We take a look at the teams still in contention for UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 success: how they have reached this stage as well as their tournament pedigree.
Knockout bracket
QUARTER-FINALS
Wednesday 20 July
England 2-1 Spain (aet, Brighton & Hove)
Thursday 21 July
Germany 2-0 Austria (Brentford)
Friday 22 July
Sweden 1-0 Belgium (Wigan & Leigh)
Saturday 23 July
France 1-0 Netherlands (aet, Rotherham)
SEMI-FINALS
Tuesday 26 July
SF1: England vs Sweden (20:00, Sheffield)
Wednesday 27 July
SF2: Germany vs France (20:00, Milton Keynes)
FINAL
Sunday 31 July
England/Sweden vs Germany/France (17:00, Wembley)
All kick-off times UK (CET is one hour ahead)
ENGLAND (HOSTS)
Watch all England’s goals so far0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0% Watch all England’s goals so far
Women’s EURO best: Runners-up (1984, 2009)
Women’s EURO 2017: Semi-finals
Previous Women’s EURO semi-finals
08/04/1984: England 2-1 Denmark (Crewe) & 28/04/1984: Denmark 0-1 England (Hjørring, agg: W3-1)
11/06/1987: Sweden 3-2 England (aet, Moss)
11/12/1994: England 1-4 Germany (Watford) & 23/02/1995: Germany 2-1 England (Bochum, agg: L2-6)
06/09/2009: England 2-1 Netherlands (aet, Tampere)
06/08/2017: Netherlands 3-0 England (Enschede)
Group A winners
England 1-0 Austria (Old Trafford) – Mead 16
England 8-0 Norway (Brighton & Hove) – Stanway 12pen, Hemp 15, White 29 41, Mead 34 38 81, Russo 66
Northern Ireland 0-5 England (Southampton) – Kirby 41, Mead 45, Russo 48 53, Burrows 76og
Quarter-finals
England 2-1 Spain (aet, Brighton & Hove) – Toone 84, Stanway 96
Story so far: A record 14 goals without reply in the group stage was a statement, but in their quarter-final meeting with Spain, England were second best in terms of possession, accuracy, energy and skill. Resolve, character, Millie Bright‘s commitment in defence and Sarina Wiegman’s canny substitutes carried them through, and Georgia Stanway’s spectacular extra-time winner will have instilled further belief that they can go all the way
Key player: Beth Mead lit up the group stage with five goals, and if she was kept quieter against Spain, the Arsenal forward’s pace and guile will unsettle any opponents. Her markers will note that her trademark skill is pulling players out wide then using her close control to cut inside to either pass or shoot. Wiegman has been exploiting the width that Mead and Lauren Hemp offer to great effect; expect England to do so again in the semis.
How they play: England have started every match in a 4-2-3-1 formation, Mead and Hemp impressing on the wings, but when they were trailing against Spain, Wiegman showed her unorthodox Plan B. She brought on Alex Greenwood for Rachel Daly and reverted to a back three, moving the versatile Bright from defence to attack. Once England had a lead to protect, Bright returned to the back four.England: Full team guide
GERMANY
Watch all Germany’s goals so far0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0% Watch all Germany’s goals so far
Women’s EURO best: Winners (1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013)
Women’s EURO 2017: Quarter-finals
Previous Women’s EURO semi-finals
28/06/1989: Germany 1-1 Italy (aet, Germany won 4-3 on pens, Siegen)
11/07/1991: Italy 0-3 Germany (Frederikshavn)
30/06/1993: Italy 1-1 Germany (aet, Italy won 4-3 on pens, Rimini)
11/12/1994: England 1-4 Germany (Watford) & 23/02/1995: Germany 2-1 England (Bochum, agg: W6-2)
09/07/1997: Sweden 0-1 Germany (Karlstad)
04/07/2001: Germany 1-0 Norway (Ulm)
15/06/2005: Germany 4-1 Finland (Preston)
07/09/2009: Germany 3-1 Norway (Helsinki)
24/07/2013: Sweden 0-1 Germany (Gothenburg)
Group B winners
Germany 4-0 Denmark (Brentford) – Magull 21, Schüller 57, Lattwein 78, Popp 86
Germany 2-0 Spain (Brentford) – Bühl 3, Popp 37
Finland 0-3 Germany (Milton Keynes) – Kleinherne 40, Popp 48, Anyomi 63
Quarter-finals
Germany 2-0 Austria (Brentford) – Magull 25, Popp 90
Story so far: Germany remain the only team yet to concede at these finals, and they have looked strong and focused, although they were given a stiff quarter-final test by an aggressive Austria, who did not allow them to control the game. Germany’s willingness to defend hard got them over the line, while clinical finishing made the difference at the other end: a theme of their campaign to date. However, the challenges only get harder.
Key player: The team is full of stars, but the collective has been the stand-out performer, players in every line showing endless willingness to help each other out. Defenders have contributed goals, wingers drop back to defend, with the experience of Marina Hegering, Svenja Huth and Alex Popp providing stability, and allowing youngsters like Klara Bühl and Lena Oberdorf the freedom to roam.
