Labour leader Keir Starmer and deputy Angela Rayner were among the passionate crowd at St James' Park in Newcastle, rallying behind the England Lionesses as they secured a dramatic 2-1 win over France in their Euro 2025 qualifier.
The match, held on Tuesday evening, saw the return of captain Leah Williamson, who led the team with resilience after recovering from injury. The victory keeps England's hopes alive for automatic qualification to next year's tournament in Switzerland.
A Night of High Stakes and Celebrations
With over 40,000 fans in attendance, the atmosphere was electric as Georgia Stanway opened the scoring with a penalty in the first half. France equalized before halftime, but a second-half strike from Alessia Russo sealed the win for the Lionesses.
Starmer and Rayner, both vocal supporters of women's football, were seen cheering enthusiastically from the stands. The Labour leader later praised the team's "grit and determination" in a post on social media.
Road to Euro 2025
This crucial win puts England second in their qualifying group, behind only Sweden on goal difference. The Lionesses face another tough test against France in Saint-Étienne on Friday, where another strong performance could edge them closer to tournament qualification.
Manager Sarina Wiegman commended her squad's performance, particularly highlighting Williamson's leadership: "Leah's return has brought stability to our defence when we needed it most."
