JODIE: WE’LL GIVE ‘EM ELLE!
Lionesses ready to end 43-year French hoodoo
JODIE TAYLOR believes England are ready to end a 43-year jinx by beating France in tomorrow’s Euro 2017 quarter-final.
France have two key defenders banned for the clash against the Lionesses following their torrid 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Wednesday.
But England have not beaten their opponents – currently third in the FIFA world rankings – since 1974, and have drawn twice and lost three times to them during Mark Sampson’s reign.
France have beaten England in the last three major tournaments dating back to a penalty shootout defeat in the 2011 World Cup quarter-final.
But the Lionesses came within a whisker of victory against them in the She Believes Cup in March and are now enjoying their best-ever start to a senior women’s tournament.
France playmaker Amandine Henry says: “The English team have good players and are good physically, however, I think technically we are better.” But striker Taylor, the Euros’ leading scorer with four goals from the group matches, hit back: “France have fantastic footballers, but we’ve got great footballers as well. If they underestimate us, then great!
“They are fantastic technicians. But we’re technically great as well – we’re physically great, we’re mentally strong. Everyone’s going to have their own opinion. We have the belief in our team of what we’re capable of. I’m really excited about playing France.” The exchange between the players followed the war of words that broke out between the head coaches in the wake of their final group games when Sampson (left) suggested his French counterpart Olivier Echouafni was “wet behind the ears”.
But while England have won three games out of three to top Group D, scoring 10 and conceding just one, France stumbled over the line in second place in Group C with a late equaliser against the Swiss after Eve Perisset was sent off and captain Wendie Renard received her second yellow card of the tournament. Taylor added: “It’s a great time to play France. They’re missing their captain. She’s a fantastic defender, one of the best players in the world.
“But you can’t underestimate France. They’re a quality side with a lot of experience and they do well against the top teams – and they’ll be up for it no doubt.
“But we’ve got closer and closer – we’re right there with them and it’s going to be a great match.”
Taylor would love to finish as the tournament’s top scorer but, having been rested for Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Portugal, she said: “Ask any forward, they want to win a golden boot. But I would take a gold medal over a golden boot, 100 per cent.
“That’s always the priority for me and everything else is a bonus on top. So let’s win that gold medal first and then a golden boot would be nice.”
ENGLAND (probable): Bardsley, Bronze, Houghton, Bright, Stokes, Moore, J Scott, Nobbs, Kirby, White, Taylor TV: Live on Channel 4