Couv. Rapport WE09:Layout 2 12.11.2009 9:05 Page 1 Couv. Rapport WE09:Layout 2 12.11.2009 9:05 Page 2 CONTENTS 3 ENGLISH SECTION 4 The Route to the Final 6 The Final 8 Technical Topics 12 Goal Analysis 14 Talking Points 16 The Winning Coach 17 SECTION FRANÇAISE 18 Le parcours jusqu’en finale 20 La finale 22 Aspects techniques 26 Analyse des buts 28 Points de discussion 30 L’entraîneur victorieux IMPRESSUM This publication is published by 31 DEUTSCHER TEIL UEFA’s Football Development Division 32 Der Weg ins Endspiel Editorial Team: Andy Roxburgh (UEFA Technical Director) 34 Das Endspiel Graham Turner 36 Technische Analyse Production Team: 40 Toranalyse André Vieli Dominique Maurer 42 Diskussionspunkte Acknowledgements and thanks 44 Die siegreiche Trainerin Technical Observers: Anne Noë 45 STATISTICS Ignacio Quereda Anna Signeul 46 Results Béatrice von Siebenthal 51 Player of the Match Ole Andersen (Graphics) 52 Team info Frank Ludolph (Administration) Catherine Maher (Administration) 64 The Best Goals Stéphanie Tétaz (Administration) UEFA Language Services 66 Statistics Setting: 68 Technical Team Selection Atema Communication SA, CH-Gland 69 Match Officials Printing: 70 Fair Play / The Technical Team Artgraphic Cavin SA, CH-Grandson 70 71 Rapport WE09:Pages Intérieures 11.11.2009 14:36 Page 3 ENGLISH SECTION INTRODUCTION UEFA Women’s EURO 2009 was the seventh final tournament of the European Women’s Championship and the first to be con- tested by 12 teams. The eight nations who played the EURO 2005 finals in England were joined in Finland by Iceland, the Nether- lands, Russia and Ukraine, with only the Dutch progressing beyond the group phase. Only three of the 2005 coaches were present at the 2009 finals, although Germany’s Silvia Neid had been in England as assistant to Tina Theune-Meyer. While the 2005 finals had been played in June, the event in Finland kicked off more than two months later. The expansion to 12 finalists signified that, even though the duration of the tournament was extended by only four days, the number of fixtures registered a 67% increase. The contest- ants were drawn into 3 mini-leagues of 4, with the 18 group games serving to eliminate 4 teams. The remaining eight teams disputed the title on a knockout basis. One of the finalists and two of the semi- finalists were teams who had qualified for the quarter-finals via third place in their groups. Matches were staged at five venues: two in Helsinki and one apiece in Lahti, Tampere and Turku. Some teams were able to establish a stable headquarters adjacent to one venue; others were obliged to travel. Journey times, however, were not in excess of two hours. Teams were invited to choose from 10 official hotels while 20 training grounds were made available. The cumulative attendance figure at the final tournament was 129,955. This was similar to the total registered in England in 2005 but, bearing in mind the ten additional fixtures, the match average was lower at 5,198. However, crowds of these dimensions were far in excess of normal parameters in Finland (the previous record of 6,000 for a women’s national team game was almost tripled) and there was wide- UEFA president Michel Platini spread satisfaction derived from the number of is happy to hand the trophy children and families who made their first acquain- to Birgit Prinz – and the German tance with women’s football. Over 600 volunteers captain is even happier to receive it. contributed to the smooth running of the tournament. PHOTO: PIXATHLON The final tournament was included in UEFA’s Eurotop package of national team events, which meant that major sponsors were deeply involved and worked hand in hand with UEFA and the Finnish national association in setting up fan zones in the host cities. With Finnish media (written press and radio) also coming on board, the tourna- ment was extensively promoted – even to the extent that, over the opening weekend, many travellers arriving at Helsinki airport were surprised to find free tournament footballs coming round with their suitcases on the baggage belts. TV coverage was substantial with national broadcasters joining Eurosport to screen every game with either live or delayed transmission. Interest from other media was illustrated by the figure of 32 photographers who covered the final in Helsinki. A Finnish version was added to the event website on uefa.com who, in conjunction with the sponsors, added features such as fantasy football, polls and tournament blogs to their in-depth coverage of the event. The result was an intensive promotion of women’s football. 