England toast Mead and Germany play Popp goes the Weasel to make the Final.
Tuesday
#8 England 4–0 #2 Sweden — Bramall Lane, Sheffield
Sweden with a solid opening 30 mins and a handful of chances, with Stina Blackstenius looking the most threatening. However, England scored first, when an attack down the left was missed by Ellen White but recycled by Lucy Bronze and Bronze’s cross was settled by Beth Mead to finish her own touch on the volley, through the outstretched hand of Hedvig Lindahl in the Swedish goal.
Lucy Bronze doubled the lead in the 47th minute, meeting a corner with a bouncing header. Lauren Hemp missed a tap-in in the 57th minute to make it 3. In the 67th minute, Alessia Russo missed a tap in and then backheeled the ball through Lindahl’s legs on the rebound for the three-goal lead. In the 76th minute, Fran Kirby chipped the goalkeeper from outside the area and Lindahl let the ball slip through her hands into her own net. While Sweden pushed for a consolation goal, the sheets remained clean in Earps’s net. England move on, to attempt a first ever major trophy win in their third Euro final.
Wednesday
#5 Germany 2–1 #3 France — Stadium MK, Milton Keynes
Germany had the edge in the first half of a match with two organized defenses, but the score remained tied. Alex Popp finished a chance inside the 6 yard box, at full stretch to volley the ball past Pauline Peyraud-Magnin in the French goal. The French equalizer came on the strike of half time, Diani blasting the ball from just outside the penalty area, off the near post and off the back of Merle Frohms in the German net for an own goal. Popp then scored the winner, punching a header in, in the 75th minute to take Germany through to the Final. At the end, Germany struggled to maintain possession and conceded a number of promising free kicks in the waning moments but France, and in particular Wendie Renard, could not capitalize.
Upcoming Schedule — Final, Sunday
#8 England v #5 Germany
Who knows what will happen in this match? Beth Mead and Alex Popp enter the Final as co-holders of the Golden Boot. Both defenses are solid and Wiegman’s England could plausibly enter the game with the exact same line-up, although Alessia Russo has made a strong argument for that not to be the case. Germany face a question about the ongoing status of Covid victim Klara Bühl.
