France closes in on Euro 2025 quarterfinals with a 4-1 win over Wales

ST. GALLEN, Switzerland (AP) — Clara Mateo was involved in three goals as France closed in on the Women’s European Championship quarterfinal places with a 4-1 win over Wales on Wednesday.

The Paris FC forward opened the scoring, was fouled for the penalty that Kadidiatou Diani converted, and then set up Amel Majri for the third goal. France captain Grace Geyoro sealed the result in the 63rd.

It was France’s 10th consecutive win this year.

France tops Group D with six points, three more than England and the Netherlands, while Wales remained bottom with zero points after two games on its tournament debut.

England revived its title defense following its opening loss to France by beating the Netherlands 4-0 earlier Wednesday. England plays Wales in their final group match on Sunday.

France will win the group if it avoids defeat against the Dutch at the same time.

"Nothing is set. We know when we have a game, we play it to win,”said Majri, the player of the match after her first European Championship appearance. The Lyon great missed Euro 2017 through injury and the last edition in 2022 after the birth of her daughter.

“I’ve always looked forward to playing at a Women’s Euro, so I’m really happy," Majri said. “It was a great performance as well from Clara Mateo.”

France coach Laurent Bonadei made a host of changes to his lineup with only four players including the goalkeeper starting again from the 2-1 win over England.

Alice Sombath and newcomer Thiniba Samoura, both 21, formed France women’s youngest ever central-defensive partnership at a major tournament.

Mateo, another change, fired the favorites into an early lead with a fine finish after a corner, but Jess Fishlock equalized in the 14th when she prodded the ball inside the right post. It was Wales’ first goal at a European Championship – scored by the team’s oldest player.

UEFA said Fishlock, 38 years and 176 days old, became the oldest player ever to score at the tournament, beating the record previously held by Northern Ireland’s Julie Nelson, who was 37 years and 33 days old when she scored at the last edition.

“I guess I’ll take that as a compliment!” Fishlock told broadcaster ITV. "I couldn’t get these accolades without my entire team behind me, so I’m very grateful, and maybe after the tournament I’ll let that sink in a little bit more.”

Welsh celebrations were unbridled and the goal seemed to knock the French players off their stride. It took some time before they recovered.

Then Ceri Holland conceded a penalty for a foul on Mateo in the 44th, and Diani scored with a weakly taken spot kick that went in off Wales goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel’s legs before the break.

A mistake from Middleton-Patel after the interval led to the third goal with Mateo winning the ball off the goalkeeper and laying it back for Majri to score in the 53rd.

Middleton-Patel should have stopped Diani’s cross but it fell for Geyoro to complete the scoring.

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

Wales' Jess Fishlock celebrates with teammates after scoring her sides first goal during the Euro 2025, group D, soccer match between France and Wales at Arena St. Gallen in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Wales's Jessica Fishlock celebrates after scoring her side's first goal during the Euro 2025, group D, soccer match between France and Wales at Arena St. Gallen in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Gian Ehrenzeller/Keystone via AP)

France's Kadidiatou Diani shoots a penalty to score during the Euro 2025, group D, soccer match between France and Wales at Arena St. Gallen in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 9, 2025

France's Amel Majri, 2nd left, celebrates with teammates after scoring her sides third goal during the Euro 2025, group D, soccer match between France and Wales at Arena St. Gallen in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

France's Amel Majri, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring her sides third goal during the Euro 2025, group D, soccer match between France and Wales at Arena St. Gallen in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)