Saturday 21 October 2017 13:05, UK
England Women brought a difficult week to a close by conceding a last-gasp goal to France at the end of a technical game of precious few chances to go down 1-0 in Valenciennes.
Substitute Viviane Asseye headed home in the 89th minute of Friday night's international friendly after England keeper Siobhan Chamberlain lost the flight of the ball from a reaching cross, as England fell to defeat at the end of a second half they had largely controlled.
England had played with good tempo without really testing Sarah Bouhaddi in the France goal, Jodie Taylor going closest for the visitors when she just failed to get on the end of a cross from substitute Melissa Lawley.
The game was England's only friendly before World Cup qualifying resumes next month with games against Bosnia and Kazakhstan, as the FA's search for a successor to Mark Sampson, who was dismissed in September, continues in earnest.
In caretaker manager Mo Marley's first game in charge, England took the game to their hosts in confident fashion in the first half, moving the ball with some assurance without ever finding the right final ball to stretch the France defence.
The home team made the only real opening of the first half, Valerie Gauvin finding space in between England's central defensive pair of Steph Houghton and Millie Bright and planting a deft header on goal which was brilliantly tipped past the post by Chamberlain.
England had only beaten France once in the last 43 years, that win coming en route to the European Championship semi-finals in the Netherlands in the summer, and Marley's players controlled the ball like a side who can expect to go deep into the tournament when the World Cup is staged here in two years' time.
But it was a performance dogged by a lack of precision, with Houghton nearly encapsulating England's problems when she carelessly lost the ball to Eugénie Le Sommer 30 yards from goal, the forward's low strike well saved by Chamberlain.
Euro 2017 Golden Boot winner Taylor had England's clearest-cut chance to win the game, just failing to make contact six yards from goal as the ball flashed across the face after a wicked cross from the debutant Lawley.
But France had the last word when Asseye capitalised on Chamberlain's lapse to leave England frustrated.
A typically assured display from the England skipper. Along with central defensive partner Millie Bright, she ensured there was little chance for the technically adept front four of France to find the room they needed to play in and, save for a hairy moment when Gauvin was afforded space to head at goal, there was little encouragement afforded as France were largely frustrated.
England resume World Cup qualifying against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Walsall on Friday, November 24, before hosting Kazakhstan at Colchester United on Tuesday, November 28 (both 7.05pm kick-offs).
