England 4–0 Netherlands: Lauren James Leads Lionesses Back to Winning Ways
England bounced back emphatically at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, reclaiming their form with a commanding 4–0 victory over the Netherlands in Group D. Ahead of a vibrant crowd at Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich—including support from Prince William—the Lionesses showed resilience and precision to get their campaign back on track after the opening upset.
🥅 Early Goal Sparks Confidence
22′: England struck first following a brilliant 50-yard ball from keeper Hannah Hampton to Alessia Russo, whose assist set up Lauren James for a sublime curled finish into the top corner. James, recently back from injury, opened the scoring and raised expectations of a comeback ([turn0search1]).
⚽ A Tight Grip Into Halftime
45+1′: Just before the break, Georgia Stanway capitalised on poor Dutch clearance to laser a shot past goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, giving England a healthy 2–0 cushion heading into the interval ([turn0search1]).
🐾 James Completes Double
60′: James doubled her tally when a swift cut-back found her unmarked inside the box—her second finish calm and clinical, drawing applause from teammates and crowd alike ([turn0search1]).
🎯 Toone Seals the Deal
67′: Substitute Ella Toone netted England’s fourth. A patient buildup ended with Russo feeding Toone, who calmly slotted home—ending the Netherlands’ hopes firmly ([turn0search1]).
👍 Tactical Takeaways
Mental strength: Response under pressure was decisive after the France defeat.
Clinical finishing: Four goals from as many clear-cut chances underlined top-level execution.
Squad depth: Substitutes made an impact without disrupting flow.
🗣️ Words from the Match
James, praised by fans and family, commented:
“I enjoyed it a lot. The goals say it all—we showed we’re more than capable.” ([turn0search1])
Coach Sarina Wiegman lauded the bounce-back performance:
“How we came together… execution of the game plan. That really helped.” ([turn0search1])
🌐 Group D Impact
With both England and the Netherlands now on three points each from two matches, the final group game holds high stakes. England’s goal difference boost puts them in a strong position to qualify—even as a draw could be enough if France falters.
Final Group Match-ups:
England vs Wales (Sunday)
Netherlands vs France (same day)
A neutral result would likely send both England and the Dutch through together.
