Players to watch for England, Sweden, France and Germany
England, Sweden, Germany and France meet in the UEFA Women’s Euro semi-finals, which begin with host England clashing with Sweden at 3 PM ET Tuesday.
With little separating the four group stage winners, the teams will rely on their stars to help punch a ticket to the final at 12pm ET Sunday at Wembley Stadium. Women’s sports only has a player to watch in each semi-finalist.
England: Beth Mead
Beth Mead is on her toes for England and leads all EC shooters with five goals and three assists through four games played.
The Arsenal striker exploded during England’s 8-0 group stage win over Norway, recording three quality finishes for a hat-trick. Mead also played a hero for the Lionesses in the team’s 1-0 win over Austria, scoring her only goal to secure a narrow victory.
Mead thrives under manager Sarina Wiegman’s fast-paced, attack-oriented system, with the winger showing his explosiveness in the final third. The 27-year-old’s rapid rise in the national team comes after being left off Team GB’s Olympic roster.
“It lit a fire under me. I would never feel that way again.” Mead said. “If anything, I was the most determined and focused I’ve ever been … I play my best football when I’m angry.”
The Olympic finish paid off in the end, with Mead in career-best form, scoring 19 goals and 12 assists in 18 games for England.
Sweden: Kosovar Asllani
Kosovar Asllani has provided Sweden with a reliable veteran presence throughout Euro 2022, leading her team to a semi-final against hosts England.
The 32-year-old is a commanding presence in the center of the pitch for the Swedes, weaving in and out of tight spaces with ease. Asllani is masterful on the ball, allowing her to hold up play and unlock back lines to open channels for Sweden’s attack.
The midfielder’s ability to facilitate sets her apart from almost anyone in the international game, with three assists in Sweden’s four games played.
Asllani left Sweden’s quarter-final match against Belgium with an apparent knock, with her future in the tournament in jeopardy.
Sweden will have a huge hole to fill in midfield should Asllani’s absence extend into the tournament’s semifinals and finals.
France: Kadidiatou Diani
Kadidiatou Diani, a star in his own right, has been asked to step up for Les Bleus following Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s exit from the European Championship with a knee injury.
The 27-year-old has answered the call and spearheaded France’s attack from the flanks. Creating five chances during his side’s 1-0 quarter-final thriller over the Netherlands, Diani showed his uncanny spatial awareness.
Fantastic on the ball, Diani is also a master at finding space behind opposition back lines, as evidenced by her finish against Belgium during the tournament’s group stage.
If France are to make a European Championship final, the squad will need Diani to continue to stretch defensive units and open up options for Les Bleus’ attack.
Germany: Lina Magull
Germany as a unit look like a well-oiled machine, staying in sync to make a semi-final run at the England-hosted EC.
Germany are solid on both sides of the ball and are yet to concede a goal and have scored the second most goals in the tournament.
Midfielder Lina Magull is a key factor in Germany’s cohesive performance, giving the team a commanding midfield presence. The 27-year-old is an expert at winning balls in the middle of the pitch, working tirelessly to earn tackles and spark Germany’s attacks.
A proven distributor, Magull is also world-class at finding the back of the net himself, with three goals and one assist through three games played. Her presence will be daunting for semi-final opponents France, who will need to get through Magull if they hope to get out in transition while being forced to silence her attacking presence.