Lionesses vs Netherlands LIVE!
England put their first-day disappointment behind them as they thrashed the Netherlands 4-0 on matchday two at Euro 2025.
The Lionesses needed to move their 2-1 defeat by France to the back of their minds as they returned to the Stadion Letzigrund to play a Dutch side that had swept Wales aside 3-0 in their opener. However, the form book was torn up by the defending champions, who ensured that their campaign is back on track after a superb display in Switzerland.
Lauren James was the two-goal hero, while Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone both got in on the act on a fine day for Sarina Wiegman, who got one over on her home country and former employers.
England vs Netherlands latest news
- Toone adds a fourth
- James doubles her tally
- Stanway doubles advantage
- James scores beauty to open scoring
FT: England 4-0 Netherlands
18:52 , Oli GentThere we have it, and what a way to put that first-day disappointment behind them. The defending champions are back.
England 4-0 Netherlands
18:5090 mins: Three added minutes.
England 4-0 Netherlands
18:48 , Oli Gent89 mins: It’s a party atmosphere in Zurich as the England fans burst into a rendition of Sweet Caroline.
England 4-0 Netherlands
18:45 , Oli Gent87 mins: Damaris Egurrola comes on for Jackie Groenen.
England 4-0 Netherlands
18:42 , Oli Gent85 mins: A double change for the Lionesses as Russo and Bronze make way for Aggie Beever-Jones and Niamh Charles.
England 4-0 Netherlands
18:42 , Oli Gent83 mins: Great save! A lovely one and two-touch move from England ends with a snap-shot sidefoot from Russo, who forces a good save from Van Donselaar. Corner.
England 4-0 Netherlands
18:41 , Oli Gent82 mins: It’s been the tale of the Dutch’s day as another pass goes astray, straight into the path of Clinton in centre-field.
England 4-0 Netherlands
18:39 , Oli Gent80 mins: The Dutch are pushing for what would prove to be only a consolation, but the Lionesses are holding firm in defence.
England 4-0 Netherlands
18:34 , Oli Gent75 mins: Hemp is replaced by Beth Mead, and Toone comes off for Grace Clinton.
England 4-0 Netherlands
18:29 , Oli Gent70 mins: Chloe Kelly replaces Lauren James, and is immediately fouled by Dijkstra, who earns herself a booking. James receives cheers of adulation as she does a lap of the pitch en route back to the dugout.
England 4-0 Netherlands
18:27 , Oli GentGoal! 67 mins: It’s four, and Ella Toone gets in on the act! It’s Russo feeding Toone this time, as she patiently holds it up and waits for her close friend to support her in the box. The Manchester United midfielder makes space for a shot, and it squeezes past Van Domselaar!
England 3-0 Netherlands
18:2565 mins: Viv Miedema is sacrificed as Daniella Van de Donk replaces her.
Simon Collings reports
18:2162 mins: Hampton at it again in the build-up to that goal. Her passing has been superb today. An area of the game where she excels ahead of Mary Earps.
England 3-0 Netherlands
18:19 , Oli GentGoal! 60 mins: It’s three, and James doubles her tally! It takes England four times to get it into the net, as Hampton sends Hemp away down the right. Russo and Toone both have swipes, but it ricochets into the path of James, who slots home.
England 2-0 Netherlands
18:1455 mins: Corner, Netherlands. Palova drives through the heart of England and breaks into the box. She goes for goal herself, but Jess Carter blocks. Greenwood with the clearing header at the near post.
Simon Collings reports
18:1153 mins: One of the main takeaways from this tournament so far? Sarina Wiegman hates VAR. She is raging at that decision.
England 2-0 Netherlands
18:10 , Oli Gent51 mins: No goal! England think that they’ve made it three, as Greenwood picks the ball up from Williamson. Russo nods home, but the strike is disallowed, with Williamson ruled offside in the build-up!
England 2-0 Netherlands
18:08 , Oli Gent49 mins: Spitse’s arrival on the scene will give a sense of calm to the Dutch. She’s immediately taken the armband, and control of the ball when they’re in possession.
England 2-0 Netherlands
18:05 , Oli Gent47 mins: Three changes for the Dutch.
Sherida Spitse is on for Buurman, Caitlin Dijkstra is on for Brugts, and Lineth Beerensteyn replaces Jill Roord.
Kick off
18:04 , Oli Gent46 mins: We’re back underway.
Half time
17:49 , Oli GentThere’s the interval. A superb opening 45 from Wiegman’s side.
Simon Collings reports
17:49 , Oli Gent45+3 mins: Yup, it's an outstanding half now.
