We’re well into the first week of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 tournament and three of the four favourites have already made a winning start.
According to the Women’s Euro 2022 betting odds, Spain is the team to beat and a 4-1 win over Finland in Milton Keynes put down a marker for the pre-tournament favourites. And there were victories too for Germany and hosts England, while the other fancied team, France, opens its account on Sunday.
With the Qatar World Cup due to start in less than five months’ time it’s the women’s turn to shine right now, and Spain did just that against the minnows of Finland, but they had to fight back after conceding a shock early goal.
Only one minute was on the clock when the Fins broke down a Spain attack and when Anna Westerlund found Linda Sallstrom in acres of space; she sprinted into the penalty area and fired home off the inside of the post.
Spain were stunned, but with 89 minutes to play they had time to recover and punish the underdogs.
After relentless pressure the Finish defence eventually broke down, on 26 minutes, when Irene Paredes met a corner and directed her header past the Finland keeper and into the net. And then, as half time approached, Aitana Bonmati met a cross from Mapi Leon and looped her header over the helpless goalie.
Leon was the provider again as Lucy Garcia stooped to nod home the third and put the game beyond doubt before Mariona Caldentey slotted home an injury-time penalty to round off a near-perfect 90 minutes for Spain.
When the World Cup comes around in November Luis Enrique’s Spain will be up there with the potential winners and it could be a Roja double if the Spanish ladies keep this up.
In the other Group B game there was a big win too for Germany, who trounced Denmark 4-0 at the Community Stadium in Brentford. Seeking a record ninth European Championship the Germans made light work of a solid Denmark team and they actually hit the woodwork three times before the excellent Lina Magull scored the opener on 15 minutes.
And that goal opened the floodgates as Magull made an assist when she swung in a corner for Lea Schuller to head home. Denmark were done, and Lena Lattwein was unmarked as she blasted home the third from close range and Wolfsburg’s Alexandra Popp made it four as the clock ticked down.
Denmark’s disastrous night was compounded when second-half substitute Katherine Kuhn received a second yellow card for a pointless foul in the 94th minute.
It was Germany’s 500th competitive match and they look well capable of adding to their eight European championships.
Lionesses toil to win over Austria
The build-up to the 2022 Women’s Euros has reached fever pitch in England and fans arrived in their droves to cheer the hosts on to a hard-fought victory over a stubborn Austria side.
Arsenal forward Beth Mead scored the only goal of the game, and it took a cool head as she collected a pass from Georgia Stanway and, as keeper Manuela Zinsberger advanced off her line Mead cleverly lobbed the ball over her. Austria defender Carina Wenniger looked like she had managed to clear the ball off the line but, after a nerve-wracking VAR check, the goal stood and the England fans celebrated again.
That was enough to give the Lionesses three priceless points but the second half was a nervy affair and Austria almost grabbed a point at the death.
With 50 goals from 108 caps Ellen White is England Women’s top scorer of all time but she passed up opportunities to put the game beyond Austria, heading tamely into the goalkeeper’s hands when the goal was gaping.
But it was job done and England are second in Group A, behind Norway who ran out 4-1 winners over Northern Ireland. Julie Blakstad, Frida Maanum, Caroline Hansen and Guro Reiten all scored for Norway, but it was still a memorable night for the Irish in front of almost 10,000 fans at the St Mary’s Stadium.
Northern Ireland Women are playing in their first-ever tournament and their most capped player, Julie Nelson, scored their historic first tournament goal to make it 3-1 and announce their arrival on the European stage. On Saturday there were draws between Portugal and Switzerland, and Holland and Sweden and my SBOTOP colleague will be back with more Women’s Euro 2022 updates in midweek; but, in the meantime, enjoy the action as highly fancied France open their campaign on Sunday night against Italy.
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