UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 final preview: What can we expect?
England will look to claim their maiden Women’s European Championship crown later today, as they take on Germany.
The game will be a repeat of the 2009 final, which saw Germany emerge victorious 6-2.
However, Sarina Wiegman’s side will be determined to go one better this time round, in front of an expected sold out crowd at Wembley Stadium.
Here’s what you can expect ahead of the action getting underway.
England will be hoping third time’s the charm for today’s final of the Women’s Euro 2022.
The Lionesses have previously reached this stage on two other occasions, only to fall short in 1984 and 2009.
A win for England would see them claim their first ever piece of major silverware.
In comparison, Germany will want to add to their record eight titles, with their last success coming in 2013.
A crowd of 90,000 people are expected to fill out Wembley, with tickets selling out earlier this week.
Lionesses’ forward Ellen White could equal England’s all time top scorer record across both the men’s and women’s senior sides if she can get her name on the scoresheet. White is currently sat on 52 goals, one behind Wayne Rooney’s total of 53.
The two sides most recently met in a friendly last February in which England won 3-1. Head to head, Germany hold the advantage with 20 wins to England’s 10.
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England
Manager: Sarina Wiegman
Captain: Leah Williamson
Euro 2022 top scorer: Beth Mead (six)
World ranking: 8th
Best Euros performance: Finalists (1984, 2009)
How did they get to the final?
As the home nation for these championships, England kicked off proceedings with a 1-0 victory against Austria, nearly a month ago.
Forward Beth Mead scored the only goal of the game and would follow that up with a hattrick just five days later, during a record breaking 8-0 win versus Norway.
Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp, Ellen White and Alessia Russo also got on the scoresheet to give the Lionesses their best victory and a record-breaking performance.
With qualification to the knockout stages secured England then recorded a 5-0 drubbing of Northern Ireland, in their final group stage fixture.
England’s reward for topping their group was a quarter-final against higher ranked FIFA opposition, in the form of Spain.
Despite falling 1-0 behind early in the second half, the Lionesses levelled matters through Ella Toone’s late strike. An extra time stunner from Stanway proved enough for a 2-1 final score line.
England’s place in the final was confirmed, last Tuesday, after a 4-0 thrashing of Sweden at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane.
Germany
Manager: Martina Voss-Tecklenburg
Captain: Alexandra Popp
Euro 2022 top scorer: Alexandra Popp (six)
World ranking: 5th
Best Euros performance: Winners (1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013)
How did they get to the final?
Germany’s path to Wembley has been equally impressive, recording five straight wins and scoring 13 times.
Their group stage consisted of 4-0, 2-0 and 3-0 successes against Denmark, Spain and Finland respectively.
In the quarter-finals Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s side comfortably dispatched of Austria 2-0.
A brace from Germany’s leading scorer in the tournament, Alexandra Popp, then sealed a 2-1 semi-final victory against France.