Women’s World Cup 2015: England beaten by France in Group F opener

Familiarity is so often wonderfully reassuring but it can also provoke acute disappointment. On a day when the wet, windy weather proved rather too quintessentially English for the liking of Mark Sampson’s players, France also proved infuriatingly typical.

England have not beaten their neighbours from across the Channel since 1974 and the slenderness of the scoreline, with the two side’s separated only by Eugénie Le Sommer’s first-half strike, disguises the superiority of a French side now clear favourites to top Group F. Granted Les Bleus could have had Camille Abily sent off for a snide elbow on Laura Bassett but by then victory was all but secured.

While this defeat is not exactly disastrous Sampson will be concerned by the lack of chances his team created and knows that, if they are to progress, England must up their game in subsequent group fixtures against Mexico and Colombia.

The Welshman is big on surprises and true to his reputation as the great rotator of the women’s game, he chose Moncton as the venue for unveiling a brand new England formation. This 4-1-4-1 system featured Lucy Bronze, normally a right-back or central defender, stationed wide on the left of midfield, Ellen White, usually a centre forward, on the right wing and Fara Williams sitting deep in the quasi-sweeping role.

Initially at least it certainly succeeded in fazing a France team deployed in characteristic 4-4-2 guise. Assiduously closed down by Sampson’s personnel, Philippe Bergeroo’s side were at first forced to resort to a series of unusually long, rather aimless, balls.

If Eniola Aluko was struggling in a rather thankless lone attacking role for England, at least Jill Scott was making her presence felt in central midfield. It was largely thanks to Scott that France took time to settle into a familiar slick passing groove in front of a disappointingly small crowd in Moncton.

A 13,000 sellout had been predicted but the ground looked barely half-full with locals largely opting to stay away. This bilingual city in the eastern “Maritime” Canadian province of New Brunswick had appeared the ideal venue for these teams but with dark rain clouds hovering in the humid skies and a capricious wind blowing, the residents of the French speaking suburb of Dieppe and English speaking Riverview had evidently decided to stay indoors.

An initially slow start vindicated their decision but, almost imperceptibly, the entertainment value rose. As the rain shower which had greeted kick-off finally, if temporarily, cleared so France began emerging from their shells. Suddenly remembering how to retain possession, they began moving the ball around too slickly even for Scott.

England’s defence received a warning when Le Sommer unleashed a left foot volley. It was deflected to safety off Alex Scott but shortly afterwards Louisa Nécib showed off a cute dummy and dispatched an awkward cross shot which had Karen Bardsley sprawling to save.

Then came the sort of moment Sampson must have dreaded. Attempting to pass her way out of defence, Bassett played Katie Chapman into trouble and the midfielder swiftly conceded possession to Le Sommer. From 20 yards she proceeded to squeeze a splendid rising shot inside a post.

With Scott and the outstanding Claire Rafferty in particular fighting back, all was not lost. Yet as intelligently as Rafferty, back at left-back following her recovery from a third ruptured cruciate ligament, was defending against the dangerous Élodie Thomis her side were up against it.

Although England did have one first-half scoring chance – shot wide by Chapman – they had Bardsley to thank for reacting smartly to keep Abily’s shot out.

While France continued to rather hog the ball in the second half, England increasingly pacified their key players. Le Sommer, however, simply refused to be subdued and, having forced Bardsley into another decent save she soon directed a volley slightly off target.

In between Gallic interchanges Scott was presented with a shooting chance but could only direct is straight at Sarah Bouhaddi, the France goalkeeper. That was a shame as with Wendie Renard excelling in central defence for her side such openings were always going to be few and far between.

The moment for Sampson to switch things around had arrived and Toni Duggan came on for the selfless White.

England’s coach had made much of his team’s ability to switch to Plan B mid-match and the subsequent introduction of a forward, Fran Kirby, for Alex Scott served to emphasise this.

A shift to 4-3-3 ensued but England were very lucky that Abily’s menacing, seemingly goalbound volley was fortuitously deflected off course by Steph Houghton.

Not that the France bench will have been too upset – it appeared that Abily had elbowed Bassett in the preamble and they were surely relieved to have escaped what could have been a red card.

With Le Sommer withdrawn, France – now with five in midfield – seemed content to hold on for a deceptively narrow win. Such containment tactics can prove high risk but the only threat England could muster was a shot from Aluko which flew high and wide. It seemed entirely emblematic of their afternoon.