Tag: Women’s Euro 2022

Heart of a Lioness! England makes history with fairytale Euro 2022 win on home soil

After decades of heartache, football is home

England had seen this script before.

After Ella Toone’s remarkable second-half opener sent Wembley into raptures, the air was sucked out of the building when Lina Magull equalized with just over 10 minutes to go in the Euro 2022 final.

Suddenly, history began to get rather heavy.

Germany had reached the UEFA Women’s Championship final eight times before and won all eight. England had reached the final twice, and lost both.

England hadn’t won a major trophy, men’s or women’s, since 1966.

But this Lioness team was determined to not let history bring them down. Chloe Kelly scrambled home a winner from a corner kick in extra time, giving England a 2-1 win and a history-making European title that will reverberate for generations.

The game put a cap on a Euro 2022 that should boost the profile of women’s soccer worldwide – and especially in Europe. 87,192 fans packed Wembley for the final, the largest crowd to ever see a women’s match in the UK and the biggest attendance ever for any Euros game, men or women.

As for the match itself, it contained some of the less desirable elements that so often characterize major finals: tired legs, crunching challenges, heavy touches and disjointed passages of play. For two teams who have played some beautiful stuff throughout Euro 2022, the game was hardly chock full of magic moments.

But after 62 minutes, there was indeed a moment of magic from the Lionesses. Keira Walsh picked out a perfectly weighted long ball that found Toone, who displayed almost superhuman composure to dink the ball over Merle Frohms into the back of the net.

It was a goal worthy of winning any final, but especially this one in front of a record home crowd. But Germany was never going to play the role of magnanimous pushover.

The visitors came roaring back, with Magull’s equalizer no less than Germany deserved. The air was truly out of the building as England had to hold on to simply reach extra time.

But that’s where the history changed, and a new era began. Kelly’s goal was no less than England, the team and the country deserved, after a tournament that will be remembered for far more than the on-field play.

Football is home. And the world of football will be all the better for it.

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Germany star Alexandra Popp forced out of Euro 2022 final after injury in warm-up

The striker entered the match as the co-leading scorer in Euro 2022

Germany suffered a major blow in the lead-up to kickoff of the Euro 2022 final against England, as star forward Alexandra Popp was forced out of the match with a muscular injury suffered in the warm-up.

Popp entered the match as the co-leading scorer in Euro 2022, as she was tied with England’s Beth Mead with six goals.

The 31-year-old scored a brace in the semifinal against France, leading Germany to their ninth European Championship final.

Lea Schüller replaced Popp in the lineup ahead of kickoff at Wembley.

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Alexandra Popp had the perfect response to jokes about her joining the Germany men’s team

The Germany star is clearly taking it all in stride

Alexandra Popp has had quite the Euro 2022 so far.

The Germany star is tied for the tournament’s Golden Boot lead with six goals so far, and she produced a signature two-goal performance against France in the semifinal to lead her team to Sunday’s final against England.

Popp’s display has been so good, in fact, that some in Germany have begun to jokingly suggest that Germany men’s coach Hansi Flick should consider calling her up for the World Cup later this year.

“We want to open a new chapter with Alexandra…er Alexander Papp,” read a “quote” from Flick on the satirical website Der Postillon. “She…err… he has excellent positional play, a fantastic nose for goals and is ice cold when finishing.”

Fums Magazine suggested Popp don a mustache and be remade into “Alexander Bopp.”

Popp clearly is taking this all in stride. In a press conference before Sunday’s final at Wembley, the forward removed her mask and revealed a fake mustache before approaching the microphone and, in her deepest voice possible, saying: “Hallo.”

And about that trip to Qatar later this year? Popp has ruled it out.

“I’m still in the Champions League,” the Wolfsburg star said with a laugh.

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Popp, Germany overcome France in taut Euro 2022 semifinal

Germany is in their ninth (!) women’s Euro final

Germany and France produced a tense, back-and-forth Euro 2022 semifinal Wednesday, with Alexandra Popp’s brace eventually being enough to send Germany to their ninth European Championship final on the women’s side by a 2-1 margin.

Germany’s high-pressing system saw them gain the upper hand to start, but France was able to just barely keep them from truly serious chances outside of one Alexandra Popp free kick that Pauline Peyraud-Magnin did very well to save.

However, they got the reward for their dominance in the 40th minute, as Svenja Huth and Jule Brand manufactured some space on the right. Huth clipped the ball to the back post, where Popp’s superb run inside of Ève Périsset allowed her to thump a volley into the roof of the net.

Germany seemed in full control, but France stunningly leveled with virtually the last kick of the half. A simple enough move forward from France saw Kadidiatou Diani receive the ball 25 yards from goal, but with multiple Germany defenders close by. Diani turned into some space before unleashing a rocket that beat goalkeeper Merle Frohms, cracked off the post, and then bounced into the goal off of Frohms’ back.

France, buoyed by the first goal anyone had scored on Germany in this tournament, looked sharper coming out of the locker room. Halftime substitute Selma Bacha saw her goal-bound shot headed away at the last gasp by Kathrin Hendrich, while Frohms denied Wendie Renard on the doorstep on the ensuing corner.

However, Popp couldn’t be denied, jumping into a tie with Beth Mead atop the Euro 2022 goalscorers’ chart in the 76th minute. Germany kept an attack alive through multiple cycles, with Huth tracking down a blocked shot that caromed out to the touchline before whipping a cross into the mixer. Amid the chaos, Popp leapt highest, powering Germany back in front.

