Germany, England set for women’s European final
Alexandra Popp
scored twice to power Germany to a 2-1 win over France on Wednesday and into the final of the European Championship against England.
With the game at 1-1 and both teams missing chances to score, Germany captain Popp leaped above the French defense in the 76th minute to send a bouncing header into the French goal.
Popp scored the opening goal for Germany in the 40th but the lead lasted less than five minutes before France equalized. Popp has scored in all five of Germany’s games so far.
Germany plays host nation England in Sunday’s final at Wembley Stadium. Popp and England’s Beth Mead are the joint top scorers with six goals each.
“I can’t find any words. We played a crazy game, we threw in everything we had,” Popp said. “We’re now in the final against England in front of 90,000 at Wembley. To be honest, there’s nothing better.”
A late surge wasn’t enough as France fell short of reaching what would have been a first major tournament final and has now lost in the semifinal stage once in each of the World Cup, Olympics and European Championship.
The England women’s soccer team is the talk of the nation and capturing hearts and minds because of its run to the final.
After a 4-0 win over Sweden in the semifinals on Tuesday, the Lionesses, as they are also known, are one victory away from a first international title in the women’s game, and a first in either England men’s or women’s soccer since the men won the World Cup in 1966.
With so much focus and glare on the behemoth that is men’s soccer in
England, the women’s game has for so long lagged behind their rivals on the continent. Not anymore, with the Lionesses now a constant in the latter stages of the biggest tournaments.
ETC.
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