Football
England beats Germany in extra time to win Euro 2022
Just when it seemed England might again be weighed down by expectations and history, Chloe Kelly made the breakthrough.
Kelly's goal in the second half of extra time — the first time she had ever scored in a competitive international game — propelled England to its first major women's soccer title on Sunday, beating Germany 2-1.
By the time Kelly scored, England looked to be tiring, even with the boost of the home crowd, and struggling to deal with Germany's fresh substitute players. The game had finished 1-1 after 90 minutes at Wembley Stadium with Lina Magull for Germany canceling out Ella Toone's goal for England.
Then Kelly prodded in a loose ball at the second attempt in the 110th minute after Germany failed to clear a corner. Cue the celebrations, chants on Trafalgar Square, and congratulations from the queen.
“I always believed I’d be here, but to be here and score the winner, wow. These girls are amazing,” said Kelly, who returned from a serious knee injury in April. “This is amazing, I just want to celebrate now.”
Kelly took her shirt off to celebrate her goal, earning a yellow card but also a shout-out from Brandi Chastain, who celebrated in similar style when her penalty kick won the World Cup for the U.S. in 1999. “Enjoy the free rounds of pints and dinners for the rest of your life from all of England. Cheers!” Chastain wrote on Twitter.
After the final whistle, the England players danced and the crowd sang their anthem “Sweet Caroline.” The good-natured atmosphere inside the stadium Sunday drew contrasts with the violent scenes when the England men’s team lost its European Championship final to Italy at the same stadium a year ago.
The tournament-record crowd of more than 87,000 underlined the growth of women’s soccer in Europe since the last time England and Germany played for a continental title 13 years ago.
On that occasion, Germany surged to a 6-2 win over an England team which still relied on part-time players. Two years later, England launched its Women’s Super League, which has professionalized the game and grown into one of the main competitions worldwide.
That has meant increasing competition for Germany, which was a pioneering nation in European women’s soccer and increasingly faces well-funded rivals like England, Spain and France.
England's title comes 56 years after the nation's only major men's title which was also an extra-time win at Wembley over Germany at the 1966 World Cup. Queen Elizabeth II's congratulatory message called the England team an “inspiration for girls and women today, and for future generations."
The players, too, are conscious of how their success has important consequences.
Read:Messi, Neymar score in 4-0 win as PSG wins Champions Trophy
“We talked and talked and finally we did it," England captain Leah Williamson said. "It’s the proudest moment of my life so I’m going to lap it up and take every single second in. The legacy of this tournament and this team is a change in society. We’ve brought everyone together.”
On Sunday, Germany was without captain Alexandra Popp — the team’s leading scorer with six goals — after she reported a muscle problem in the warmup. She was replaced in the lineup by Schüller while Svenja Huth took over as captain.
The game was goalless after a physical first half in which Ellen White shot narrowly over the bar for England, while Marina Hegering nearly forced the ball in for Germany at a corner before Williamson and Earps intervened.
Either team could have had a penalty in the opening half, first when the ball seemed to touch Williamson’s arm as she cleared, and later when Hegering dived to clear the ball and collided with Lucy Bronze.
Ella Toone latched onto a long pass from Keira Walsh to get in behind the German defense in the 62nd minute and cleverly sent a lobbed shot over goalkeeper Merle Frohms and into the net for the opening goal.
Toone's goal, six minutes after she entered the game from the bench, sparked celebrations as England manager Sarina Wiegman — the winning coach with the Netherlands in 2017 — raised both arms in joy.
Facing its first defeat in nine European finals, Germany came close when Lea Schüller hit the post and then leveled the score in the 79th when Lina Magull knocked a low cross past England goalkeeper Mary Earps, taking the game to extra time.
When the game went to extra time there were echoes of another European Championship final at the same venue the year before, when the England men’s team had a 1-0 lead but lost on penalties to Italy, but Kelly's goal changed all that. England took control of the game in the final minutes, denying Germany chances for a second equalizer.
After the final whistle, Popp joined her teammates on the field and, with midfielder Lena Oberdorf, was comforted by England's Georgia Stanway.
England’s jubilant players entered Wiegman’s post-match news conference singing “It’s Coming Home” as they celebrated their dramatic win.
Wiegman was in the middle of the news conference when her squad burst into the room, singing and dancing around the top table.
