Women's Euro 2022: Grace Geyoro’s hat-trick helps France thrash Italy 5-1

France’s Grace Geyoro celebrates scoring against Italy on Sunday. Pic/Getty Images

France brushed off suggestions of dressing room disquiet to smash Italy 5-1 and launch their Euro 2022 campaign in style on Sunday. Grace Geyoro hit a first half hat-trick as Les Bleues were 5-0 up by the break in Rotherham with Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Delphine Cascarino also on target.

France boss Corinne Diacre controversially left out the experienced Amadine Henry and Eugenie Le Sommer from her squad for the tournament. That move had been questioned as further proof of Diacre's inability to handle big characters after criticism of her handling of the 2019 World Cup on home soil. However, the strength of French women's football still left Diacre a wealth of talent to choose from and it showed as Italy were blown away at the New York Stadium.

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"We wanted to get off to a flying start and show what we are made of from our first game," said Diacre. "Hats off to my players, we felt great synergy between the players on the pitch." The rise of Juventus as a force in the Champions League and upcoming professionalisation of the women's Serie A had seen Italy arrive in England with high hopes.

Milena Bertolini's women even had the first big chance of the game when France goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin produced a stunning stop to turn Barbara Bonansea's powerful shot behind.

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