Published on :
The posters for the semi-finals of the Women’s Euro 2022 are now known. Favorites of the competition they play at home, the English will face Sweden, accustomed to major events. France, for its part, has managed to overcome the curse of the quarters and will be opposed to Germany, the team in form at the moment.
After three weeks of competition, the Women’s Euro 2022 is entering its final stretch. The favorites are in the semi-finals. Host of the tournament and pushed by its public, England hopes to win, Tuesday, July 26 against Sweden – Olympic vice-champion in title -, its ticket for the final. France will live for its part the first semi-final in its history against Germany, eight times winner of the Euro.
England-Sweden, Tuesday July 26, 9 p.m.
While the whole country dreams of a victory at home, the English are only one game away from the final. After a thunderous first round with three wins and 14 goals scored, Sarina Wiegman’s players however had more difficulty in the quarter-finals to get rid of a gripping Spanish team. The “Lionesses” won only after extra time (2-1), thanks to a cannon shot from Georgia Stanway – and were even trailing before managing to overturn the match.
After losing two Euro finals in 1984 and 2009, the English dream of finally being able to lift the trophy and offer their nation the first major title since the 1966 World Cup won by men. But to reach Wembley, they will have to overcome the Swedish obstacle. Reigning Olympic vice-champions and number 2 in the FIFA rankings behind the United States, the Scandinavians are used to this kind of meeting. European champions in 1984 against these same English women, they benefit from considerable experience.
But even if they display a most complete team, they nevertheless seem less armed than their opponents. After a sluggish start to the tournament and without their star and captain Caroline Seger, hit in the heel, they were hardly effective in the quarter-finals against Belgium (1-0 and only one goal after 33 shots). To hope to beat the host country, they will have to show much more realism in front of the goal. With its armada of scorers including the unstoppable Beth Mead (five goals since the start of the Euro), England does not often let their luck slip by.
Germany-France, Wednesday July 27, 9 p.m.
Les Bleues were scared, but managed to defeat the Dutch defending champions in the quarter-finals (1-0 after extra time). After having stumbled for ten years at this same stage of the competition, Corinne Deacon’s players were finally able to qualify for the semi-finals of a major competition. Since the start of the tournament, the French have shown all faces.
Impressive in their first expedited match against Italy, they were more messy against Belgium and Iceland. Dominant against the Netherlands, the French team clearly lacked efficiency in front of the Dutch goal, before Ève Périsset overturned the match on penalty. Facing Germany in the semi-finals, the French will have no room for error. While Les Bleues are novices at this stage of the competition, “Die Nationalelf” has been crowned European champion eight times. Germany have also won their last six semi-finals since being eliminated on penalties by Italy in the 1993 edition.
After a decline in recent months, the team of Martina Voss-Tecklenburg is in full resurrection. Since the start of the Euro, the Germans have played their game. Second best attack in the competition and best defense with no goals conceded, the Frauen-Nationalmannschaft was however less sovereign than in the first round during its quarter-final against the surprising Austrian team (2-0). Although it appears to be the favorite against Les Bleues as a stronghold of women’s football, Germany has shown some flaws synonymous with hope for Wendie Renard and her teammates.