Lauren James shines as England thrashes Netherlands 4-0 to revive Euro title defense

ZURICH (AP) — A “proper” England performance saw the Lionesses get the defense of their Women’s European Championship title firmly back on track with a 4-0 win over the Netherlands on Wednesday, thanks to a Lauren James double.

James showed precisely why she had been selected despite not having played for more than two months when the squad was announced in June because of injury. The Chelsea forward was at the heart of England’s attacks and scored a sumptuous opener in the 22nd minute before netting her side’s third on the hour mark.

James has been directly involved in 16 goals in her last 13 starts for England, with eight goals and eight assists.

Georgia Stanway doubled England’s lead on the stroke of halftime and Ella Toone wrapped up the result in the 67th as the Lionesses, watched by Prince William, gave the perfect response to their 2-1 defeat to France.

"This is about showing who we are,” Stanway told the BBC. “We want to go back to proper England. LJ (Lauren James) set the tone with that goal and we all just followed.”

Player-of-the-match Alessia Russo elaborated.

“I think proper English to us just means we’ll work hard, we’ll work until we can’t run anymore, we stick together,” she said. "That’s our standard and our DNA as a team and we definitely saw that today from the first minute right until the end.

“(We) probably could have scored even more as well ... it was definitely something that we wanted to return to and we know that we’re capable of performances like that.”

It was a far more positive performance from England than against France, when it became the first titleholder to lose its opening match at a women’s Euros.

The manner of that defeat was as disappointing as the result, which left England facing possible elimination if it lost to the Netherlands and France avoided a shock defeat against Wales later Wednesday.

France ultimately defeated Wales 4-1 to take charge of Group D with six points from two games, three more than England and the Netherlands.

England plays Wales in their final group match on Sunday, when the Netherlands faces France.

“We have to believe in our chances,” Netherlands coach Andries Jonker said. “If not it’s better not to show up.”

The Netherlands, which beat Wales 3-0 in their opener, had never previously lost a match at a major tournament by more than a single goal — apart from the 2019 World Cup final.

“It is a heavy defeat and we didn’t see it coming," Jonker said. "We thought we would be able to compete.

“We wanted to win, we wanted to qualify directly for the quarterfinals. But I really don’t care this is the heaviest defeat ever.”

The Dutch appeared timid and toothless against a rampant England side. Sarina Wiegman's team dominated from the start against her native Netherlands and had two good chances in the opening 10 minutes with James and Russo both heading narrowly wide.

England took a deserved lead in stunning fashion.

Russo ran onto a long kick from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and surged forward before cutting it back to James, who carved out some space on the edge of the area before lashing a fierce strike into the top right corner.

It was only James' third appearance since injuring her hamstring in April and the 23-year-old was again involved when England doubled its lead in the second minute of first-half stoppage time.

The Dutch defense failed to clear her free kick properly and the ball came out to Stanway for a low drive into the bottom left corner from 20 yards.

England thought it had extended its advantage shortly after the break but Russo’s header was ruled out as Leah Williamson was offside in the buildup.

England did get a third on the hour mark. Lauren Hemp did well on the right flank and whipped in a cross for Toone. Her shot was blocked but James tucked away the rebound.

Toone got her goal seven minutes later with a precise strike into the bottom right corner.

James was given a standing ovation by the England fans when she was substituted moments after her side’s fourth goal.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

William, Prince of Wales stands on the tribune before the Euro 2025, group D, soccer match between England and the Netherlands at Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

England's Ella Toone celebrates after scoring her side's fourth goal during the Euro 2025, group D, soccer match between England and the Netherlands at Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

England head coach Sarina Wiegman stands by the touchline during the Euro 2025, group D, soccer match between England and the Netherlands at Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

From left, England's Ella Toone, England's Lauren James, England's Georgia Stanway, England's Alex Greenwood and England's Alessia Russo celebrate their side's third goal during the Euro 2025, group D, soccer match between England and the Netherlands in Zurich, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Gaetan Bally/Keystone via AP)

England's Lauren James, left, scores the opening goal during theEuro 2025, group D, soccer match between England and the Netherlands in Zurich, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via AP)

England's Lauren James, right, celebrates with England's Alessia Russo after scoring the opening goal during theEuro 2025, group D, soccer match between England and the Netherlands in Zurich, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via AP)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — World champions Ilia Malinin and the ice dance duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates will anchor one of the strongest U.S. Figure Skating teams in history when they head to Italy for the Milan Cortina Olympics in less than a month.