England 2-0 Netherlands
17:47Goal! 45+2 mins: It’s two, and it’s Georgia Stanway! The free kick is hung up and nodded clear, but it bobbles into the path of Stanway, who takes a swipe, and finds the target with a super strike!
England 1-0 Netherlands
17:46 , Oli Gent45+1 mins: Three added minutes.
England 1-0 Netherlands
17:46 , Oli Gent45 mins: Chance missed! England stream forward in numbers, and James has a chance here to beat the last player and go one-on-one, but she fluffs her lines!
England 1-0 Netherlands
17:43 , Oli Gent43 mins: James picks the ball up in the half-space and drives a ball up to Russo in the box. She’s surrounded by two Dutch defenders and gets her head to it but glances it wide of the far post.
Simon Collings reports
17:39 , Oli Gent41 mins: Big five minutes coming up now. This has been a great half for England, another goal would turn it into an outstanding one.
England 1-0 Netherlands
17:39 , Oli Gent39 mins: Good save! Toone drifts left and aims a cross in at Russo. She glances the header towards the far corner, but Van Domselaar gets down to keep it out and then smother at the second time of asking ahead of James.
England 1-0 Netherlands
17:37 , Oli Gent36 mins: Apart from Russo’s header, there haven’t been that many sightings of goal for either side. I say that as Walsh gets around James and whips in a ball for Hemp who throws herself at it! But she can’t direct the header goalwards.
England 1-0 Netherlands
17:34 , Oli Gent33 mins: Corner, England. Well played, Russo, in the corner, using her physicality to earn the set play, Greenwood comes over to take an inswinger, but Van Domselaar claims ahead of Williamson.
England 1-0 Netherlands
17:31 , Oli Gent30 mins: England are pushing for a second and not letting up. James is looking alive since her goal.
England 1-0 Netherlands
17:27 , Oli Gent26 mins: The Lionesses are defending well as the Netherlands come forward in search of an equaliser. They’re getting tight and not letting them have any time on the ball whatsoever.
Simon Collings reports
17:25 , Oli Gent24 mins: Another of Wiegman's changes - shifting James onto the flank - pays off. What a hit that is. Outrageous.
England 1-0 Netherlands
17:23 , Oli GentGoal! 22 mins: The Lionesses have lift-off, and it’s Lauren James. Hampton’s spectacular outside of the boot pass finds Russo upfield, and she holds the play up before feeding James. The winger cuts inside onto her left, and arrows a finish inside the near post!
England 0-0 Netherlands
17:21 , Oli Gent21 mins: Poor pass from Carter as she looked square for Greenwood outside her. a throw for the Dutch just inside England territory, but Miedema can’t control it, and Williamson tidies up.
England 0-0 Netherlands
17:2019 mins: Free kick, England. Hampton picks out James wide right with a pinpoint ping. The winger is down after the challenge from Buurman, and the Lionesses have a set piece.
England 0-0 Netherlands
17:16 , Oli Gent16 mins: Russo is running the channels selflessly so far, and is picked out by Williamson with a clip down the right. It’s worked back to Bronze, who sends a cross in from deep, but Van Domselaar claims easily with no-one attacking the delivery.
Simon Collings reports
17:13 , Oli Gent14 mins: Hemp looking very bright on that left flank, especially with Greenwood's passing ability behind her. Promising stuff.
England 0-0 Netherlands
17:12 , Oli Gent12 mins: Penalty shout! Lauren Hemp is a real thorn in the Dutch side as Hampton ventures a fair way out of her area to ping one forwards towards the left winger. The ball bounces and Hemp is clattered by Casparij, but the referee deems it to be a fair shoulder-to-shoulder challenge.
England 0-0 Netherlands
17:09 , Oli Gent10 mins: What a chance! Lauren Hemp jinks down the left and clips in a lovely ball towards Russo in the middle, but the striker can only nod wide of the target!
England 0-0 Netherlands
17:08 , Oli Gent9 mins: There is the run in behind that Wiegman was talking about as Greenwood’s raking ball over the top looks for Toone, who peels off the back of the Dutch defence. Van Domselaar sweeps up well, however, but England come again.
England 0-0 Netherlands
17:06 , Oli Gent6 mins: Warning sign for England down their left side as Greenwood is caught out of position stepping into midfield.
Grant looks to deliver towards Miedema, but Williamson does enough to put her off.
England 0-0 Netherlands
17:05 , Oli Gent5 mins: Nervy start from the Dutch as Palova gives the ball away cheaply. Hemp has a go at her Man City team-mate Casparij down the left, standing it up to the back post where James meets it with a header! But it’s wide of the target.
Simon Collings reports
17:02 , Oli Gent3 mins: Jess Carter at centre-back and Greenwood outside her. Feels the right call after the joy France got down England's left.