Goalkeeper Earps even climbed on top of the table to continue dancing as the celebrations looked set to continue late into the evening.
Wiegman remains unbeaten in 12 games as coach at the European Championships after winning the tournament first with the Netherlands and now with England. One of her first moves after England won was to share a hug with 35-year-old midfielder Jill Scott, the only remaining player on either team from England's 2009 loss to Germany.
The game was refereed by Ukrainian Kateryna Monzul, who fled her home country after Russia invaded. One of Europe’s leading referees, Monzul left her home in Kharkiv -- a major city which has been heavily bombarded by Russian forces -- and spent five days living in a basement at her parents’ house before leaving the country and eventually living and working in Italy.
BPL Football : Uttar Baridhara relegated from top league
League runners up Dhaka Abahani Limited forced Uttar Baridhara Club to relegate from the 12-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football crushing them by 5-2 goals in their last league match at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj on Sunday.
BFF senior vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedy MP handed over the league runners up trophy to Dhaka Abahani after the day' s match.
In the day's match, Brazilian striker Dorielton Gomes made a hattrick for the popular sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani scoring four goals in the18th, 23rd, 40th and 73rd minutes while another Brazilian Raphael Augusto netted other goal in the 58th minute.
Also read: BPL Football :Champions Bashundhara Kings end campaign on winning note
Local medio Maruf Ahmed and Uzbek defender S Fozilov scored one each for Uttar Baridhara Club in the 48th and 83rd minutes respectively.
With the day's comfortable victory, Independence and Federation Cup champions Dhaka Abahani Limited completed the league engagements with winning note at the coffin of Uttar Baridhara Club.
Dhaka Abahani, which earler assured the league runners up position with two matches to spare, lost the last match to hattrick champions Bashundhara Kings by 2-3 goals, but made a good finishing on Sunday outplaying Uttar Baridhara.Club.
Also read: BPL Football: Sheikh Russel KC beat Rahmatganj MFS by 3-2 goal
Uttar Baridhara Club (14 pts) which badly needed a win against giant Dhaka Abahani in the day's match to avoid relegation, failed achieve their tough target and relegated from BPL alongwith newcomers Swadinata KS (10 pts).
Bashundhara Kings earned a rare feat of clinching the hattrick title of BPL Football earlier securing 57 points from 22 matches with 18 win, three draw and one defeat against new comers Swadhinata KS in league opener.
Bashundhara Kings, which were deprived of the season's two major soccer trophies, deprived the Independence Cup and Federation Cup Football champions Dhaka Abahani for winning the triple crown in the season, by clinching the league title comfortably beating Abahani after three matches.
Dhaka Abahani, finished league runners up distantly securing 47 points from all the 22 encounters with 14 win, 5 draw and:3 defeats.
In the day's other match, Muktijoddha Sangsad KC (19 pts) escaped relegation beating 3rd ranked Saif SC (37 pts) by 3-2 goals at the Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj.
Tetsuaki Misawa, Sudi Sbdullsh and Nawab scored one each for the freedom fighters team Muktijoddha while Mfon snd Sajan scored for Saif SC.
Neymar Jr.: The Brazilian football star is in danger of facing jail time
Controversies have never left Neymar behind ever since his arrival in Europe. The Brazilian star footballer has always made the headlines, but most of the time for a negative reason since his transfer from Brazilian club Santos to Spanish giant FC Barcelona back in 2013. One of the most talked-about controversies surrounding Neymar is his defrauding of DIS, a company that owned 40% of the rights to the footballer at the time of his transfer to the Catalan club. The investigation regarding Neymar’s transfer to Barcelona started in January 2014. After more than eight years, the final trial is to be staged on October 17 this year, reported El PAIS.
What is the reason behind Neymar’s trial at Barcelona's court?
Ten years ago, Neymar Jr. was the most sought-after footballer for the European giants. Major European clubs fought hard to acquire Neymar. But it was FC Barcelona who eventually won the race to sign the Brazilian young star in 2013. Neymar did not let Barcelona down. He helped the Catalan giants to win the 2015 Champions League and multiple other domestic and international tournaments by showing his magnificent footballing abilities on the field.