Malinin, fresh off his fourth straight national title, will be the prohibitive favorite to follow in the footsteps of Nathan Chen by delivering another men's gold medal for the American squad when he steps on the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Chock and Bates, who won their record-setting seventh U.S. title Saturday night, also will be among the Olympic favorites, as will world champion Alysa Liu and women's teammate Amber Glenn, fresh off her third consecutive national title.

U.S. Figure Skating announced its full squad of 16 athletes for the Winter Games during a made-for-TV celebration Sunday.

"I'm just so excited for the Olympic spirit, the Olympic environment," Malinin said. “Hopefully go for that Olympic gold.”

Malinin will be joined on the men's side by Andrew Torgashev, the all-or-nothing 24-year-old from Coral Springs, Florida, and Maxim Naumov, the 24-year-old from Simsbury, Connecticut, who fulfilled the hopes of his late parents by making the Olympic team.

Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were returning from a talent camp in Kansas when their American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the icy Potomac River in January 2025. One of the last conversations they had with their son was about what it would take for him to follow in their footsteps by becoming an Olympian.

“We absolutely did it,” Naumov said. “Every day, year after year, we talked about the Olympics. It means so much in our family. It's what I've been thinking about since I was 5 years old, before I even know what to think. I can't put this into words.”

Chock and Bates helped the Americans win team gold at the Beijing Games four years ago, but they finished fourth — one spot out of the medals — in the ice dance competition. They have hardly finished anywhere but first in the years since, winning three consecutive world championships and the gold medal at three straight Grand Prix Finals.

U.S. silver medalists Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik also made the dance team, as did the Canadian-born Christina Carreira, who became eligible for the Olympics in November when her American citizenship came through, and Anthony Ponomarenko.

Liu was picked for her second Olympic team after briefly retiring following the Beijing Games. She had been burned out by years of practice and competing, but stepping away seemed to rejuvenate the 20-year-old from Clovis, California, and she returned to win the first world title by an American since Kimmie Meissner stood atop the podium two decades ago.

Now, the avant-garde Liu will be trying to help the U.S. win its first women's medal since Sasha Cohen in Turin in 2006, and perhaps the first gold medal since Sarah Hughes triumphed four years earlier at the Salt Lake City Games.

Her biggest competition, besides a powerful Japanese contingent, could come from her own teammates: Glenn, a first-time Olympian, has been nearly unbeatable the past two years, while 18-year-old Isabeau Levito is a former world silver medalist.

"This was my goal and my dream and it just feels so special that it came true,” said Levito, whose mother is originally from Milan.

The two pairs spots went to Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea, the U.S. silver medalists, and the team of Emily Chan and Spencer Howe.

The top American pairs team, two-time reigning U.S. champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, were hoping that the Finnish-born Efimova would get her citizenship approved in time to compete in Italy. But despite efforts by the Skating Club of Boston, where they train, and the help of their U.S. senators, she did not receive her passport by the selection deadline.

“The importance and magnitude of selecting an Olympic team is one of the most important milestones in an athlete's life,” U.S. Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell said, "and it has such an impact, and while there are sometimes rules, there is also a human element to this that we really have to take into account as we make decisions and what's best going forward from a selection process.

“Sometimes these aren't easy," Farrell said, “and this is not the fun part.”

The fun is just beginning, though, for the 16 athletes picked for the powerful American team.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Amber Glenn competes during the women's free skating competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Alysa Liu skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Maxim Naumov skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Madison Chock and Evan Bates skate during the "Making the Team" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Gold medalist Ilia Malinin arrives for the metal ceremony after the men's free skate competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)