Reigning European champions England had gone ahead on the half-hour mark at St James' Park when Arsenal's Beth Mead fired home after the ball broke to her in the box.
However, France equalised before the break as Elisa De
Almeida hooked in a volley from a corner, and they stunned the home crowd by
going in front midway through the second half thanks to a fine finish from
inside the box by Paris Saint-Germain striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto.
France then held on to make it three wins out of three as
they sit top of Group 3 in League A, from which the top two will progress
directly to next year's European Championship in Switzerland.
The result potentially complicates the holders' chances of
making the finals, with England now level on four points with Sweden, who won
3-0 away to Ireland in Dublin.
France coach Herve Renard praised the performance as giving
an "important signal" to their rivals.
"It was perhaps not France's best match but we have
shown we can to be strong when we travel.
"It's the reward for teamwork," added Renard,
saying it was "the best possible way to prepare for the Olympic
Games" at home in Paris this summer.
England manager Sarina Wiegman said: "It is very
disappointing. We should have won the game. No matter how good the goals were,
you have a chance to stop it. The first one was fantastic and so was the
second. It is disappointing and we definitely need to tighten up on second
balls."
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd of Chelsea scored twice for Sweden
either side of a goal by Fridolina Rolfo, and Ireland are bottom without a
point halfway through the campaign.
The reverse fixtures take place on Tuesday, when France and
England meet again in Saint-Etienne, with Sarina Wiegman's side now aware that
they can ill afford to suffer another defeat.
Friday's win is a boost for Herve Renard's France side who
are also preparing for their bid for Olympic gold at the upcoming Games on home
soil, at which Spain and Germany will be the other European contenders.
Protester delays Israel game
Spain made it three wins out of three in Group 2 as Hermoso
gave them the lead in Denmark before Mariona Caldentey added a penalty.
The World Cup holders, whose side featured several members
of Barcelona's Champions League-winning line-up even if Aitana Bonmati was left
on the bench, are now three points clear of the Danes at the top of the group.
Behind them, Belgium got their first points with a 2-1 win
in the Czech Republic.
Elsewhere, Germany have maximum points in Group 4 after
recovering from the loss of an early goal to beat Poland 4-1, with Giulia Gwinn
netting twice.
Austria and Iceland drew 1-1 in the same group, while Group
1 leaders the Netherlands defeated Finland 1-0 and Norway played out a goalless
draw with Italy in the same section.
Meanwhile the League B, Group 2 qualifier between Scotland
and Israel in Glasgow was delayed for over half an hour after a demonstrator
avoided security at Hampden Park and chained himself to a goalpost.
Friday's fixture in Glasgow, like the 'return' match in
Hungary on June 4, was taking place behind closed doors, without any
spectators.
That decision was taken against the backdrop of the ongoing
Israel-Gaza conflict.
But on Friday, as pro-Palestinian protests took place
outside Scotland's national stadium, it emerged just before the scheduled 1805
GMT kick-off that somebody had managed to access the arena and attach
themselves to one of Hampden's goalposts with a heavy-looking chain around
their neck.
The protester, wearing a 'Red Card For Israel' T-shirt, was
eventually removed before the teams emerged for a second warm-up, with the game
eventually kicking-off at 1836 GMT.
Scotland won the match 4-1.
AFP