Kick off
17:01 , Oli Gent1 min: We’re underway in Zurich.
Prince William is here
16:58 , Oli GentThe Prince of Wales, the president of the Football Association, is in attendance at the Stadion Letzigrund.
The players are out
16:54 , Oli Gent... and here come the national anthems!
Key battles
16:51 , Oli GentWhat are the standout individual battles to watch out for today?
Esmee Brugts will have her hands full against Lauren James down the England right as the Chelsea forward moves to the right-wing from the No10 berth.
There will be plenty of intrigue as to who will reign supreme in the engine room, with Stanway and Walsh isolated in big vacuums of space at times against France.
Viv Miedema is a familiar face to Alex Greenwood as the two Man City team-mates go up against each other, and Leah Williamson will also be very aware of the Dutchwoman’s abilities, having played alongside her at Arsenal.
More from Wiegman
16:42 , Oli Gent"They [fans] can expect a competitive game with two very good teams,” Wiegman told the BBC.
"What we want to express is a very strong team with good football going forward.
“[Ella Toone] came on good [against France]. What we want is runs in-behind.
"We know that's what she can bring to the team. We made that tactical decision for this game.
"We want to play well. We want to stay connected, but if necessary we want to fight for the win and show what we can do."
Wiegman's pre-match thoughts
16:30 , Oli GentSarina Wiegman has given her thoughts ahead of this evening’s encounter...
"We wanted to play as quick as possible and show again who we are,” she said of the game against France.
"It was a disappointing result. We have the opportunity to show who we are - that we're a good team, that we are connected, that we can fight if necessary and that we can play good football too."
"LJ [Lauren James] is a bit higher up the pitch - she can go in-behind quicker. With Toone, she has played a lot in midfield for us too. She can bring a lot of runs in-behind and exploit the space."
How do you rate the England team?
16:16 , Oli GentJust the one change from the France defeat, with Beth Mead dropped to the bench in favour of Ella Toone.
Toone will move into the number 10 hole behind Russo, with Lauren James shifting out wide.
Should there have been more, though?
Netherlands line-up
16:10 , Oli Gent... and here’s how the Oranje start this one:
Confirmed Netherlands XI: Van Domselaar; Casparij, Janssen, Buurman, Brugts; Groenen, Kaptein; Pelova, Roord, Grant; Miedema.
Subs: De Jong, Kop, Beerensteyn, Damaris, Dijkstra, Van de Donk, Jansen, Leuchter, Snoeijs, Spitse, Wilms, Van der Zanden.
Lionesses line-up
16:00 , Oli GentHere is how Sarina Wiegman lines her side up this evening...
Confirmed England XI: Hampton; Bronze, Williamson, Greenwood, Carter; Stanway, Walsh; James, Toone, Hemp; Russo.
Subs: Charles, Mead, Le Tissier, Moorhouse, Clinton, Morgan, Agyemang, Kelly, Beever-Jones, Park, Keating, Wubber-Moy.
What do Lionesses need to progress?
15:45 , Oli GentWhat are the permutations for the rest of Group D? How will the Lionesses progress?
You can find all the details here.
Standard Sport prediction
15:33 , Oli GentThis is a real test of the Lionesses’ mettle.
How will they fare under the most intense of pressure?
The Netherlands looked good in their opener, but were playing a weak Welsh side.
England have a stronger squad on paper, but this is all about delivering when it really matters.
England to win, 2-1
Netherlands team news
15:09 , Oli GentVivianne Miedema is likely to start for the Dutch after she scored her 100th international goal against Wales.
Lineth Beerensteyn could also be in line for more minutes as she continues her comeback from a long injury lay-off.
Otherwise, Andries Jonker has a full complement to pick from.
Lionesses team news
14:51 , Oli GentThere are no injury worries for England ahead of this one, with Lauren James, their biggest fitness concern pre-tournament, starting against France on matchday one.
Wiegman made three changes on the hour in the first match, with Jess Carter, Beth Mead, and James all replaced.
How many will keep their places today, or will she shake things up?
How to watch
14:34TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live, for free, on the BBC. Coverage starts at 4.15pm BST on BBC One ahead of a 5pm kick-off.
Live stream: BBC iPlayer will offer a live stream service, which is free with a TV licence.
Hello and welcome!
14:29 , Oli Gent... to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of the Lionesses’ Euro 2025 encounter against the Netherlands.
The onus is on England to get a crucial three points this evening, else they could crash out at the first hurdle of their title defence.
Kick off is at 5pm BST at the Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich.
Stay tuned for all the updates, with expert analysis to come from Simon Collings.