Read: Neymar to start in unchanged Brazil team to face Costa Rica
Neymar came to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 to escape Argentina's Lionel Messi's shadow after spending four fruitful years at Barcelona. Despite switching the teams, there have always been issues with Barcelona due to a number of legal matters. When Neymar penned a new contract with Barcelona in 2016, it included a sizable incentive. However, the footballer alleged that Barcelona did not offer him the incentive when he transferred to PSG in 2017. The Catalan club was sued by Neymar for failing to pay him 46.3 million euros. The player was counter-sued by Barcelona for contract violations. Later, the situation was resolved when the two sides were able to come to an amicable settlement.
However, the biggest saga is Neymar’s signing for Barcelona from Santos in 2013. He is accused of fraud and corruption by the DIS, a Brazilian company that owned 40% of Neymar's rights back then.
DIS claimed that Neymar's contract had irregularities. Both Barcelona and the player's entourage had left them feeling cheated. According to the Catalan club, Neymar's transfer cost was 57.1 million euros. Of the 17.1 million euros given to Santos, 6.8 million went to the DIS. The DIS believed they had received far less than they should have as the exact transfer cost was concealed.
Read Trophee des Champions 2022: Messi, Neymar likely to start for PSG against Nantes
The prosecutor's office is seeking to get a 10-million-euro fine in addition to a two-year jail sentence for Neymar Jr. However, according to several reports, the company wants the player to serve five years in prison and ban him from football for the same time period. The legal battle over Neymar's fraudulent financial transfer to Barcelona has been going on for years, and according to El PAIS, the final trial will be held on October 17 at the Barcelona court. The timing of the trial is quite bizarre, as the 2022 Qatar World Cup will begin in mid-November.
Bottom Line
Whether Neymar Jr. will be sentenced to jail for defrauding the investment fund DIS will be known in the coming October. Neymar's transfer to Barcelona has already been regarded as one of the most contentious. It would likely be the biggest transfer penalty in football history if the player, his family, and the former president of Barcelona were proven guilty of any wrongdoing relating to the transfer and given jail time and financial penalties. It would also be a huge blow for Brazil if Neymar were to be put on trial just before the World Cup in 2022, something their endless worldwide fans are not expecting.
Read: Neymar gets goal, yellow card for diving as Brazil romps 5-0
Trophee des Champions 2022: Messi, Neymar likely to start for PSG against Nantes
The winners of the Coupe de France compete against the Ligue 1 champions in the Trophee des Champions each year. The Trophee des Champions 2022 will be played between the Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain and Coupe de France winners Nantes on Monday at the Bloomfield Stadium at 12 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). Superstar footballers Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. are most likely to start for PSG in this contest. The Paris Saint-Germain vs Nantes match preview and probable team lineups are discussed in this article.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Nantes Trophee des Champions 2022: Probable team lineups
PSG will be without their most expensive player, Kylian Mbappe, for this Trophee des Champions 2022 clash against Nantes. The French forward will serve a one-game ban, which means Argentine forward Mauro Icardi will likely partner with Brazilian Neymar Jr. upfront. Lionel Messi will serve as a false 9. Messi will play between the two strikers.
PSG’s new head coach, Christophe Galtier, used a 3-4-1-2 system in the pre-season friendlies in Japan and his side looked sharp with the new formation. In particular, the connection between Messi and Neymar has been noticeable. In the midfield, Marco Verratti and Vitinha are very much in the coach’s plan for next season.
Read UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Final: England vs Germany preview, lineups, prediction
Predicted starting XI (PSG)
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma;
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe, Sergio Ramos;
Midfielders: Marco Verratti, Vitinha, Nuno Mendes;
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Neymar, Mauro Icardi
Nantes’ head coach, Antoine Kombouare, previously managed Paris Saint-Germain's senior team from 2009 to 2011 and won a Coupe de France trophy in 2010. Twelve years later, Kombouare won the trophy with Nantes as manager last season. His side finished ninth in Ligue 1 in the 2021-2022 season. Nobody will bet on Nantes to win the game. Their primary goal in the game would be to put up a fight against PSG.
