Rachel’s plan to stop Popp

ENGLAND must cut Alexandra Popp’s supply line if they are to win the Women’s Euros final.

Rachel Brown-Finnis knows first-hand the danger the current Germany captain – and the tournament’s joint top scorer – poses after facing her as a fresh-faced teenager more than a decade ago. Popp, 31 (below) had the beating of Brown-Finnis – part of the Lionesses team that lost the 2009 final – with a brace as Duisburg eliminated Everton from the Women’s Champions League knockouts. Ahead of this afternoon’s Wembley showpiece, the goalkeeper-turned-BBC pundit believes that Sarina Wiegman’s side can map their route to victory by blocking Popp’s path to goal.

She said: “I remember playing against her in a Champions League game.

“It was this young starlet of 18 or 19 years old and she just banged two absolute piledrivers past me.

“She’s obviously stepped up not only to be captain but a leader with regards to scoring. You can see what it means to her and what it means to the team for her to be scoring goals. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see England playing a little bit narrower, but I think the way to stop Alexandra Popp is to stop the supply to her.

“Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly as full-backs have to get tighter to the wide players. Because if there’s a player in the world that you want on the end of any form of crosses if you’re Germany, it’s Alex Popp.”

Lena Oberdorf is another potential threat for England. Brown-Finnis added: “She’s a tough, tough player, one who will obviously try to stop Fran Kirby and Georgia Stanway having any sort of free run through the midfield.” Rachel Brown-Finnis is part of the BBC’s Women’s Euros team. Watch the Women’s Euros Final today on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer from 3.50pm