ENGLAND take on Germany in an historic Women’s Euro 2022 final TODAY – and German captain Alexandra Popp has been ruled OUT just before kick off.
England boss Sarina Wiegman has kept the same XI that has started ALL of the tournament for the final in front of a RECORD crowd at Wembley Stadium for a European Championship match.
The terrific Lionesses have scored 20 and conceded 1 before today and are in menacing form, but the Germans will be out to spoil the party.
All eyes are now on the sold-out stadium for the showpiece final, and we’ve got ALL of the updates right here.
- Start time: 5pm BST
- TV/Live stream: BBC One/iPlayer
- England XI: Earps, Bronze, Bright, Williamson, Daly, Walsh, Stanway, Heamp, Mead, Kirby, White
- Germany XI: Frohms, Hendrich, Hegering, Oberdorf, Huth, Popp, Dabritz, Gwinn, Rauch, Magull, Brand.
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England 0-0 Germany
7, White looks to slip Mead in behind, but she doesn’t get enough on the ball.
England look right up for this early on.
England 0-0 Germany
6, Bronze whips in a ball which Frohms has to deal with.
White lets the keeper know she’s there with a little budge inciting a shove back from the German. Good to see the pair making acquaintances.
England 0-0 Germany
4, Chance for White!
Bright is in strongly on Schuller and Kirby drives up field. She picks out White with a floated cross. The forward gets the power, but her header is straight at Frohms.
A bright start from England, though.
England 0-0 Germany
2, Oberdoorf drives into the area, but England get a foot in and Kirby can come away with it.
The atmosphere is electric inside Wembley.
KICK-OFF – England vs Germany
Referee Kateryna Monzul blows her whistle and we are underway!
Here we go then!
Anthems complete, players in position, and on drives a remote control car carrying the ball, nearly taking out the referee on it’s way.
England are in their traditional white home shirt. Whilst Germany spot their away strip.
National anthems
The players are on the pitch and lined up for the anthems.
Meanwhile, news has emerged of an injury to Alexandra Popp. Schuller will play in her place. That should shake things up.
Captain’s words
As the pre-match show continues here at Wembley, let’s remind ourselves how far this team have already come.
England captain Leah Williamson spoke brilliantly yesterday:
I want tomorrow to be the start, to be a maker for the future… For every success we make, for every change of judgement or perception or the opening of the eyes of somebody with the potential to be the equal of her male counterpart, that can create a change in society.
Leah Williamson, England captain
Heroes already, but imagine a trophy too!
15 minutes until kick-off
Just under a quarter of an hour until we are underway.
The atmosphere building nicely. Becky Hill is ready to perform her pre-match show.
Credit: PA .Credit: AP
England hoping to make goalscoring history
The Lionesses are one goal away from levelling Germany’s all-time goal record at a single tournament.
They are in good stead, too. The last four Euro finals have produced an average of 4.75 goals per game.
Records on the line
This afternoon marks Germany’s ninth European Championship final appearance. They have won all previous eight, including a 6-2 thumping of England in 2006.
However, England boss Sarina Wiegman has never lost a Euro final as manager.
Somebody’s record will be broken today.
The Premier League is watching
There have been countess messages of support on social media for the players. Manchester United’s David De Gea and England’s Harry Kane are among those to wish their luck.
The race for the golden boot
England’s Bethany Mead and Germany’s Alexandra Popp are tied at the top of the goalscoring charts, with six goals each.
Both players will be desperate to add to their tally this afternoon and lift the golden boot trophy.
.Credit: Getty Royal support
Buckingham Palace played tribute to the efforts of the players during the changing of the guards this morning.
‘Sweet Caroline’ by Neil Diamond could be heard being played by the band.
.Credit: PA A historic rivalry
England vs Germany. It almost rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?
A rivalry that stretches back decades, and Germany manager Martina Voss-Tecklenburg has not played down the fixture:
England vs Germany electrifies football fans. There is such a tradition, a history… If we could have chosen a dream, we would have chosen England in this final, no one else.
Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, Germany boss
.Credit: AFP
Germany bench
Anyomi, Berger, Dallmann, Doorsoun-Khajeh, Freigang, Kleinherne, Lattwein, Lohmann, Schuller, Schult, Wassmuth
Germany starting 11
Germany boss, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg names an unchanged side for today’s clash.
Joint top-scorer, Alexandra Popp leads the line again this evening.
Frohms, Gwinn, Hendrich, Hegering, Rauch, Magull, Oberdorf, Dabritz, Huth, Brand, Propp
One hour to go!
How are your nerves, England fans?
Sarina Wiegman and her players inspect the pitch, taking in the atmosphere which is building inside Wembley.
.Credit: Getty England bench
The hero of the quarter finals Ella Toone is among the substitutes this afternoon. She is joined by the ever dangerous Alessia Russo, who has four goals off the bench for England this tournament.
Greenwood, Carter, Hampton, England, Kelly, Parris, Roebuck, Russo, Scott, Stokes, Toone, Wubben-Moy
England XI
The teams are in!
And, as expected, Wiegman makes no changes to her winning formula.
Earps, Bronze, Bright, Williamson, Daly, Walsh, Stanway, Heamp, Mead, Kirby, White
England by numbers
Sarina Wiegman is yet to lose since taking over as manager. Can she keep her unbeaten record intact this afternoon?
- Played: 19
- Won: 17
- Drawn: 2
- Lost: 0
- Scored: 104
- Conceded: 4
And in four of those matches, England hit double figures! Goalscoring machines.
The journey to Wembley
With all the excitement of the match ahead, it is worth remembering how the players got here, if only to boast.
The Lionesses got their tournament underway with a narrow 1-0 victory over Norway before a resounding 8-0 demolition of Norway. Next up was Northern Ireland, who couldn’t stop Sarina Wiegman’s team running away with the group in a 5-0 win.
England then took on Spain, showing their metal in extra time before marching on to the semi-finals against Sweden. Four goals later, here we are.
.Credit: Getty Full house
All 90,000 seats will be filled inside Wembley for this afternoon’s final with the majority taken by England supporters.
The tournament organisers announced earlier today that the final is going to be the most-attended women’s football match in history!
No pressure, Lionesses.
.Credit: Getty Weather check
It’s a grey day in North London this afternoon but the fans are bringing the colour.
Credit: AP Welcome to England vs Germany
Good afternoon and welcome to Sunsport’s live coverage of the women’s Euro final.
It does not get bigger than this!
England will face off against Germany at 17:00 inside Wembley stadium to decide who will be crowned champions of Europe.
In the meantime, we’ll bring you all the build-up and team information as we prepare for kick-off.
Are you sitting comfortably? This promises to be a classic.
.Credit: AP
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