Read England and Germany set for historic Euro 2022 final
Predicted starting XI (Nantes)
GK: Alban Lafont;
Defenders: Jean-Charles Castelletto, Nicolas Pallois, Andrei Girotto, Sebastien Corchia;
Midfielders: Moussa Sissoko, Samuel Moutoussamy, Quentin Merlin, Ludovic Blas;
Forwards: Moses Simon, Mostafa Mohamed.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Nantes H2H Stats
Paris Saint-Germain and Nantes have met each other on 31 occasions. PSG have led head-to-head stats with 25 wins, while Nantes have won only three matches and the remaining three matches ended in a draw. Given the stats, Nantes seem to have no chance against the Parisian club.
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However, Nantes have a good record in recent duels, winning two of their three victories in the previous three meetings. All of their three victories came at the Stade de la Beaujoire, the home ground of Nantes. A total of 86 goals have been scored between the two sides, where PSG have netted 67, while Nantes have scored only 19.
Match prediction:
PSG 3 – 1 Nantes
Verdict
Paris Saint-Germain and Nantes will miss a few of their regular starters for this Trophee des Champions 2022 match. Mbappe missing the contest due to suspension is the biggest of them all. However, PSG have some world-class footballers in their squad who will draw fans to watch the game.
Lionel Messi and Neymar are the two big stars for PSG who can rattle the opposition defense and dazzle the crowds. PSG are overwhelmingly favourites to clinch the trophy, but ruling completely out the Nantes side wouldn’t be justified. Because anything is possible in a one-off contest and Nantes have the ability to stun the French giant in this year’s Trophee des Champions.
Read UEFA Women’s EURO 2022: Previews for the semifinals
BPL Football :Champions Bashundhara Kings end campaign on winning note
Bashundhara Kings, which earned the hattrick title of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football, today (Saturday) completed their engagement in the 12-team ongoing league with winning note beating three times champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by 2-1 goals in their last match at home venue-- Bashundhara Sports Complex in the city The coveted trophy of the prestigious league was handed over to the champions Bashundhara Kings after the day's match amid huge enthusiasm from their home crowd. BFF Senior Vice President and Chairman of the Professional League Committee Abdus Salam Murshedy MP was the chief guest at the function. In the day's match, midfielder Motin Miah put the Kings ahead in the very 8th minute of the match (1-0) while Brazilian player cum Kings captain Robson Robinho assured the team victory scoring the 2nd goal in the 53rd minute (2-0)Shohanur Rahman netted the lone goal for Sheikh Jamal in the 69th minute (2-1) Bishwanath Ghosh of the Kings and Sheikh Jamal's Uzbek striker Otabek got marching order after receiving the red cards just 10 minutes before the final whistle. The first phase match between two teams ended in 3-3 draw. Bashundhara Kings, which earned a rare feat of clinching the hattrick title of BPL Football earlier with two matches to spare, celebrated their league crown by winning the last two vital league matches, beating six time champions Dhaka Abahani and three times champions Sheikh Jamal DC The Bashundhara Kings made a frustrating start in the league losing the league opener to newcomers Swadhinata KS, but remained unbeaten in the remaining 21 matches to win league trophy comfortably securing 57 points from 22 encounters, with 18 wins, three draw and one defeat.Last times runners-up Sheikh Jamal DC finished 4th in the league securing 35 points with nine wins, eight draw and five defeats after league runners up Dhaka Abahani and the 3rd ranked Saif SC .
Read: BPL Football: Bashundhara Kings maintain winning streak
This was the first hattrick title for Bashundhara Kings and the 2nd hattrick title in the BPL history after Dhaka Abahani, which won the BPL crown for a record six times, including first three times in row in the year 2007, 2008-2009, 2009-2010. Bashundhara Kings, which were deprived of this season's two major soccer trophies, the Independence Cup and Federation Cup Football, clinched the league title convincingly beating Dhaka Abahani after three matches.
UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Final: England vs Germany preview, lineups, prediction
The semifinal stage of the 2022 Women's EURO came to an end on Thursday (July 28) with England defeating Sweden 4-0 and Germany defeating France 2-1 to advance to the final. The England vs Germany UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 final will be held on Sunday (July 31) at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London and it will kick off at 10 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
This is the second time both teams will meet each other in a Women’s European Championship final. Prior to this, Germany thrashed England 6-2 in the 2009 final at the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki. Will England's women’s team come up on top against the German side this time? The championship match preview of the women’s EURO 2022 is discussed in this article.