02 03 Rapport WE09:Pages Intérieures 11.11.2009 14:36 Page 4 THE ROUTE TO THE FINAL To a degree, history repeated itself. The eight finalists from EURO 2005 in England were also present in Finland. And Germany, the only side to take maximum points in the group phase four years earlier, were, once again, in splendid isolation at the top of their group in Finland. Three of the four newcomers permitted by the switch to a 12-team format finished at the bottom of their groups with the Dutch proving to be the exception to the rule. Yet, even though the archives may hint place. Hope Powell’s team had been day, opted for a conservative finish at déjà vu, none of the newcomers were obliged to cope with one of the coach’s against Finland, in the knowledge that outclassed and margins were often mini- ‘undesirables’ – a defeat in the opening the 2-1 adverse scoreline was advanta- mal. The three group tables therefore game when forced to play with ten for geous in terms of a 3-2 global goal provided some misleading reading. The over an hour against the Italians, who difference and therefore made them mis- tides of time may wash away the foot- clinched three points with a long-range tresses of their own destiny in the final prints left by the Russian team in Finland strike by Alessia Tuttino. After being game against Denmark – where a 2-1 win and erase all traces of their five shots overpowered by the Swedes, the Italians duly gave them second place. The result against the Italian woodwork in the crucial needed set-play goals to overcome a eliminated the Danes, whose passing closing match. But Igor Shalimov’s side Russian side which dominated for long game against Finland had given them offered the public some attractive, attack- periods. an upper hand which was bitten off minded combination football with enough when a long-range free kick was allowed quality to prompt neutral observers to Like Group C, Group B provided three to drift past all and sundry into the net. talk about “a team of the future” and quarter-finalists, with a well-organised After beating the Ukrainians, their defeat their second Group C game against Eng- Icelandic side losing out. After an excel- by the Dutch left the Danes with three land was acclaimed as one of the best lent cross and header had given them an points – a reachable target for the teams of the 25-match tournament. The critics, early lead, a brace of penalties allowed in the other two groups who, one and when asked to explain the lack of Russ- France to nose ahead. Against Norway two days later, left them as the worst of ian success, pointed at questions of and a much-changed German side, they the third-placed teams. physique rather than technical or tactical paid the price for not finding an attacking acumen – a feature which had been high- punch to match their excellent collective Like the Russians, the Ukrainian new- lighted by the heavy defeated suffered defensive work. This opened a door for comers played some attractive football in the opening match against the power- Norway and France who, after beating only to be undone by goals conceded ful Swedes. the Icelanders and losing to Germany, early in the first half against the Dutch needed to draw with each other to secure and early in the second against the Thomas Dennerby’s Swedish side was, quarter-final places. Two goals in the Danes. Two defeats condemned them to Germans apart (and in women’s football, opening 16 minutes – one for each team an early trip home but, against the hosts, those two words are often used), the – proved to be work only for the score- they fulfilled their pre-match promise to only one to negotiate the group stage board operator. demonstrate the full extent of their skills unbeaten. Their compact power play and earned their first points in a final secured two straight wins, though they In Group A, the calculators had appeared tournament thanks to a solitary second- needed a penalty to earn the equaliser at an even earlier stage. The Dutch, after half goal by one of their outstanding per- against England which guaranteed first beating the Ukrainians on the opening formers, midfielder Lyudmyla Pekur. There are expressions of panic and arms riskily raised in the packed Dutch penalty area as a Danish shot heads goalwards during the group game in Lahti which the Dutch won 2-1 to clinch a quarter-final place. PHOTO: ACTION IMAGES/SIBLEY Rapport WE09:Pages Intérieures 11.11.2009 14:37 Page 5 England’s No. 7 Karen Carney Swedish coach, Thomas Dennerby, doesn’t look too optimistic about commented afterwards, the pressure of stealing a well-protected ball hot-favourite status contributed to a from her Russian counterpart below-par performance against Norway Oksana Shmachkova during the in which a cruelly deflected own goal On the following day, Norway went in thrilling Group C game in Helsinki.