Despite a disappointing defeat to France on Friday, England will go into their July camp knowing that wins over Ireland and Sweden will secure automatic qualification for the 2025 European Championship. Pessimistic fans would not have expected it to be in the Lionesses' hands after Les Bleues dealt them a real setback last week, but Sarina Wiegman's side bounced back brilliantly, securing a first win away in France since 1973 on Tuesday to ensure they go into their last two games in a good position.
That disastrous record across the channel would've been on the minds of those who made the short journey across to Saint-Etienne, with England's last win in such circumstances coming in a match where only two 35-minute halves were played. However, the Lionesses started brilliantly, creating enough chances to score more than the two goals they did by the break.
Wiegman couldn't count on No.1 goalkeeper Mary Earps for that second meeting with France, owing to a hip injury she innocuously picked up in the opening seconds of their first encounter four days earlier. Yet, it didn't matter because Hannah Hampton, her understudy, came up with a huge save in the final moments to preserve a 2-1 win, a reverse of the scoreline Les Bleues triumphed by in Newcastle.
England are still third in their qualifying group, but now sit level on points with Sweden and two behind France. Beat an Ireland side set to finish fourth in Norwich next month and follow it up with victory over the Scandinavian nation in Gothenburg, and the Lionesses can look ahead to booking in some friendlies for the second half of 2024. Fall short and it'll be the play-offs, where dangerous sides such as Italy and Belgium could be lurking to deny them a shot at defending their European title.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from England's latest camp...