England-Germany’s road to the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 final
Both England and Germany have reached the 2022 Women’s EURO final without losing a single match in the competition.
The hosts, England, have reached the final by comprehensively winning all of their group stage fixtures against Austria, Norway, and Northern Ireland. They later came out on top against Spain and Sweden in the knockout rounds and earned a spot in the tournament’s championship match.
Read England and Germany set for historic Euro 2022 final
England women’s team route to final
Group A
England vs Austria: 1-0
England vs Norway: 8-0
England vs Northern Ireland: 5-0
Quarter-Final
England vs Spain: 2-1
Semi-Final
England vs Sweden: 4-0
The eight-time champions, Germany, have reached the final by beating Denmark, Spain, and Finland in the group stage. They later overcame Austria and France in the knockout stage to seal a spot in the championship match. Germany didn’t concede a goal in the tournament till the 44th minute of the semifinal fixture against the French side, which suggests they have a formidable defensive lineup.
Read Manchester City vs Liverpool FA Community Shield 2022: Match Preview, Lineups, Prediction
Germany women’s team route to final
Group B
Germany vs Denmark: 4-0
Germany vs Spain: 2-0
Germany vs Finland: 3-0
Quarter-Final
Germany vs Austria: 2-0
Semi-Final
Germany vs France: 2-1
Read UEFA Women’s EURO 2022: Previews for the semifinals
Notable statistics of the two finalists in the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 (as on July 28)
England
Germany
Total Goals
20
13
Possession (%)
58.4
53
Passing Accuracy (%)
85.6
78
Total Attempts
95
93
Distance Covered (km)
496.2
559.6
Tackles
60
68
Balls Covered
219
223
Saves
10
7
Clean Sheets
4
4
Disciplinary (fouls committed)
40
60
Yellow Cards
2
8
Source: https://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/statistics/
Read Cristiano Ronaldo's Summer Football Transfer 2022: 5 potential destinations
England’s chances to win the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022
The English team has shown authoritative performances in the ongoing 2022 Women’s EURO tournament. They have won all of their tournament fixtures with pure dominance to date and can be considered a hot favourite to lift the trophy for the first time.
England’s campaign started with a 1-0 narrow victory over Austria in Group A. Beth Mead was the only scorer in the match. Mead has been in outstanding form in the competition. She has netted the tournament’s highest six goals so far, including a hat-trick against Norway. The tournament’s biggest margin of victory has come in a group phase match between England and Norway, where the hosts netted eight goals. Besides, England also hammered Northern Ireland 5-0 in their last group stage fixture.
England had to work hard in their 2-1 victory over Spain in the quarter-final match, but overcoming 4-0 against Sweden in the semi-final match proved just how good England’s forward lineup is at the moment.
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England’s biggest challenge is waiting in the final against Germany. The German side has arguably the best defense in the competition. Creating a space in the German defense would be a hard task. However, with the kind of form Mead and Russo are having at the moment, it will be an equally challenging task for the German defenders to stop them going forward.
English captain Leah Williamson is leading the tournament’s stats when it comes to recovering the ball. She has recovered 46 balls thus far, which is a promising stat for the home team.
Germany have a far better head-to-head record. England can take inspiration from their most recent 3-1 victory over the German last February. The England women’s team is in the best-ever shape to win a major tournament in their history. Can they pull off a memorable victory over one of their bitter rivals in Sunday’s UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 final?
Read Dembélé signs new contract with Barcelona through 2024
Five players to watch out for England in the final
Mary Earps (GK), Beth Mead (Goals: 6; Assists: 6), Alessia Russo (Goals: 4; Assists: 1), Fran Kirby (Goals: 2, Assists: 3), Lucy Bronze ((Goals: 1, Assists: 2)
Predicted starting XI
Mary Earps; Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright, Leah Williamson, Rachel Daly; Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh, Fran Kirby; Beth Mead, Alessia Russo, Ellen White.
Germany’s chances of winning the UEFA EURO 2022 final
The German team is enjoying a similar tournament run to England. They have comfortably reached the final by beating their respective opponents. Germany’s campaign started with a 4-0 demolition over Denmark, followed by a 2-0 victory over Spain and a 3-0 win over Finland in the group stage.
