– It is difficult to find words. I am happy, we will play the final against England in front of 90,000, it is absolutely beautiful, says Popp to German ZDF after the match. – Right now I’m just so incredibly proud of the team, because what we did today was incredible. Everyone ran for each other, and what “Poppi” did in front of them was indescribable, says Lena Oberdorf to news. RAW: There was little doubt who would get the trophy for the best player of the match. Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP Popp poked the Germans into a deserved lead, but France with Kadidiatou Diani and an unlucky Merle Frohms ensured a lightning-quick equalizer just before the break. The stage was nevertheless set for more pop atmosphere in England, and a quarter of an hour before the end, the German star striker was absolutely huge in France’s box. – How do you defend against such a player? asked TV 2’s Endre Olav Osnes. The 31-year-old sent Germany into the lead with a brutal header that led to a desperate France in the final minutes, but goalkeeper Frohms stood heroically against all French attempts. – Standing here now means a lot But the road to the final has not been easy for Popp. Because the German has been through an injury nightmare that few other players can point to. In 2013, it was an ankle injury that stood in the way of EC play. Four years later, it was an injury to the meniscus that stopped the championship in the Netherlands. In 2021, Popp suffered a serious knee injury and had to accept the heartbreaking message: irrelevant for the championship for the third time in a row, according to Bild. The unlucky striker thought she had lost the EC again. GERMANY’S LEADER: Alexandra Popp. Photo: ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP But what was negative news for the vast majority became positive for Popp. The postponement of the EC due to the coronavirus gave the striker the opportunity to return. She was out for eleven months, but in March the Popp comeback was a fact. – To win this match against the injuries and to be able to stand here now means a lot and makes me extremely proud, Popp tells UEFA. The star forward is the first player in history to score in five consecutive games. With six goals in total, there will be a duel for the top scorer title with England’s Beth Mead in the final. – Of course we can beat England. We have to believe in it, because we have a brilliant team with fantastic players, says Lina Magull to news. German dominance Germany were narrow favorites before the match and took control of the match from the start. The clock showed 20 minutes when the Germans and Popp received a free kick from just over 19 metres. – It is a very well struck free kick, said news’s football expert Melissa Wiik-Kovacs. But France’s goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin was out at full stretch and saved the ball for a corner kick. CRUELTY SHOWN: Alexandra Popp after her fifth goal in the EC. Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP The German pressure continued and just before the break the crowd could raise the goal sign. Popp showed rawness in the box after a cross from Svenja Huth and scored his fifth goal in a row in the championship with his toe. – Just as Michel Platini did in the EC in 1984, said news’s commentator Olav Traaen. Germany’s coach declares genius And Platini’s compatriots answered back. PSG player Kadidiatou Diani tried his luck just outside the penalty area. The shot hit the post, via an unlucky Germany goalkeeper Merle Frohms who scored an own goal in the last minute of the first half. – The world that this match has taken up, said Traaen. COULD CHEER: France’s Kadidiatou Diani. Photo: Alessandra Tarantino / AP An hour into the match, France had three great opportunities to take the lead. First it was Selma Bacha who was only a sacrificial Hegering away from scoring, before captain Wendie Renard had a double chance on the subsequent corner kick. But it was Germany’s captain Popp who took care of their scoring chances. On the other side of the pitch, Frohms stood like a wall in the goal. – The coach of Germany is a genius. She dares to choose the young player as goalkeeper over the two goalkeepers who have so much more experience and play for a better team. – It’s fantastic fun. And we see that she might be the difference today, together with Popp, who saves so many good chances, says Wiik-Kovacs Bacha and Mateo both had opportunities to equalise, but it will be Germany and England who meet in this year’s EC final . With its eight titles, Germany is the winningest nation on both the women’s and men’s side in the EC.
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Popp received heartbreaking news – then came the rescue – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
