Expect a 'great football festival' in Euro final

LONDON • Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg has described the women's European Championship final showdown with old rivals England as a "great football festival", after her side booked their spot in Sunday's final at Wembley with a 2-1 victory over France on Wednesday.

Alexandra Popp nabbed a double against Les Bleues to fire the Germans into a record-extending ninth Euro final. Her strikes were sandwiched by goalkeeper Merle Frohms' own goal just before the break.

Hosts England, chasing their first major trophy, will be on a high, after their 4-0 thrashing of Sweden in Tuesday's other semi-final to set up a meeting with eight-time champions Germany.

This is the first time since 2009, when they lost 6-2 to Sunday's opponents in Finland, that Sarina Wiegman's women have reached the competition's showpiece fixture, but the Germans are confident of extending their 100 per cent record.

"It's going to be a great football festival. It's a classic in football - England against Germany," Voss-Tecklenburg said. "England have been incredible in this tournament. (In) every game, they've been dynamic, full of goals, and they're so confident.

"But their first 20 minutes against Sweden showed that you can hurt them. That will be our task at Wembley. Yes, it's in front of about 80,000 or 90,000 people but we're accepting the challenge.

"If someone had told us before the tournament it would happen like this, I'd be very happy. We're looking forward a lot to this game. This will be an incredible final."

In Popp, the Germans have a player that has something to prove. The team's captain missed the last two Euros through injuries but she has more than made up for it with six goals - joining England forward Beth Mead at the top of the tournament's goal-scoring chart.

Had it not been for the Covid-19 pandemic, the event would have been staged last year, which would have ruled out the 31-year-old, who was on the sidelines last summer.

Popp is the only player to have scored in every game - a tournament record - and she is determined to make the most of what could be one of her last chances to shine on the international stage.

On reaching the final as a Euro debutante, the veteran said: "I have to admit I am more emotional than I used to be because I know how I have arrived at this point. Being here, having the opportunity to perform and being fully fit at this stage makes me very proud.

"But I also have to say a big thanks to everyone who has helped me - the medical staff at my club, the coaches both at club level and here.

"They kept believing in me and they gave me the opportunity to be here. I've become very dangerous now, like in the past. It wasn't the case for quite a while."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS