England were crowned European champions at home for the first time in the program’s history. The Lionesses needed extra time to defeat Germany 2-1 to clinch the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 title in front of a packed Wembley Stadium with 87,192 fans, the biggest crowd at any UEFA international competition .
England carried a nation’s hopes into the final and scored the first goal in regulation when Ella Toone found the back of the net in the 62nd minute, beating Germany goalkeeper Merle Frohms with a cheeky chip. Germany pushed for an equalizer thanks to Lina Magull with 11 minutes left in regulation. Both teams needed extra time to level the scores as Chloe Kelly provided the winner with a cheeky finish from a corner, along with a celebration that would have made Brandi Chastain proud, to seal the first Euro of England in the senior women’s category. program
Lionesses step into the spotlight
The Euro hosts sailed through the group stage and knockout stages without losing on their way to lifting the trophy. The Lionesses returned to the final for the first time since 2009, where they lost 6-2 to the German giants. Although this is a different era for both teams, Sunday still held a bit of revenge for England.
Germany were equally impressive during their tournament, conceding just one goal before the final against England. The English team has faced a series of tests in the run-up to the final. They had to overcome a quarter-final possession challenge against Spain, an early semi-final shutout from Sweden and finally an organized German side with a history of European success.
The Lionesses bore the brunt of hosting the tournament as many wondered if nerves would eventually catch up with them during their own storied run. But unlike England teams of the past, head coach Sarina Weigman instilled more than just a system and tactics, but a confidence and belief that had been lacking in this program for some time. It was a refreshing reset for a Lioness team that previously had troubled head coaches off the field with issues of racist bullying or a lack of vision and execution on the field.
Germany falls short
Perhaps the writing was on the wall for Germany as they suffered a crushing blow before the opening whistle of their ninth Euro finals appearance. Alexandra Popp was a late scratch after suffering a muscle injury during the warm-ups, as well as being without 21-year-old winger Klara Buhl again due to the COVID protocol.
That put the Germans without their top scorer of the tournament ahead of the most important game of the season. Popp entered the final with six goals and was tied with England’s Beth Mead for the Golden Boot lead.
Germany will have a lot to build on from this run as their return to the Euro finals was seen by some as a surprise due to the abundance of youth throughout the squad. In Buhl’s place, 19-year-old June Brand delivered strong and impactful performances, while 20-year-old Lena Oberdorf won the tournament’s best young player honors.
What it means for England
The Lionesses were able to take home the title while playing at home and managed to lift the trophy in front of a record crowd in the process. There are moments when you can feel the change happening and witness the joy of England’s run, which is expected to have more of an impact across the country for the women’s game, both internationally and domestically.