Eight-times European champions Germany romped to a convincing victory of their Group B opener on Friday night, beating Denmark 4-0 at Brentford Neighborhood Stadium in entrance of a near-16,000 robust crowd.
Decided to avenge their 2017 Euro exit – the place they bowed out on the quarter-final stage to Denmark – Die Nationalelf acquired 2022’s marketing campaign off to a flyer, and had hit the bar 3 times contained in the opening quarter-hour earlier than Lina Magull opportunistically broke the impasse.
Felicitas Rauch crashed two photographs off the upright, whereas Frauen Bundesliga prime scorer Lea Schuller did the identical with a diving header from shut vary, setting the tone for an encounter during which the Germans have been a yard faster, and tactically smarter, than their Danish counterparts.
They’re, nonetheless, a part of the event’s hardest group which features a significantly spectacular Spanish aspect, who have been themselves convincing 4-1 victors over Finland after scoring a hat-trick of headers and a penalty within the day’s earlier kick-off.
The Danes, finalists on the final European championships, seemed in good condition throughout the preliminary phases, having performed three warm-up ties to arrange for this summer time’s event – beating Austria and Brazil earlier than dropping narrowly to Norway.
However their competitiveness waned as legs drained, paving the best way for Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s aspect to reveal why they’re essentially the most adorned ladies’s aspect in European historical past – the win additionally celebrated their five hundredth outing in an official match.
Recommendations that Germany are now not solely invincible have been sometimes ratified, despite the commanding scoreline. Merle Frohms was known as into query by Signe Bruun with a fierce shot from distance within the first interval – one in every of two efforts on course – whereas Chelsea’s Pernille Tougher discovered momentary pockets of house to take advantage of.
Buoyed by a legacy of European success, Germany’s intent was clear from the minute Magull struck an emphatic opener, although, with the end result considerably of a foregone conclusion from that second onwards. Scorer turned supplier, Magull delivered a pitch-perfect nook for Schuller to go past a helpless Lene Christensen within the 57th minute, with Denmark unable to maintain tempo with the athleticism on present from the tireless Germans.
VAR denied captain Svenja Huth an additional objective quarter-hour earlier than full time, forward of substitute Lena Lattwein lashing house from six-yards as Denmark didn’t clear their strains from a free-kick to compound a depressing opening night time for Lars Sondergaard’s aspect.
Alexandra Popp rounded off the very best transfer of the night with a stooping header within the 86th minute, latching onto Sydney Lohmann’s supply to cap a ruthless second-half scoring show from Die Mannschaft, who’ve additional strengthened their case as potential favourites for continental silverware this summer time.
Denmark ended a dismal show with a last-minute sending-off as 19-year-old Katherine Moller Kuhl was dismissed for a pointless second bookable offence after approaching as a second-half substitute.
Voss-Tecklenburg: Extremely dominant show
Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg:
“We performed an excellent sport. We have been at it straight away and created loads of scoring probabilities that we did not actually reap the benefits of within the first half.
“We have been extremely dominant and aggressive. It was a fantastic workforce effort by everybody concerned.”
Ahead Lina Magull added: “It was brutally intense from us for 90 minutes. We received an terrible lot of duels and performed with quite a lot of coronary heart. I am actually fairly happy with the workforce. It was a really, superb begin to the Euros.”
Popp’s emotional first Euros objective
For a participant of Alexandra Popp’s worldwide renown, it is virtually unfathomable that she solely scored her first Euros objective on Friday night.
It has been 9 years of frustration and disappointment between Popp and the European championships. In 2013 – the final time Germany received the event – she was dominated out with an ankle damage.
Her second successive damage absence was extra keenly felt in 2017. Having established herself as one in every of Germany’s key gamers by that time in her illustrious profession, the aspect exited on the quarter-final stage after a defeat to none aside from Denmark.
In 2022, it is proved to be third time fortunate for Popp – and he or she made her Euros debut rely. On her one hundred and fifteenth cap, and along with her 54th worldwide objective, she lastly acquired off the mark on the event with a well-taken objective, sweeping house Sydney Lohmann’s fizzing cross.
Her celebration was one full of emotion as she dropped to her knees earlier than being mobbed by her ecstatic teammates. It might have been merely merciless if Popp had gone her complete profession with no Euros look or objective.
Evaluation: Germany hand out Danish mauling
Sky Sports activities’ Charlotte Marsh:
“Earlier than the sport, Germany have been definitely the favourites for victory – however few may absolutely have predicted it might are available in such a way. It was a mauling.
“Some have been questioning Germany heading into the Euros. They didn’t make it previous the quarter-final stage of the final two main tournaments and didn’t qualify for the 2020 Olympics. Was their worldwide dominance, significantly in Europe, over?
“However having received the Euros eight occasions – together with six successive titles between 1995 and 2013 – Germany are all the time among the many favourites. Though there are nonetheless eight groups but to play their opening video games, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s aspect are already trying like event finalists, if not champions.
“All of their targets have been expertly taken and anybody wanting to review the urgent sport ought to take a watch again of an enthralling and entertaining 90 minutes. There was a transparent message from Germany too – we’re coming for that ninth title.
“For Denmark, they have been doomed from the off and have been unable to cope with Germany’s press. They may not get their key gamers, corresponding to Pernille Tougher, into the sport for any prolonged interval as a result of Germany have been there at each flip to instantly retrieve the ball.
