AAfter all the build-up since the semi-finals, the day has finally arrived.
Later today, England will face the Germans at a sold-out Wembley with the title of the 2022 European Women’s Championship on the line. It’s a scenario the English players were hoping for when they started their campaign against Austria at Old Trafford on July 6, but they could hardly believe the journey they’ve taken to get to this point.
The Lionesses made it through the group stage (14 goals scored, none conceded) before showing their mettle in the quarter-final against Spain, when the extra time winner Georgia Stanway tied the score.
With a renewed sense of conviction, Sarina Wiegman’s team took on the challenge of meeting a side ranked higher than them in the semi-finals for the first time in the tournament in the form of Sweden. -0 win. And so we have a deserved and delightful encounter between the in-form hosts and the most successful team in the league.
The Germans, who beat France 2-1 in the semi-finals, have won the title a whopping eight times – including a 6-2 win over England in the 2009 decider – and are out to steal Wembley from among the English . Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, who said yesterday: “In the beginning Wembley will be English and I hope at the end it will be us.”
Like England, Germany has only conceded once in these finals and they looked strong and focused the entire time as well as clinically on offense. “Ninety thousand people will be there, most of them will be against us, but for us it’s a great feeling,” said German midfielder Svenja Huth.
“There is currently a hype in Germany and we hope to maintain it.” Stay with us as we bring you the latest build up from in and around Wembley.