Three Lions lost in France

England's Under 18's team drew 1-1 with France in the European Under-18 Championship qualifiers, but it's just not enough to see them through...

France took the lead late in the first half and hung on right until the death, when Katie Chapman, of Fulham, equalised with all but a few seconds left on the clock.

Powell and her charges were left to sweat on the result of the game between Sweden and Spain, which the Spaniards won 2-1. Equal on points with England and sharing the same goal difference, Spain were declared winners of the qualifying tournament on the basis that they had scored more goals - seven  to England's four.

How Amanda Barr will rue her missed penalty against Spain last Wednesday. The Doncaster Belles player, normally so reliable in front of goal, had the chance late on and now must be wondering how different her summer would have been had she hit the back of the net rather than the woodwork.

To say that the players were heart-broken would be no exaggeration but Powell knows that her team have made very real progress in the last 18 months and can look back with satisfaction on a qualifying campaign that took them to the very brink of the final tournament.

Not satisfied with denying England a place in major championships, the French then set about denying the Three Lions victory in the Montaigu friendly tournament in west France

Steve Rutter's side swept all before them in the group games, beating the Czech Republic, Peru and Morocco on their way to yesterday's final.

Unfortunately for Rutter and his boys, the French were not in the mood to see Les Anglais walk off with the trophy again - they came into the tournament as holders - and a goal early in the first half was enough to complete England's weekend of woe.