Inspired James downs Dutch to kick-start England’s Euros title defence

Lauren James made sure England prevented a major scare at Women’s Euro 2025 with a brace in Wednesday’s 4-0 thumping of the Netherlands which kick-started the Lionesses’ title defence.Chelsea star James opened the scoring with a rocket of a shot in the 22nd minute and added a third on the hour mark to top an excellent private performance in Zurich, where England began the game at threat of removal following defeat to France in their opening fixture.Advertisement James’hugely remarkable performance, this time on

the right flank

, versus the meek Dutch can be found in simply her 2nd look in a competitive component since suffering a hamstring injury in April.The 23-year-old had actually been a doubt for the competition and now looks to be approaching her best kind after an unsteady start to the competition versus France.” I enjoyed it a lot. The goals state it all,”James said to the BBC.”We got better from our

previous game and today we showed we’re more than capable of revealing the world what we can do.”I just try do my best each game. Hopefully, as the games go on I keep getting more involved.”Ad Georgia Stanway

and Ella Toone scored the other goals as England swept the Dutch aside and moved level on three

points with the

Oranje and France, who face bottom group Wales later on, in Group D.”I’m really happy with the performance. I think we bounced back actually well from France, “coach Sarina Wiegman informed reporters.

“The group discussions and how the team responded today was really good and I believe we played well.”France will go top of the group

as long as they don’t suffer a shock defeat to Wales but certification for the last eight will go to the final round of components on Sunday.Advertisement That will suit England as Wiegman’s group face Wales with the wind in their sails while France and the Netherlands face off in Basel with their competition lives on the line.-Dutch dominated -And the Dutch are reeling from their worst ever defeat at a major tournament having never formerly lost a match by more than one objective at a Euros.Star striker Vivianne Miedema

was left defending

scraps and was then replaced one moments before Toone wrapped up the match.”It is a heavy defeat and we didn’t see it coming. We thought we would be able to complete. We

wished to win, we wished to certify straight for the quarter-finals,”said Dutch coach Andries Jonker.Advertisement “We need to think in our opportunities( against France). If not it’s much better not to appear.” England began quick like they did against the French and ought to have been ahead within 10 minutes as Alessia Russo and James, who was transferred to the extreme right to

accomodate Toone in

midfield, both missed outstanding headed opportunities.However James made up for her miss with a terrific private objective, gathering Russo’s pass before shimmying inside and letting loose an unstoppable left-footed shot past Daphne van Domselaar.The only criticism that could have been levelled at England is that they must have been even more ahead early after producing a clutch of chances against the oddly below-par opposition.Advertisement But Stanway made the scoreline show the balance of play in stoppage time at the end of the very first half by drilling home from distance after the Dutch defence again stopped working to deal with a high ball.Unlucky Russo had actually a cool headed goal ruled out for Leah Williamson straying offside practically instantly after the break, however James was on hand to seal the points with half an hour delegated play, rolling home on the rebound after superb play down the best flank from Lauren Hemp.Seven minutes later Toone completed the rout by drilling home low with her left foot and giving England the heavy win which enhanced their hopes of reaching the next round.td/ jc