It was dubbed a must-not-lose match for England, and Sarina Wiegman’s side more than answered the call.
On a cooler evening at Zurich’s Letzigrund Stadium, where the temperature barely touched 21°C, the Lionesses turned up the heat with a dominant 4–0 win over the Netherlands that keeps their UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 hopes very much alive.
The crowd inside the stadium felt split in allegiance, with audible support for both sides, but it was England who seized the narrative.The Dutch had the first look-in inside five minutes, forcing goalkeeper Hannah Hampton into early action.
Stepping into the gloves recently vacated by Mary Earps, Hampton will have been keen to stamp her authority on the number one shirt. And she did just that, commanding her area and launching attacks from the back, one of which led to the game’s breakthrough.
That moment came courtesy of Lauren James. After collecting Hampton’s clever release, James weaved past defenders with a kind of magnetic grace before unleashing a thunderous strike into the top corner. 1-0 England, and a highlight reel goal to match the rising chorus that she may well be the world’s next best. Moments like that justify the hype when it really matters.
Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp buzzed down the wings as England pressed forward. Alessia Russo went close with a header early on, while James took a painful knock to the face, but it didn’t stop the Lionesses’ momentum.
England controlled the ball, dictated the tempo, and had the Dutch scrambling.On the cusp of half-time, they doubled their lead. Georgia Stanway rifled one from range, a bullet that left the Dutch keeper grasping at thin air. England entered the break 2-0 up and full of purpose.
And they weren’t done. Just minutes into the second half, England thought they’d added a third. It was slick and confident, until VAR intervened. Another narrow offside call, not unlike the one that cost them against France, and the celebrations were cut short. But the let-off didn’t spark the Dutch into life.
Instead, it was James again who took full advantage of a defensive lapse to grab her second of the night. A simple finish, but one that summed up England’s sharpness and the Netherlands’ collapse. 3-0.
Jonker turned to his bench, bringing on the dependable Daniëlle van de Donk in a bid to restore control. But it was too late. The Dutch, who looked so cohesive in their opening win over Wales, were now disjointed and exposed. England were flying.
Ella Toone rounded off the demolition job with England’s fourth. Sliding home after a sweeping move that embodied the Lionesses’ slick second-half display. While the Netherlands continue to navigate a transition period, with coach Andries Jonker set to depart after the tournament, they’ll need to regroup quickly before facing France. For England, the message is clear: they’re not just back in the hunt, they’ve sent a statement.
A must-not-lose became a must-remember.
