England women vs France match report: Lionesses defeated in first match since Mark Sampson's sacking

Defeat by a last minute goal by the substitute Vivianne Asseyi in England’s first match since the dismissal of the head coach Mark Sampson followed further turbulence in the women’s set-up with another departure from the squad’s senior staff, the goalkeeping coach Lee Kendall being sent home hours before the game as an “open investigation” began over his addressing of the Chelsea striker Eni Aluko in a fake Caribbean accent while she was part of Sampson’s national squad.

Against the background of what the sport minister Tracey Crouch has described as the “whole sorry saga” of the Football Association’s embarrassing and hugely damaging situation around Sampson and Aluko, subject of Wednesday’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport committee hearing, a friendly international seemed almost a sideshow.

Not from the French point of view, however. Valenciennes’ impressive Stade du Hainaut, the northern-most of the nine venues around France that will host the 2019 Women’s World Cup finals, was three-quarters full as Les Bleues looked to avenge July’s 1-0 quarter-final defeat by England at the European Championships in the Netherlands.

That was the first time in 20 outings spread over the last 43 years that England had triumphed against their near neighbours and perennial nemesis. And the status quo was re-instated when Asseyi headed home after the goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain had failed to catch a cross.

England had made a sound start to the game and produced the first shot of the night, the striker Jodie Taylor sending a 20-yard effort over the bar. More serious danger began arriving at the other end, however, the Chamberlain diving full length to keep out the striker Valerie Gauvin’s 31st minute header.

In a bright opening to the second period the England right back Lucy Bronze headed just wide from a Jordan Nobbs corner. Les Bleues regained the initiative to win the game, but England had produced a decent performance.

So Marley’s first match in charge ended in defeat, but she will have further chances to demonstrate her credentials for taking on the head coach role permanently in two World Cup qualifiers next month, at home to Bosnia & Herzegovina and Kazakhstan.

The FA plan to have the new coach in place by January and Marley, 50, a former England captain and Everton manager, will be a leading contender and – having been in the FA fold for 16 years as the Under-19 women’s team head coach – will doubtlessly be seen as a safe pair of hands.

Her cause could be strengthened following last night’s statement by Baroness Sue Campbell, the FA’s head of women’s football, that the players will be given a say in the process of choosing the next coach: every single member of the current senior squad came through Marley’s Under-19 team.

France (4-3-3): S. Bouhaddi; M. Torrent, H. Sissoko, W. Renard, A. Majri; E. Le Sommer, G. Geyoro, A. Diallo; I. Jaurema (L. Le Garrec 69), V. Gauvin (O. Sarr 69), K. Diani (V. Asseyi 81).

England (4-2-3-1): S. Chamberlain; L. Bronze, S. Houghton, M. Bright, D. Stokes; F. Williams (J. Moore 62), J. Scott; K. Carney (M. Lawley 62), J. Nobbs, T. Duggan (I. Christiansen 84); J. Taylor (N. Parris 84).

Referee Ms J. Adamkova (Czech Republic)