UEFA Women's EURO 2022 daily preview: What to look out for on Saturday
Saturday, July 16, 2022
Article summary
Spain and Denmark face off for the right to meet England while Germany aim to complete a perfect group campaign as Finland bow out.
Article top media content
Article body
Germany have UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Group B won as they face eliminated Finland on Saturday when all eyes will be on Brentford as Denmark take on Spain for second place and a quarter-final spot against hosts England.
We preview the action.
The runners-up five years ago, Denmark face a must-win situation against Spain as they trail the second-placed team on goal difference, both having lost to Germany and beaten Finland. Denmark fell 4-0 to the eight-time champions and toiled before Pernille Harder gave them a 1-0 win against Finland, and there is no doubt the twice UEFA Women's Player of the Year will be crucial for them again.
Spain, of course, are missing their own UEFA award-winner in Alexia Putellas, injured along with Jenni Hermoso, and they have conceded early goals in both matches so far, recovering to beat Finland 4-1 but falling 2-0 to Germany. Another Barcelona player, Aitana Bonmatí, is taking a grip as the leader of Spain's new-look attack and has the happy memory of scoring twice against Denmark in a 3-0 home friendly win in June 2021.
Key stat: Denmark were unbeaten against Spain in their first 12 meetings prior to last year's friendly, winning nine.
Germany's comfortable defeats of Denmark and Spain have ensured the 'group of death' has proved mostly harmless for them; they are already confirmed in first place while opponents Finland cannot finish above fourth. They will know before this game in Milton Keynes whether Norway or Austria await in Thursday's quarter-final at the venue for Germany's impressive victories so far, Brentford, but Martina Voss-Tecklenburg will be keen to keep up momentum and maintain focus on Finland, even if she chooses to show off their impressive squad depth with rotation.
Finland are playing for pride, and to end a seven-game winless EURO finals streak dating back to 2009. The presence of Germany's Alex Popp, who has now scored on her belated first two EURO appearances, will be ominous for Finland: she struck twice the last time these teams met, a 7-0 friendly result in 2010. Finland's first-choice goalkeeper Tinja-Riika Korpela will miss the game.
Key stat: Germany have won all eight of their Women's EURO matches in England, including a 4-1 defeat of Finland in the 2005 semi-finals.
