Honestly, it starts to be almost boring to describe the way Germany wins their games! They play like a well-oiled machine: their classic high-pressing, fluid combination play, and Alexandra Popp never stop to work. This time, though, it wasn’t all that simple to them. They faced an equal opponent and conceded their first Euro 2022 goal. First time for everything, Germany.
This semi-final featured all the ingredients that a good game of football has to offer: two cannon-like super goals from Popp and Diani, several super saves from Frohms and Peyraud-Magnin, and even a super dive from Magull (what? this was also highly entertaining…). The next stop for Germany’s locomotive is Wembley, where the Lionesses, backed by around 80.000 fans, will be expecting them. Fastening the belts is highly recommended.
The battle of equals
The game started quietly in terms of chances as both teams needed some time to figure each other out. With the ticket to Wembley at stake, none of the sides hurried to take risks. The first half was very even and the two goals at the end of it suggested nothing definitive being a mere exchange of cannon shots. The winner remained to be defined.
Both squads were missing their core players who fell victim to the two biggest scourges of this Euro: a positive COVID test and an ACL injury. While France could have used Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s attacking potential, Germany had to do without Klara Bühl’s magic in creating chances. Even in terms of players missed the teams were even.
In every match before this one, Germany and France prided themselves on their combination play and remarkable fluidity. This game, however, saw untypically many dispossessions, interceptions and fierce fighting for the ball. The Guardian’s report, which at times reads like: “57 min: Oberdorf is hit in the face by Bacha, who gets a yellow card for the action“, accurately illustrates the struggle.
For the first time in the tournament, Germany conceded a goal and were challenged enough to show what their defence is all about. As typical of Germans, it was about discipline, structure and good organisation. Every single time the team lost possession, all players were quick to return to their designated positions. Germany’s determination to preserve their lead was immense. Even Alexandra Popp, a centre-forward, served as Germany’s 11th defender.
The phenomenal Alexandra Popp
Alex Popp plays with “three tournaments’ worth of energy“. Having been unlucky with injuries, she had no chance to have scored in three successive Women’s Euros, so she became the first player to ever score in five successive single Euro games instead. With six goals in five matches, she has levelled with Beth Mead for the Golden Boot, for which they’ll compete in the Wembley final.
The Analyst’s illustration below shows that Alex Popp scored all her six goals from nearly exactly the same place in the box. Yet, she is not one lucky player who simply happens to be in the right place at the right time. Being well aware that she’ll be marked, she has to use all her footballing intelligence and experience to produce goals. Luckily for Germany, she has plenty of both.
Expecting a cross, Popp tends to keep her distance from all the action in the six-yard box. Not seeing her as an immediate threat, defenders lose her out of sight and focus on players, who find themselves closer to the goal. A split second after the cross is sent into the box, Popp makes an instinctive run from behind the defenders’ backs and makes an accurate one-touch finish.
Post-Match Reaction
All in all, there was not much France could have done better to change the result. Diani, Bacha and Renard had a great game but were not clinical enough to take their chances. With Alexandra Popp upfront, Germany’s execution was better, and they deservedly head to the final.
Even though France lost, they have shown that the Germans are not invincible and that it’s possible to score against them (or to trick them into scoring an own goal, at least). France challenged this team to the best of their ability and after the full-time whistle, many of Germany’s players collapsed from physical and emotional exertion. Having reached the Women’s Euro semi-final first time in history, the French can be proud of their performance.
As for Germany, see you at Wembley.
Photos from the fixture by James Whitehead:
Written by Olesia Andersen
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