In the past two weeks or thereabout, women have taken center stage in European football. They may not command the largest television audience compared to men’s football, but happenings over the tourney so far have proven that the women also mean business, and may someday catch up with the men – maybe?
The UEFA Women’s Euro, currently being played in the Netherlands, has been one that has thrown up a fair amount of surprises – it’s not as if football isn’t full of surprises anyways. Now at the semi-finals stage, there have been big name exits and the mighty have fallen.
Before we discuss which set of women will be crowned Queens of European football, let’s take a look at some of the major talking points the tournament has been able to offer so far:
1. The table-toppers did not taste defeat
Although the Germans have been knocked out of the tournament already, they, alongside England, Netherlands and Austria managed to finish top of their respective groups and did not drop a single point!
2. English goal-scoring machines
In the group stages, the English women (or ladies?) rattled the onion bag a whopping 10 times – the nearest to that number being Austria who banged in 5 goals. It’s no wonder that an English woman – Jordie Taylor – is currently the highest goal scorer of the tournament so far, with 4 goals.
Guess how many goals they’ve conceded so far? Just one goal; an indication that the women from England are indeed here to play.
3. An ode to the fallen mighty ones
The tournament has not been a reflection of what the FIFA Women’s World rankings look like. Second-placed Germany got knocked out of the competition. France, currently ranked the third best female football team in the world got booted out of the tournament by, you guessed right, England. Austria, a team not even ranked in the top 20, knocked out a certain 13th-place Spain.
In a way we’ve been able to bring you up to speed as regards goings-on in Netherlands. Moving forward, the stage is set for the semi-finals of the competition, which takes place on Thursday. Who gets the crown, the trophy and the glory?
In one of the semi-final games, it’s Denmark vs Austria. Looking at the numbers, you may be tempted to conclude that this will be a low-scoring game as both sides could not average a goal/game in the group stage. But a lot more is at stake now. And that changes a whole lot of things.
Austria is by no means a giant. But she knows what she wants.
A place in the final is at stake. Who do you think wants it more?
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In the other semi-final game, the host nation, Netherlands, takes on the other giant-killer of the tournament, England. Both have conceded only one goal in the tourney so far but have contrasting numbers as regards goals scored. The English women have scored 11 times while Netherlands have only managed 6.
The final beckons. Which team will make it through?
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The UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 has been eventful so far. But with the tournament reaching its climax, things are about to get even more interesting. Which two teams do you think will make it through to the finals? Which team will wear the crown in Netherlands? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think.
Tags: UEFA women's euro, uefa women's euro 2017 semi-finals, Women's Euro Cup
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