalty early in the second half snuffed out any hope they may have had of a comeback, with Georgia Stanway scoring from the spot.

However, Ireland never gave up, and it grabbed its first goal of the campaign in second-half stoppage time as substitute Julie-Ann Russell rifled home.

Earlier in the evening, Spain suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to the Czech Republic in Group 2, but it remains top, three points ahead of Denmark, which beat Belgium 3-0.

Germany also suffered a surprise reverse, losing 3-0 away to Iceland, but it too, remains top on 12 points, with the Icelanders three points behind in second.

In Group 1, Finland scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time to snatch a 1-1 draw with Norway and the game between Netherlands and Italy finished scoreless.

Those results leave the Dutch top of the group on eight points, two ahead of Norway and Italy and three ahead of Finland, meaning all four teams can still qualify directly when the last round of games takes place next Tuesday.

Scotland secured a 2-0 victory at Slovakia in Group B2, thanks to a brace from Claire Emslie. However, the match was most notable for a torrential thunderstorm that forced the players to take a break of around 40 minutes just before the hour mark. Agencies

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