Talented attacks meet mean defenses in the semi-final between England and Sweden
England face Sweden and Germany tackle France as Euro 2022 reaches the semi-finals.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the data to preview Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s tapes.
Sweden against England
Two talented attacks go up against two of the tournament’s meanest defenses in the opening game at Bramall Lane.
England are the tournament’s top scorer with 16 goals, as is Beth Mead on a personal level with five, but they will face as tough a test as their last match against Spain.
Sweden have allowed just 25 total shots – comfortably the fewest of the semi-finalists – despite their 27 tackles and 40 clearances each which rank second-lowest in the tournament. That can be explained by the fact that they have allowed only 97 opposing attacks, according to UEFA’s official statistics.
They also have the defensive organization to deal with England’s threat from the flanks. England’s cross accuracy of 33 per cent is just behind Spain for the best in the tournament – but Sweden have only allowed seven completed crosses out of 44, just under 16 per cent and the lowest rate apart from England themselves.
Sweden’s nine goals at the other end – five of them, including an own goal and a penalty, in the group win against Portugal – trail England’s 16, but they have still posed a threat.
They have had the most attacks in the tournament, 214, while Stina Blackstenius leads all players with nine shots on goal and is sure to add her solitary goal. Mead, in contrast, has scored with all five of his efforts on goal.
Germany vs. France
If Tuesday’s game could be a tense affair, Wednesday looks set for a wide-open clash in Milton Keynes.
While the two teams’ 193 and 187 strikes respectively are just ahead of England’s 185, and behind Sweden and Spain, Germany have allowed 126 and Spain 120 – suggesting there may be room to exploit.
France will need to improve their finishing – their nine goals have come from a tournament-high 93 attempts, with 40 of them off target. They have drawn 20 saves from opposing goalkeepers – including 10 from the Netherlands’ Daphne van Domselaar in their quarter-final – but face a German side that has allowed just five shots on target and is yet to concede.
Germany rank second in tries with 82 and are only behind England in goals on 11, while they have also hit the woodwork on five occasions.
To further add to the prospect of a drawn-out and frenetic game, France have covered more ground than any other team in the tournament – 462.7km – but have asked the same of their opponents, who have run a combined 481.4km.
France ranks behind only Spain and England in possession percentage and has three players – defenders Aissatou Tounkara, Griedge Mbock Bathy and Wendie Renard – in the top five for passing accuracy. They have comfortably drawn the most tackles, 71 with Sweden second on 58, and face a Germany side who have committed 46 fouls in the tournament and received six bookings.