Germany’s win sets up a potentially epic final between them and England, who crushed Sweden on Tuesday. The Euro 2022 final is set for Sunday, July 31 at Wembley, with kickoff scheduled for 12:00pm Eastern.

All the goals from Germany beating France

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England into Euro 2022 final after storming past Sweden 4-0

Ruthless finishing took England into the Euro 2022 final

A scintillating second half saw England smash Sweden 4-0, taking the hosts into the Euro 2022 final on Sunday.

A frenetic early pace actually favored Sweden, with Mary Earps kicking away a good look from Sofia Jakobsson within the first minute. Stina Blackstenius hit the crossbar shortly thereafter in an end-to-end opening.

Sweden had a distinct advantage in terms of chances, but England struck first in the 34th minute. A break up the left side from Rachel Daly and Lauren Hemp didn’t quite work out, but Lucy Bronze collected the ball before it went out and drove a cross back into the box for Beth Mead, who lashed home a half-volley, her sixth of the tournament.

England then got a further boost barely 70 seconds after the second half got underway. A corner to the back post found Lucy Bronze, whose header sneaked its way through a crowd before tucking into the bottom corner.

Mead—standing directly in front of Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl—was suspected of being offside, but a VAR check cleared the goal, giving England a 2-0 lead.

Hemp then cracked a point-blank sitter off the crossbar after being expertly set up by Alessia Russo. Earps robbed Sweden of a goal, but at the other end the hosts put the game to bed with an extraordinary goal in the 68th minute.

A sublime passing sequence seemed to set up a sure chance for Russo, only for the substitute to fire right at Lindahl. Sweden felt they had escaped, but Russo moved to the rebound and blindly backheeled it, catching Lindahl and everyone else by complete surprise to make it 3-0.

Lindahl’s day went from bad to worse as the veteran failed to catch Fran Kirby’s 76th minute lob, instead having to watch as it slowly bounced over the line for England’s fourth, giving the crowd in Sheffield the chance to start the party early.

England will face either Germany or France in the final, with those two playing their semifinal on Wednesday.

Watch all four of England’s goals

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Backheel nutmeg goal in Euro semifinal? Backheel nutmeg goal in Euro semifinal

England’s Alessia Russo produced a touch of the sublime against Sweden

Alessia Russo saved one of the sauciest goals she’ll ever score for the biggest game of her young career thus far.

With England already up two goals against Sweden in the Euro 2022 semifinal, Russo put the game on ice with an outrageous piece of skill.

Russo was perfectly set up by Fran Kirby but Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl saved her initial shot. After collecting the rebound, Russo surprised Lindahl with a quick-thinking backheel that went through the keeper’s legs for England’s third of the game.

England would go on to win the match 4-0, clinching a berth in Sunday’s final at Wembley against either France or Germany.

England into Euro 2022 final after storming past Sweden 4-0

The Manchester United star has been a spark off the bench for England at Euro 2022, coming on as a substitute in all five of her team’s games so far. She’s scored two goals as the Lionesses have won all of their matches.

Watch Russo’s outrageous goal vs. Sweden

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England just fed Norway into a wood chipper

Records fell at Euro 2022 as the Lionesses demolished their Scandinavian counterparts

Norway was supposed to be a major group-stage test for England, which is aiming to bring home Women’s Euro 2022 on home soil.

Instead, the Lionesses destroyed Norway in a stunning 8-0 victory, laying down a marker as a tournament favorite while humiliating the Scandinavians in a record-setting performance.

England had only snuck by Austria 1-0 in its Group A opener but Monday’s follow-up at the Amex Stadium in Brighton was a comprehensive demonstration of the attacking prowess that Sarina Wiegman’s team possesses.

How bad did it get for Norway? England had already tied a Euros record for most goals in a single game by halftime.

That record fell in the second half as substitute Alessia Russo’s header made it 7-0.

The pair of Lauren Hemp and Beth Mead caused Norway all kinds of problems on the flanks, with the former scoring one and the latter scoring a hat trick, while striker Ellen White also added two goals.

Norway boasts a star-studded attack including the superstar duo of Caroline Graham Hansen and Ada Hegerberg, but its defense was considered a potential liability heading into the tournament.

Consider those fears realized.

Still, Norway won its first game against Northern Ireland, meaning a win against Austria in its group finale will still secure a berth in the quarterfinals. Based on Monday’s performance, there is plenty of work to do.

England, meanwhile, clinched a spot in the last eight and on this evidence appears primed for a deep run on home soil. If nothing else, the Lionesses will long remember a night in Brighton when everything went right.

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ESPN names commentators, including Emma Hayes, for UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 coverage

Some of the biggest names in the game will be on your TV throughout Euro 2022

ESPN today announced the commentary and punditry teams for their coverage of UEFA Women’s Euro 2022.

The studio panel will include, for the first time on U.S. television, Chelsea head coach and 2021 FIFA Best Women’s Coach Emma Hayes as well as Steffi Jones, who won a World Cup and three Euros with Germany during a decorated playing career.

Ian Darke and U.S. women’s national team legend Julie Foudy will be the lead commentary team for the tournament, which runs from July 6-31.

Play-by-play announcers Jenn Hildreth and Jonathan Yardley will also feature, along with color commentary from two more USWNT greats in Lori Lindsey and Danielle Slaton. They will call games from ESPN’s studios in Bristol, Conn., while ESPN will have journalist Alexis Nunes in England as their tournament reporter.

ESPN will have studio programming hosted by Kay Murray and Sebastian Salazar, with Hayes and Jones joined by Foudy, Lindsey, and Slaton on those panels. Former pro referee Christina Unkel will serve as the network’s rules analyst throughout the tournament.

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