Read Barça reaches deal with Man U for reluctant De Jong
Captain Alexandra Popp is leading the forward line for Germany. She has scored six goals, highest in the tournament along with England’s Beth Mead. Popp has found the net once in three Group phase fixtures and the quarter-final match against Austria. She then netted two goals against France in the semi-final match.
The English defenders will try to block Alexandra Popp to find a space in an attempt to score. Besides, Germany have a very strong defense line. Players like Hegering, Gwinn, and Oberdorf will make it tough for the formidable English offensive players. Lena Oberdorf, in particular, is brilliant when it comes to tackling. She has the record for most tackles in this competition so far.
The German side may take a cautious approach so as to not allow the opposition a chance to take a lead. They are likely to use a counter-attacking tactic and try to upset the English defense with quick attacks.
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Germany's national women’s team has a strong record over England's national women’s team. Germany have won 20 games and lost 10 out of 30 matches played against England. Germany’s 6-2 thrashing victory in the 2009 EURO final against England is the biggest margin of victory between the two sides.
Will Germany be able to stop a confident English side in the final who look more determined than ever to clinch their maiden European championship? The overall head-to-head record and Germany’s brilliant success in the tournament will boost their confidence heading into the championship battle.
Five players to watch out for Germany in the final
Merle Frohms (GK), Alexandra Popp (Goals: 6), Lina Magull (Goals: 2; Assists: 1), Svenja Huth (Assists: 2), Lena Oberdorf.
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Predicted starting XI
Merle Frohms; Giulia Gwinn, Marina Hegering, Kathrin Hendrich, Felicitas Rauch; Lena Oberdorf, Sara Dabritz, Lina Magull, Svenja Huth, Klara Buhl, Alexandra Popp
Verdict
The UEFA Women's EURO 2022 final between England and Germany is scheduled to take place on Sunday in front of around 90,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium. The English fans will be hoping the Lionesses come on top in the championship fixture and take revenge for their big defeat against Germany in the 2009 final.
On the other hand, Germany’s women’s team is expecting to outsmart an in-form England side in the final to clinch their ninth European championship. With the kind of performance England's women's team has shown throughout the competition, and as the host nation, they will begin as a slight favourite against Germany in the decisive final.
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England and Germany set for historic Euro 2022 final
England against Germany at Wembley Stadium. A final that underlines the growing stature of women’s soccer in Europe and echoes decades of history.
When host nation England takes on Germany in the European Championship final Sunday, it will have a tournament-record crowd of nearly 90,000. Euro 2022 as a whole will be easily the best-attended ever. It beat the previous mark of 240,000 part-way through the group stage.
“It’s going to be a great festival of football,” German coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg said Wednesday. “That’s a classic in soccer, England-Germany.”
England is aiming to win its first major women’s tournament title on the site where the English men’s national team beat West Germany to win its only major title to date, the 1966 World Cup.
Germany has won all eight European finals it’s played — and crushed England 6-2 in the 2009 final — but its momentum had seemed to slow in recent years as other countries invested heavily in women’s leagues.
Read: UEFA Women’s EURO 2022: Previews for the semifinals
England has scored a tournament-leading 20 goals on its way to the final, more than half in two storming wins over former European champions, 8-0 against Norway in the group stage and 4-0 against Sweden in the semifinals.
Beating eight-time winner Germany would be the perfect way for England to write history.
England showed it is possible back in February, winning 3-1 in Wolverhampton for its first-ever victory against Germany on home soil.
Germany’s fans are used to their team winning titles, even if it’s not quite the all-conquering dynasty it once was. Since Germany won the Olympic gold medal in 2016, Euro 2022 marks the first time it has got past the quarterfinals of a tournament.
Forwards Alexandra Popp and Alessia Russo have made very different contributions. Captain Popp has scored in each of Germany’s five games — a new record — and started all except the opening game against Denmark. Russo has started none but is the ultimate impact substitute.
After missing the 2013 and 2017 European Championships with injuries, Popp is making up for lost time as the joint top scorer with England’s Beth Mead on six goals. Popp has her club teammates around her as one of five Wolfsburg players in the starting lineup for the 2-1 win over France, when she scored twice.
Popp started out as a full back at now-defunct FCR Duisburg and won her first European club title aged 18. She studied at a sports-focused high school with a special permission to let her take soccer classes as the only girl alongside boys from the academy of men’s club Schalke, and is also a fully qualified zookeeper.
