Another year to remember

The year may have ended gloriously for France as they joined four fellow European challengers in qualifying for the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, but 2002 belonged to Germany as Teutonic dominance brought yet more silverware to the spiritual home of women's football on this continent.

Held in China
Germany were one of a quartet of countries to qualify automatically for next year's showcase of women's football in China, in addition to carrying off the inaugural UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship. At club level, 1. FFC Frankfurt won the first UEFA Women's Cup and ended 2002 in the semi-finals of the following edition.

Maximum points
Unsurprisingly, Germany were the first of Europe's powerhouses to win a UEFA Women's Championship qualifying section, Group 4, in April; eventually progressing with maximum points and an impressive goal difference of plus 29 from six matches. Norway, third at the last World Cup, won Group 1 in May, and the following month saw Russia and Sweden secure their places in China by finishing respectively top of Groups 3 and 2.

French joy
With the four automatic berths taken, the four runners-up from the first-strength category - France, Denmark, England and Iceland - featured in a play-off competition which eventually led to the French tackling England for the final place at China 2003. France won the first leg in London in mid-November 1-0 to make them strong favourites to advance, which they duly did by triumphing by the same score in front of a 20,000 crowd in Saint-Etienne.

Élite swelled
The successful nations in the four second-strength pools - Poland, Yugoslavia, Scotland and Hungary - were all promoted to the European élite, which UEFA also swelled from 16 teams to 20. The size of the task facing the quartet became apparent when the draw for 2003/05 UEFA European Women's Championship qualifying took place in Nyon in December. The Scots found themselves in Germany's group, while France were pitted against Russia.

Third triumph
France and Germany also made a huge impact at U19 level. The two met in the opening match of the European Championship in Sweden, Germany winning 3-2. Silvia Neid's side repeated the feat in the final, played at Helsingborg's Olympia stadium, after Germany and France eliminated England and Denmark in the last four. The 3-1 triumph was the Germans third in succession at this level, meaning they kept the trophy.

North American dominance
The semi-finalists also represented Europe at the FIFA Women's Under-19 World Cup. However, the North American challengers proved too strong for their European counterparts: England lost to hosts Canada in the last eight, while eventual winners United States accounted for Denmark and Germany in the quarter and semi-finals.

Final repeat
Qualifying for the second U19 championship also got under way, 38 hopefuls eventually being whittled down to 16 ahead of the second qualifying round next year. The second UEFA Women's Cup is also nearing its conclusion with last season's finalists, Frankfurt and Umeå IK, to square off in one semi-final. The other fixture sees Arsenal LFC take on 1. FFC Fortuna Hjørring.

World honour?
Arsenal were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the first edition of the knockout competition in March, as the champions of Germany, Sweden, France (Toulouse FC) and Finland (HJK Helsinki) advanced. Frankfurt and Umeå triumphed in the last four to set up an intriguing showdown at the Waldstadion. The final provided a fitting tribute to the famous old stadium in Frankfurt as the home side, inspired by Birgit Prinz, won 2-0. Prinz was attempting to cap a fine year for club and country by being named the FIFA Player of the Year for 2002.