Germany and Italy meet yet again

There will be a repeat of the 1997 final when UEFA European Women's Championship holders Germany play Italy at Lahti Stadium on Friday.

• Germany, aiming for a fifth straight title, stormed through Group B, beating Norway 4-0, France 5-1 and – after having already clinched first place – Iceland 1-0 at their group base of Tampere.

• Inka Grings, the 2005 top scorer, Fatmire Bajramaj and Linda Bresonik all have two goals, putting them among seven players in the joint lead for the adidas Golden Boot award.

• Italy finished second in Group C after defeating England 2-1 in Lahti, losing 2-0 to Sweden in Turku but then winning by that scoreline against Russia at Helsinki's Olympic Stadium.

• These sides last met in the 2007 Algarve Cup seventh-place match, Italy winning 1-0 with a Silvia Fuselli goal to end a run of 16 games without a victory over 90 minutes against Germany.

• Their last competitive meeting was in the UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2005™ group stage in Preston, Germany winning 4-0 courtesy of goals from Birgit Prinz, Conny Pohlers, Stephanie Jones and Anja Mittag.

• Before that, they met in 2001 qualifying. The second game was won 3-0 in Frankfurt by Germany but on 11 November 1999 they drew 4-4 in Isernia – the last time Germany did not win a UEFA European Women's Championship fixture, their victorious run now lasting 32 games.

• Germany were the holders, having beaten Italy 2-0 in the 1997 final in Oslo, Norway, with goals from Sandra Minnert and Prinz; Kerstin Stegemann and Ariane Hingst also started the game for Germany against an Italy side containing Patrizia Panico. They had drawn 1-1 in the group stage.

• They also met in the 1993 semi-final in Rimini, eventual runners-up Italy winning 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. No side has knocked Germany out of this competition since.

• They had likewise met in the previous two semi-finals, Germany winning 3-0 in 1991 in Denmark and 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw on home soil two years previous. Silvia Neid, now Germany coach, scored in the 1989 game and also played in the 1991 rematch.

• The two sides crossed paths in 1989 qualifying too, Germany winning 3-0 at home and drawing 0-0 in Italy.

• Overall in 23 meetings, Germany lead 11-4 in wins with eight draws, scoring 38 goals to Italy's 17.

• The winners of this tie can look forward to a semi-final with either Sweden or Norway at Helsinki Football Stadium on Monday.