Russo’s explosive impact off the bench has been crucial. The Manchester United forward, who played college soccer at the University of North Carolina, has scored four goals as a substitute at Euro 2022, including a backheel through the goalkeeper’s legs against Sweden in the semifinals. Her assist for Ella Toone’s goal to send the quarterfinal against Spain to extra time was just as valuable.
“I think when you’re enjoying your football you play your best,” Russo said. “Maybe (the backheel against Sweden) does show a bit of confidence — but I’m just loving playing football.”
SAFF U-20 Championship: Bangladesh to play Maldives on Friday
With a sweet memory of beating defending champions India 2-1, last time runners up Bangladesh will play the Maldives in their 3rd match of the five-nation SAFF U-20 Championship'2022 at the Kalinga Stadium in the Indian city of Bhubaneswar on Friday (July 29).
The match will kick-off at 7:30 pm (Bangladesh time).
Holders India will play all losers Sri Lanka at 3:30 pm (BST) in the day's other match at the same venue.
After the 2nd matches, Nepal and Bangladesh dominated the meet securing full six points from straight two matches while hosts India yet to open the account losing their first match to neighbor Bangladesh.
But, in the goal differences, Nepal top the list scoring seven goals without conceding any (7-0) while Bangladesh is in the 2nd slot scoring three goals against conceding one (3-1).
In the remaining match, Bangladesh will face two times champions and league leader Nepal on August 2.
Bangladesh made a good start in ongoing meet after beating Sri Lanka 1-0 by a Merazul goal in the first match and they brightened their change to reach the final upsetting holders India by 2-1 goal in the 2nd match, thanks to Pias Ahmed Nova for scoring a brace.
Read: SAFF U-20 Football: Nova forces India to concede 1-2 goal defeat against Bangladesh
The Himalayan nation Nepal made a flying start crushing the Maldives by 4-0 goal in the opener and outplayed the Islanders Sri Lanka by 3-0 goal in the 2nd match
Ahead of the Friday's match, Bangladesh team, divided in two groups, made strength and conditioning, gym, ice bath and pool session at the team hotel Thursday morning and made their practices at the Capital Practice ground in the afternoon.
Five South Asian nations – India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka-- are taking part in this year's fourth edition of the regional youth soccer meet.
After the league basis matches, top two teams will play in the final on August 5.
Nepal are the most successful nation in the meet winning the title twice while India lifted its first title in 2019 after beating two times runners-up Bangladesh.
Manchester City vs Liverpool FA Community Shield 2022: Match Preview, Lineups, Prediction
The 2022–2023 English Premier League season is around the corner. Before that, football fans will witness an exciting match between reigning Premier League champions Manchester City and FA Cup winners Liverpool on Saturday (July 30) at Leicester's King Power Stadium. Apart from the possibility of winning a trophy, this matchup can act as a perfect dress rehearsal for both teams for the upcoming season. The Manchester City vs Liverpool FA Community Shield 2022 match preview is discussed in this article.
FA Community Shield 2022: Liverpool vs Manchester City Probable Lineups
Man City’s Spanish defender Aymeric Laporte will be unavailable for selection due to an injury. Apart from him, the rest of the players are available to be included in the squad for the Community Shield match. All eyes will be on City’s blockbuster signing, Erling Haaland, and he is likely to start in Saturday’s big clash against Liverpool. The other new signings, Julian Alvarez and Kalvin Phillips, will most likely have a chance to play against Liverpool.
Read UEFA Women’s EURO 2022: Previews for the semifinals
Predicted Starting XI (Manchester City):
GK: Ederson Moraes; Defenders: Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Joao Cancelo; Midfielders: Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne; Forwards: Riyad Mahrez, Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland
Liverpool, on the other hand, will miss some of their key players for the Community Shield fixture against Man City. Goalkeeper Alisson has a slim chance to play the game, while Diogo Jota, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Calvin Ramsey are all likely to miss the fixture due to injury issues. Liverpool’s new summer signing, Darwin Nunez, will likely start the match.
Predicted Starting XI (Liverpool):
GK: Adrian; Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk, Joel Matip, Andrew Robertson; Midfielders: Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita; Forwards: Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez.