“Goalkeeper Merle Frohms made only one save of observe, whereas Lene Christensen was far busier. Given the scoreline although, she did make some very good saves, however a few of Germany’s targets have been merely unstoppable.
“It was a disappointing night total for the Danes, who would have been hoping to encourage an analogous run to 5 years in the past, once they made it to the Euro 2017. Nonetheless, they at the moment sit backside of Group B and face a battle to push Germany and Spain out of these prime two spots.”
What’s subsequent?
Germany and Denmark are again in motion on Tuesday. Germany tackle Spain on the Brentford Neighborhood Stadium (kick-off 8pm), with Denmark going through Finland on the Stadium MK.
Group B concludes on Saturday 16 July, with Germany taking part in Finland in Milton Keynes. Denmark tackle Spain on the Brentford Neighborhood Stadium with each video games kicking off at 8pm.
Comply with Euro 2022 throughout Sky Sports activities
Sustain with all the most recent from Euro 2022 throughout Sky Sports activities and Sky Sports activities Information this summer time.
Protection will likely be anchored by Sky Sports activities WSL presenter Caroline Barker, alongside Jessica Creighton and Kyle Walker. In the meantime, Karen Carney, Sue Smith, Courtney Sweetman-Kirk and Laura Bassett will give evaluation all through the event.
They will even be joined by skilled England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley and Manchester Metropolis defender Esme Morgan.
The pundits and presenters will work from the Sky Sports activities Girls’s Euro 2022 Cell Presentation Bus, which is able to observe the Sky Sports activities Information workforce across the nation to the assorted stadiums the place matches are being performed.
As well as, Sky Sports activities’ Important Soccer Podcast will likely be rebranded for the event to Sky Sports activities Girls’s Euros Podcast from 21 June. Hosted by Charlotte Marsh and Anton Toloui, it’s going to characteristic unique information and participant interviews along with a powerful programme line up across the event.
Euro 2022: The teams…
Group A: England, Austria, Norway, Northern Eire
Group B: Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland
Group C: Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal, Switzerland
Group D: France, Italy, Belgium, Iceland
Euro 2022: The schedule…
Group stage
Wednesday July 6
Group A: England 1-0 Austria
Thursday July 7
Group A: Norway 4-1 Northern Eire
Friday July 8
Group B: Spain 4-1 Finland
Group B: Germany 4-0 Denmark
Saturday July 9
Group C: Portugal vs Switzerland – kick off 5pm, Leigh Sports activities Village
Group C: Netherlands vs Sweden – kick off 8pm, Bramall Lane
Sunday July 10
Group D: Belgium vs Iceland – kick off 5pm, Manchester Metropolis Academy Stadium
Group D: France vs Italy – kick off 8pm, New York Stadium
Monday July 11
Group A: Austria vs Northern Eire – kick off 5pm, St Mary’s
Group A: England v Norway – kick off 8pm, Brighton and Hove Neighborhood Stadium
Tuesday July 12
Group B: Denmark vs Finland – kick off 5pm, Stadium MK
Group B: Germany vs Spain – kick off 8pm, London Neighborhood Stadium
Wednesday July 13
Group C: Sweden vs Switzerland – kick off 5pm, Bramall Lane
Group C: Netherlands v Portugal – kick off 8pm, Leigh Sports activities Village
Thursday July 14
Group D: Italy vs Iceland – kick off 5pm, Manchester Metropolis Academy Stadium
Group D: France vs Belgium – kick off 8pm, New York Stadium
Friday July 15
Group A: Northern Eire v England – kick off 8pm, St Mary’s
Group A: Austria vs Norway – kick off 8pm, Brighton and Hove Neighborhood Stadium
Saturday July 16
Group B: Finland vs Germany – kick off 8pm, Stadium MK
Group B: Denmark vs Spain – kick off 8pm, London Neighborhood Stadium
Sunday July 17
Group C: Switzerland vs Netherlands – kick off 5pm, Bramall Lane
Group C: Sweden vs Portugal – kick off 5pm, Leigh Sports activities Village
Monday July 18
Group D: Iceland vs France – kick off 8pm, New York Stadium
Group D: Italy vs Belgium – kick off 8pm, Manchester Metropolis Academy Stadium
Knockout section
Quarter-finals
Wednesday July 20
Quarter-final 1: Winners Group A v Runners-up Group B – kick off 8pm, Brighton and Hove Neighborhood Stadium
Thursday July 21
Quarter-final 2: Winners Group B v Runners-up Group A – kick off 8pm, London Neighborhood Stadium
Friday July 22
Quarter-final 3: Winners Group C v Runners-up Group D – kick off 8pm, Leigh Sports activities Village
Quarter-final 4: Winners Group D v Runners-up Group C – kick off 8pm, New York Stadium
Semi-finals
Tuesday July 26
Semi-final 1: Winners quarter-final 1 v Winners quarter-final 3 – kick off 8pm, Bramall Lane
Wednesday July 27
Semi-final 2: Winners quarter-final 2 v Winners quarter-final 4 – kick-off 8pm, Stadium MK
Closing
Sunday July 31
Winners semi-final 1 v Winners semi-final 2 – kick off 5pm, Wembley