How they play: Germany shape up in a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation, play a high press and attack in numbers when the moment comes. They look to drive the down the flanks and deliver balls into the box, where Popp or Lea Schüller offer a significant aerial threat. Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s side like having the ball but – as they showed against Spain in the group stage – they can also play a patient game and wait for their chances.Germany: Full team guide
SWEDEN
0 seconds of 3 minutes, 22 secondsVolume 0%00:0003:22 Women’s EURO 2022: Sweden’s group stage goals
Women’s EURO best: Winners (1984)
Women’s EURO 2017: Quarter-finals
Previous Women’s EURO semi-finals
08/04/1984: Italy 2-3 Sweden (Rome) & 28/04/1984: Sweden 2-1 Italy (Linköping, agg: W5-3)
11/06/1987: Sweden 3-2 England (aet, Moss)
28/06/1989: Sweden 1-2 Norway (Lüdenscheid)
26/02/1995: Norway 4-3 Sweden (Kristiansand) & 04/03/1995: Sweden 4-1 Norway (Jonköping, agg: W7-5)
09/07/1997: Sweden 0-1 Germany (Karlstad)
04/07/2001: Denmark 0-1 Sweden (Ulm)
16/06/2005: Norway 3-2 Sweden (aet, Warrington)
24/07/2013: Sweden 0-1 Germany (Gothenburg)
Group C winners
Netherlands 1-1 Sweden (Sheffield) – J Andersson 36
Sweden 2-1 Switzerland (Sheffield) – Rolfö 53, Bennison 79
Sweden 5-0 Portugal (Wigan & Leigh) – Angeldal 21 45, C Costa 45+7og, Asllani 54pen, Blackstenius 90+1
Quarter-finals
Sweden 1-0 Belgium (Wigan & Leigh) – Sembrant 90+2
Story so far: Sweden are here to win the EURO; they’ve made that clear from day one. While their early performances didn’t quite live up to their pre-tournament talk, Peter Gerhardsson’s side have grown into the tournament. Squad depth and versatility have been key so far, with players covering multiple absentees in various positions without the overall team performance unduly suffering. Sweden are through to the last four but, you feel, there is plenty of scope to raise their game further. They will need to if they are to go all the way.
0 seconds of 13 secondsVolume 0%00:0000:13 Vision: Asllani skills
Key player: The biggest strength of Swedish teams is always the collective, that more-than-the-sum-of-our parts mentality. But if there is one player who has stood out a little more, it would be Kosovare Asllani. No one has contributed more assists at Women’s EURO 2022, and her footwork and intelligence have been a feature of Sweden’s play. The captaincy further elevated her game against both Portugal and Belgium, when she deputised for the unavailable Caroline Seger.
How they play: Gerhardsson says he is an expert at changing his mind and he does like to keep his opposite number on their toes. You never know if he’ll opt for a 4-3-3 or a 3-4-3. This can – and often does – change mid-match, too. One thing that doesn’t change is the onus on a fluid attack with lots of pace and quick thinking. Another of the team’s biggest strengths is set pieces, something they work on ahead of every game.Sweden: Full team guide
FRANCE
Women’s EURO best: Semi-finals (2022)
Women’s EURO 2017: Quarter-finals
Previous Women’s EURO semi-finals
N/A
Group D winners
France 5-1 Italy (Rotherham) – Geyoro 9 40 45, Katoto 12, Cascarino 38
France 2-1 Belgium (Rotherham) – Diani 6, Mbock Bathy 41
Iceland 1-1 France (Rotherham) – Malard 1
Quarter-finals
France 1-0 Netherlands (aet, Rotherham) – Périsset 102pen
Story so far: Progress from the group stage was at first spectacular – the five goals before half-time against Italy including a Grace Geyoro hat-trick– and then serene, with the exception of losing Marie-Antoinette Katoto to injury. Lyon striker Melvine Malard stepped in against Iceland and scored within 43 seconds, and in their quarter-final against the Netherlands they dominated but needed extra time to dethrone the holders. After six last-eight exits in a row, Les Bleues are through to a EURO semi at last; now they seek a first competitive win against Germany.
Key player: Katoto might be out, but her Paris Saint-Germain colleague Kadidiatou Diani remains, operating on the right of a formidable attack boasting pace, skill and guile. At just 27, she won her 75th cap against the Netherlands on Saturday, and if she finds the net, Germany are in trouble: France have won all 15 games in which Diani has managed a goal.
How they play: Corinne Diacre employs a 4-3-3 formation, typically with Diani and Delphine Cascarino out wide and Malard taking over Katoto’s central role, though with Selma Bacha (who can also play full-back), Sandy Baltimore and Ouleymata Sarr as options. The midfield trio has been flexible so far, with the selfless Charlotte Bilbault and imposing Geyoro usual starters.
Evergreen Wendie Renard marshals the back four, often alongside Griedge Mbock Bathy, with the Lyon duo flanked by new Chelsea right-back Ève Périsset and Sakina Karchaoui. Goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin has had many years of intermittent understudying for club and country but is now first choice between the posts for France, fresh from an excellent season with Juventus.
Recent Comments