Women’s Soccer, July 2022: A Series
This is the third post in a series devoted to the 117 games of international women’s football played in July 2022, covering the first round of the Women’s Euros. If you’d like to start from the beginning (or to pick and choose your competitions), you can do so from my opening post. Later today, I’ll finish off the group stage of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

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Women’s Euros – Group Stage, Round 1 (6^th-10^th)

On Wednesday the 6^th, on the day off between the first and second round of W Championship group stage games and in the middle of the 2^nd round of WAfCoN group stage games that day, the Euros kicked off the main event of the month. An original field of 47 teams had been winnowed down to 15, joining hosts England to create four seeded groups of four. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, however, led to their disqualification from the tournament, with Portugal (who had lost to Russia in a qualification play-off) taking their spot.

The top two sides from each group entered directly into the quarterfinals. Unlike other regions, UEFA had separate qualifications processes for both the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics (in the form of its new Women’s Nations League), leaving the tournament independent of those future considerations (and also without a dreary 3^rd place consolation match).

The field could not have been more open, with at least six nations with plausible aspirations to win the tournament. Within the English-language press, England were generally viewed as the front-runners, a strong squad and home field advantage being supplemented by the addition of former Netherlands manager, Sarina Wiegman. Under her, England had won their February warm-up tournament, the Arnold Clark Cup, soundly beating Germany after tying Spain and Canada.

France, who had been one of the favorites at the last World Cup before losing to the United States in the quarterfinals, similarly won their February warm-up tournament, beating both Brazil and Netherlands (and routing Finland). They probably would have been higher ranked had controversial manager, Corinne Diacre, not chosen to omit France and Lyon stars Amandine Henry and Eugénie Le Sommer from her squad.

Spain featured a side built around Barcelona’s stunning (if not all-conquering) side, who despite failing to win the Champion League final dominated games in a way reminiscent of Pep Guardiola’s transformative men’s team. Their lack of previous international success would have made them seem likely dark horse candidates, but their runner-up performance in the Arnold Clark Cup and several later friendlies, most notably a tie with Brazil and a 7-0 drubbing of Australia, saw them tipped as favorites in many sports books. Opta, however, still measured Spain as the weakest of the top six contenders.

Then there was the Netherlands, winners of the 2017 Euros as well as runners-up at the 2019 World Cup. Wiegman had been replaced by Mark Parsons, twice winner of the NWSL as manager of the Portland Thorns, and the squad remained a supremely talented group. Sweden were another side warranting serious consideration as 2019 World Cup quarterfinalists and 2020 Olympic runners-up, manager Peter Gerhardsson offering a much more dynamic approach than past iterations of the Blågult. And Germany, winners of six straight Euros prior to 2017, were not to be taken lightly.

With Spain having escaped the pool of dark horse candidates, there were still a trio of outsiders meriting some consideration. Norway was bolstered by the return of Lyon star, Ada Hegerberg, to international duty following a heroic 4-year protest against her nation’s unequal support of its women’s team. Italy featured a squad built around a Juventus side that had finished ahead of Chelsea in the group stage before losing to Lyon in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. And then there was Denmark, who had unexpectedly reached the finals of the last Euros and would have been a more popular dark horse were they not placed in a group with Spain and Germany.

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In Group A, England had the opening to the tournament they were hoping for. Though a defensively compact Austria threatened up the flank for the opening 15’ of the game, Fran Kirby capitalized on a ball in from Laura Hemp at 16’, putting it over the defense for Beth Mead to chip Manuela Zinsberger for an early opener. From there, England were fairly comfortable despite another strong spell from Austria at the start of the second, having most of the game’s chances even if they weren’t able to expand their lead. At 78’, Mary Earps made a fantastic save on a long shot from Barbara Dunst to maintain England’s deserved victory.

In the tournament’s second game, on Thursday the 7^th, Norway took less than 15’ to establish a two-goal lead against a debutant Northern Ireland side with only one fully professional player Everton’s Simone Magill, and a penalty before halftime gave them a third. Northern Ireland did score their first international goal early in the second half, headed in by center-back Julie Nelson off an uncleared corner, Northern Ireland’s first of the game. Guro Reiten scored a lovely free kick at 54’ to round out a commanding 4-1 victory. Even worse than the loss itself for Northern Ireland was a tournament-ending ACL injury for Magill late in the game.

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On Friday the 8^th, Group B kicked off the first 8-game day of the month with Spain facing Finland. Having already lost Barcelona forward Jennifer Hermoso to injury three weeks before the tournament, Spain learned shortly before the opening game that Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas would also miss the tournament with a torn ACL. Even so, Spain were overwhelming favorites in this opener.

It would be unfair to say Spain dominated from the outset, as they in fact conceded in the opening minute, their initial attack setting the stage for a counter-attacking goal from Linda Sällström. From that point on, however, it was one-way traffic. Spain dominated possession and chances, scoring two first-half headers from Irene Parades and (more surprisingly) 5’2” Aitana Bommatí. Lucía García eventually headed in an insurance goal off a 75’ Mapi León free kick, and deep in stoppage time Mariona Caldentey earned and took a penalty, scoring Spain’s 4^th with the last kick of a very one-sided game.