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Match Prediction: Manchester City vs Liverpool FA Community Shield 2022
It’s well-known that Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola and Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp have completely different philosophies. Therefore, there is no similarity in their tactics. Guardiola prefers tiki-taka possession-based football, while Klopp demands high-intense, counter-attacking heavy metal football.
4-1-4-1 is very effective in Guardiola’s system, which can become 4-4-2 sometimes. It will be interesting to see how Pep uses Erling Haaland in his system. He is a tall, lethal striker who can provide a lot of goals for the Blues.
However, Haaland may have to adapt to Guardiola’s passing system as quickly as possible. Julian Alvarez, another new arrival at Manchester City, may be a better fit for Pep's philosophy. Man City will have the upper hand to beat Liverpool in the match If the team can execute their plan properly.
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On the other hand, Klopp prefers 4-3-3 and uses his two wings for counter-press. In the last few seasons, one of Klopp’s main weapons was Sadio Mane, but he left the club this summer for Bayern Munich. Liverpool bought Darwin Nunez from Benfica to replace Mane in the pressing role. Will he be able to replicate what Mane did during his time at Liverpool?
The Manchester City vs Liverpool FA Community Shield 2022 match would give an idea of how good Nunez is. Liverpool’s wings will play a big part in the match to break through Man City’s defense. Besides, midfielders have to play a major role in taking control of the midfield.
Overall, Liverpool have won 15 Community Shields, while Manchester City have won 6. Who will win the 2022 FA Community Shield trophy? The match will kickoff on Saturday at 10 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
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Prediction:
Manchester City 3 – 2 Liverpool
Bottom Line
Manchester City and Liverpool have strengthened their respective squads in the ongoing summer football transfer window 2022 to be even more competitive for the upcoming season. Man City clinched the League title on the final matchday last season but missed out on reaching the finals in any of the other three competitions. Liverpool, on the other hand, reached three finals but only won the FA Cup. They also finished second in the Premier League.
Both teams will once again be hot favourites to win the domestic league as well as the UEFA Champions League in the 2022-2023 season. Therefore, the Manchester City vs Liverpool FA Community Shield 2022 clash would give an idea of which team is in the best shape at the moment prior to the upcoming Premier League season.
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BPL Football: Sheikh Russel KC beat Rahmatganj MFS by 3-2 goal
Former champions Sheikh Russel KC beat Rahmatganj MFS by 3-2 goal in the 21st round match of the 12-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football'2022 at Bir Shreshtho Shaheed Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj on Wednesday. Midfielder Dipok Roy scored twice in the 66th and 76th minutes while Ghana forward Richard Gadze netted the other goal for Sheikh Russel KC in the 37th minute .Tajikistan defender Siyovush Asrorov scored both the goals for the old Dhaka outfit Rahmatganj MFS in the 83rd and 90+5 minutes.In the day's another league match, Dhaka Mohammedan SC played 1-1 draw with Bangladesh Police FC at the Muktijoddha Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi on Wednesday. Malian booter Souleymane Diabate scored first for the traditional black and white Mohammedan in the 28th minute while Ivory Coast forward Cristian Kouakou restored the parity for Police FC just four minutes later. The day's other league match between Chittagong Abahani and Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad KC also ended in 1-1 draw at Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj The freedom fighters team Muktijoddha SKC took lead in the very 2nd minute of the match by a Tariqul Islam goal (1-0) while Nigerian forward Candy neutralized the margin for Chittagong Abahani in the 39th minute (1-1) After the day's 21st round matches, Dhaka Mohammedan SC advanced to the 5th slot with 30 points, Bangladesh Police SC remained at 6th slot also with 30 points (due to poor goal differences), Sheikh Russel KC is in the 7th place with 28 points, Chittagong Abahani is in the 8th slot with 28 points, Rahmatganj MFS is in the 9th place with 18 points while Muktijoddha SKC is in the 10th slot with 16 points.Earlier, Bashundhara Kings earned a rare feat of clinching the hattrick title of BPL Football securing 54 points from 21 matches with 17 win, three draw and one defeat against relegation bound and new comers Swadhinata KS in opener.SIx time champions Dhaka Abahani assured league runners up position distantly collecting 44 points from 21 encounters with 13 win, five draw and three defeats.
Also read: BPL Football: Saif SC advance to 3rd slot crushing Uttar Baridhara 7-0