Women’s Euro preview, team news & predicted lineups

Die Nationalelf target to finish top of their group in the Women’s Euros.

Germany face Sweden in a match that will decide the winner of Group C in the Women’s Euros. Christian Wück’s side will have to win the game to finish as a group winner since Sweden have a superior goal difference.

The eight-time champions beat Poland and Denmark with five second-half goals. Meanwhile, the inaugural winners narrowly beat their neighbours before scoring three past the tournament debutants.

While both coaches might fancy making changes to their starting lineups, the prospect of finishing the group stage on a high note would give confidence to the knockout stage. Accordingly, we might not see a repeat of the U21 Euros where Antonio Di Salvo made eleven changes to the XI that secured Germany a quarter-final spot.

Germany won all the group stage games in the 2022 Euros, and no opponent player scored against them until the defeat in the final to hosts England. Like Germany, Sweden maintained their record of getting past this stage in all their Women’s Euros participations.

There are already two teams that have finished with a maximum of nine points. Spain tied England’s record of scoring 14 goals in a group stage, while Norway won all three games by a single goal margin.

Switzerland and Italy are also qualified for the quarter-finals, having finished with four points in their respective groups. Norway face Italy in the first quarter-final next Wednesday before Spain play against hosts Switzerland in Bern the next day.

On Sunday, the last two qualified teams will be known from the “Group of Death”. Defending champions England can decide their fate by themselves after a big win against the Netherlands, who now need to beat France by a three-goal margin.

Germany v Sweden: Predicted lineups

Germany: Berger; Linder, Knaak, Minge ©, Wamser; Nüsken, Senß; Bühl, Dallmann, Brand; Schüller

Sweden: Falk; Lundkvist, Björn, Ilestedt, Nildén; Angeldahl, Asllani ©, Zigiotti Olme; Kaneryd, Blackstenius, Janogy