Germany’s win over Denmark in the second game proved no less dominant. They hit the frame of the goal three times before Lina Magull stripped center-back Stine Ballisager Pederson and scored an opener at 21’. Germany opened the second half with a more aggressive press that really penned Denmark back, and Lea Schüller eventually headed in a Magull corner kick to double Germany’s lead. Late in the game, 2^nd half substitutes Lena Lattwein and—emotionally—Alexandra Popp (who had missed the two previous Euros with injuries) scored to round out the win. This was a physical game, with each side earning ten fouls and three yellows. 

Group C, on Saturday the 9^th, offered by far the most enticing game of the opening round, as holders Netherlands faced off against Sweden in the late game. Less expected was the exhilarating early match between Portugal and Switzerland, which proved a more-than-worthy opener for the best day of the tournament’s opening round of games. Only in as a replacement for disqualified Russia, Portugal went down two goals in the opening 5’, and spent the rest of the half happy simply to retain possession, with Switzerland equally happy to sit back and collect an opening win.

But as the second half progressed, Francisco Neto’s Portugal became more willing to risk counter-attacks in order to create opportunities. Rachel Bachmann nearly punished them on a counter-attack at 53’, but shortly before the hour mark Diana Gomes pulled one back off a corner kick. Just over 5’ later, Portugal’s press forced a turnover and Tatiana Pinto whipped in a cross for Jessica Silva to slot home, drawing Portugal level. Portugal continued to press for the win, and the final 10’ of the game was an open, two-way affair with chances for both sides before ending in a 2-2 draw.

The main event, however, remained the evening game between the Netherlands and Sweden. The Scandanavian side dominated a first half in which the Dutch lost both their starting keeper, Sara van Veenendaal, and center back Aniek Nouwen to injury. Sweden probably should have scored more than the one goal they took in at halftime, an open shot at the back post by wing-back Jonna Andersson set up by a lovely assist from Kosovare Asllani, putting it (probably intentionally) just behind a near post run from Lina Hurtig.

But tactical tweaks from the Dutch made for a different second half. The first change came at the end of the first half, when left back Marisa Olislagers replaced the injured Nouwen (Dominique Janssen moving inside as a makeshift center back). Then at the restart, Jill Roord and Danielle van de Donk swapped places, van de Donk moving out right to allow Roord to play underneath Vivianne Miedema. With a natural striker now in the #10 role, Miedema, who is something of an attacking #10 herself, had more freedom to roam without depriving the Netherlands of a central focus for their attack (van de Donk is a true #10, and less adept at filling that gap).

These changes shifted the Dutch attack to the wings and freed Miedema up to engage there. Receiving a pass up the left flank from Olislagers, Miedema turned a tightly-marking Amanda Ilestedt, brilliantly dummying the pass and spinning out of bounds to slip past the defender. Though the attacking play broke down somewhat at the end, it was Roord who was in the center to retrieve a blocked pass and rifle home an equalizer. Meidema fed Roord for a similar opportunity with just over 10’ left to play, but a slip took the chance away. The Dutch looked the more likely winners in a much more fiercely contested second half, though over the full 90′ Sweden was probably the better side.

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Group D kicked off Sunday the 10^th with a relatively tight game between Belgium and Iceland, though the latter were decidedly the better side, with Sveindís Jónsdóttir the stand-out performer. Her shot just before the half-hour mark, blocked by the arm of Davina Philtjens, led to a saved penalty attempt by Berglind Þorvaldsdóttir (whose older brother, Gunnar Heiðar Þorvaldsson, had also represented Iceland). Belgium had an excellent chance to go ahead against the run of play at the end of the first half, but Elena Dhont put her shot wide.

That allowed Þorvaldsdóttir to redeem herself at the start of the first half, forcing a header past Nicky Evrard—Belgium’s best player on the night—and putting Iceland deservedly ahead. Dhont, too, got a chance at redemption, earning a penalty that Justine Vanhaevermaet scored to draw Belgium level. That led to an exciting finish with chances from both sides, including a fantastic save from Sandra Sigurðardóttir on Tessa Wullaert.

In the later game, France laid down their stake as one of the tournament favorites with a 5-goal first half against an Italian side that, notwithstanding their Juventus core, were simply overmatched. Grace Geyoro scored a first half hat trick, but the best of the bunch was Delphine Cascarino’s ripped shot from outside the box. Italy did manage a consolation goal in the second half, Lisa Boattin delivering a lovely ball for second half substitute Martina Piemonte to head in; but the game had long been over. It set a tournament record for goals in a half, and was a decisive end to the first round of group stage games.

Next up: Women’s Africa Cup of Nations – Group Stage, Final Round | Skip to: Women’s Euros – Group Stage, Round 2

NOTE: An earlier version of this post attributed second half changes to Netherlands’ manager Mark Parsons.