Euro 2025: England requires to play without worry against the

ZURICH (AP)– England has never ever lost its very first two matches at the Women’s European Championship. If that changes on Wednesday, the protecting champion could effectively run out Euro 2025.

England withstood a chastening 2-1 loss to France in their opener at the weekend and another defeat when it deals with the Netherlands would likely see the Lionesses eliminated– unless tournament debutant Wales handles a disturbed versus France.Advertisement However forward Alessia Russo said Tuesday that it will be “enormously”crucial to play without worry. “That’s some of the conversations that we’ve had within the team,” Russo included. “We have a lot of fantastic players and we want everybody to be as complimentary as possible on that pitch tomorrow night and moving forward.”So I think making sure that everybody’s in a great headspace, entering into that game tomorrow is necessary and that’s what we have actually been doing as a team.” Against France, England became the first titleholder to lose its opening match at

a females’s Euros.The Lionesses might set another undesirable very first on Wednesday as no ruling champion has stopped working to progress

to the knockouts considering that the group stage was introduced for the 1997 tournament.Advertisement “We do not talk about consequence, we discuss our strategy,”said England coach Sarina Wiegman, who will be facing her home country.It is an unusual position

for Wiegman to be in after her perfect record at the Euros was given an end by France.Wiegman had actually previously won 12 out of 12 matches throughout two competitions as she steered initially the Netherlands to the title and after that England.She has lost just two matches at the World Cup: the 2019 final versus the United States when in charge of the Netherlands and the prize match again four years later on, with England versus Spain.The 55-year-old Wiegman has not felt this level of pressure so early on in a tournament.Advertisement”It’s a game, it

‘s a football game. And the outcome, naturally, has effects however that was the very same at the last in the Euros and the last on the planet Cup, “Wiegman stated.

“So then we bring it back to what do we need to do. And the focus is on what actions do we

have to take to play our finest. And that’s the conversations we have with the players. And how can we stick together then. In good minutes it’s easier.”Apart from the outcome against France, there was also the manner of the performance, with couple of positives to draw from England’s display, save the opening 15 minutes and the finale.Keira Walsh minimized the deficit late on, but her 87th-minute strike was England’s first on target.”Eventually, we were disappointed after that game,”

Russo said.”Obviously, we met a fantastic French side but we know that we can be much better and we have actually high requirements as a team.Advertisement”We’ve had a good couple of days to switch off, show and

now we’re prepared to go again.”In contrast to England, the Netherlands won its opening match easily, downing Wales 3-0 with a dominant performance that likewise saw it struck the woodwork three times.Another success on Wednesday would see the Dutch book their place in the quarterfinals, as long as Wales does not manage to beat France.The Netherlands faces

France in their

last match on Sunday, when England plays next-door neighbor Wales in what might prove to be a meaningless match. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer