UEFA Women's EURO 2022 daily preview: What to look out for on Saturday

One of the most anticipated UEFA Women's EURO 2022 group games is played at Bramall Lane on Saturday as holders Netherlands take on inaugural champions Sweden, after two tournament dark horses Portugal and Switzerland begin their respective campaigns.

We preview the action as Group C gets under way in Wigan & Leigh and Sheffield.

18:00 CET: Portugal vs Switzerland (Group C, Wigan & Leigh)

Both of these teams made their EURO debuts five years ago and each came surprisingly close to reaching the knockout stages, Portugal edged out in a Matchday 3 loss to England and Switzerland pipped in a 1-1 draw by France. Both had unusual play-off routes to England, Portugal losing to then replacing Russia and Switzerland winning the first ever qualifying penalty shoot-out against the Czech Republic.

With holders Netherlands and Olympic silver medallists Sweden also in this group, both Portugal and Switzerland will see this opener as a must-win. Switzerland are not short of experience on the biggest occasion with their squad including UEFA Women's Champions League winner Ana-Maria Crnogorčević and runner-up Ramona Bachmann, plus coach Nils Nielsen, who led Denmark to the 2017 final.

Key stat: These nations last met in the 2019 Algarve Cup, Switzerland going behind to Andreia Norton's 27th-minute goal, but winning 3-1 through second-half strikes from Crnogorčević, Rahel Kiwic and Melanie Müller.

21:00 CET: Netherlands vs Sweden (Group C, Sheffield)

If these sides meet again on 31 July at Wembley, it would be no surprise. The Netherlands are defending the title they won at home in 2017, and reached the FIFA Women's World Cup final two years ago while Sweden took bronze in France and silver at the 2021 Olympics, having under Peter Gerhardsson developed into a squad who peak at just the right time and can well dream of a first major title since the inaugural 1984 Women's EURO.

The Netherlands, having lost coach Sarina Wiegman to England, appointed an Englishman in Mark Parsons last year but the core of their champion squad remains, spearheaded by Vivianne Miedema, and have happy memories of beating Sweden in the EURO 2017 quarter-finals and 2019 World Cup last four. Sweden, though, have their own star striker in Stina Blackstenius, who in recent months has formed a lethal partnership at Arsenal with Miedema.

Key stat: Both teams are captained by a player with more than 200 caps: Sherida Spitse (202) and Caroline Seger (European record 230).