European Women's Under-17 Championship Final round - Nyon 2011 RapportWU17E.indd 1 10.10.11 09:58 TOURNAMENT O CONTENTS Tournament overview 2 The fi nal 4 Technical topics 6 TheThe fourthfourth fi nalnal tournamenttournament of thethe EuropeanEurEuropeanean Women’sWomenWomen’n s Under-17 Championship was, like the previous three, Talking points 9 staged at the Colovray stadium, next to UEFA’s head- quarters complex in Nyon. As on previous occasions, Team analysis: France 10 administrative and logistical issues were conveniently resolved on the spot by UEFA staff, many of whom Team analysis: Germany 11 played roles at the tournament on a volunteer basis and contributed to a festive mood and a grassroots Team analysis: Iceland 12 environment. The event attracted a cumulative audience of 3,300 spectators, among them a large number who Team analysis: Spain 13 had travelled from nearby France to support their team. TheThe fi nalnal andand bothboth semi-fisemi fi nalsna were televised on a The technical observer 14 pan-Europeanpan-European basis by EurosportEuro and Eurosport 2, six locallocal sponsorssponsors backedbacked thethe event,e including a local radio Results 15 station and newspaper, andand various grassroots activities were peggedpegged to the event in Nyon. Skills sessions were conducted byby four membersmember of the Swiss national team, Patrick Müller, capped 81 timest by Switzerland, was deeplydeeply involved in a series of promotional activities in his role ofof ‘tournament ambassador’,amb football quizzes – withwith prizesppgrizes – were organised,organise and supporters were given opportunities to win adidasadidas Jabulani footballs signed by the playersplayers of SpainSpain andand the Republic of Ireland – the two fi nalists ofof the 2010 Under-17Un competition. The skills sessions involvedinvolved 200 boys and girls in the 5–14 ageage bracket fromfrom summer football camps (one(one of them run by Switzerland’sSwitze 1994 World Cup playerplayer Nestor Subiat), youthyouth clubs and clubs for girls inin the SwissSwiss cantons of Vaud,Vau Geneva and Fribourg. TheThe sessions,sessions, lastinglasting justjust underu two hours, were organisedorganised by UEFA in conjunctionconju with the cantonal footballfootball associations in VaudVau (ACVF) and Geneva (ACGF). TheyThey featured eighteight skills stationss where the youngsters were able to work on variousvario aspects of their game, with the emphasisemphasis on funfun throughout and with SwissSwiss internationalsinternation Marie-Andrea Egli, JenniferJennifer Oehrli,Oehrli, Rahel Graf and Noémie BeneyBeney helpinghelping tto make it a memorable dayday forfor the pparticipantsartic and their families. WhWhenen tthehe bballall sstarted rolling in the tournamenttournament pproper,ro the spectators were givengiven an opportunityoppor to assess the year’s surprisessuurrprir sse package.packag Thorlákur Arnason’s Much to the distress of Iceland IcelandicIcelandic debutantsdebutants had raised eyebrows by defender Írunn Aradóttir, scoring 37 goals and conceding only 2 during the six Spanish attacker Alexia Putellas qualifying matches that had earned them their trip to slides in to beat her to the ball during the semi-fi nal in Nyon Nyon. Their baptism of fi re was against the defending champions, Spain, whose possession play posed a series of questions which the seemingly overawed Icelandic team failed to answer. Individual errors had IMPRESSUM Pictures: an unquestionable infl uence on the scoreline, with This publication is produced by UEFA Sportsfi le the Spaniards surging into a three-goal lead before Ole Andersen (graphics) the interval. To their credit, the debutants soldiered Editorial Team: Andy Roxburgh Technical Observer: through the second half, shipping only one more goal (UEFA Technical Director) Béatrice von Siebenthal Graham Turner Setting: Production Team: Atema Communication SA, CH-Gland André Vieli Dominique Maurer Printing: UEFA Language Services Artgraphic Cavin SA, CH-Grandson 02 RapportWU17E.indd 2 10.10.11 09:58 T OVERVIEW – an own goal, to rub salt into wounds. “We have learnt about The immediate challenge for Ralf Peter was to re-motivate his stress,” Thorlákur Arnason admitted afterwards. “Most of disappointed players for the bronze-medal match against Iceland. the team were nervous and,now that they have experienced the Making only one change to his starting lineup, he challenged his feeling, they will know how to handle it better in the future.” players to re-assert their qualities and to lay claims to places in the Under-19 squad. They responded with a rampant display against The other semi-fi nal was played with enormous intensity by an Icelandic side in which Thorlákur Arnason made fi ve changes – two ‘experienced campaigners’ who showed no signs of fi rst- one of them the goalkeeper. The Germans were 5-0 ahead by the day nerves, even though French coach Paco Rubio felt that his interval and earned their bronze medals with an 8-2 fi nal scoreline. young charges lacked faith in their ability to beat the Germans. Signifi cantly, hat-tricks were scored by Lina Magull and Annabel A combination through the middle allowed Lina Magull to give Jäger, both of whom pushed forward from deep starting positions Ralf Peter’s side an early lead and, although punches were traded, to create goalscoring opportunities. Of the eight goals, four were the Germans went in at the interval leading on points. Rubio was long-range shots and three were derived from free-kicks. The thankful to be able to deliver a motivational half-time team talk Icelanders had the consolation of scoring twice during the second with only a 1-0 defi cit on the scoreboard. The response was half with two well-driven shots. Thorlákur Arnason conceded that satisfying for the French coach, while the German team paid the their lack of big-tournament experience had been a disadvantage price for failing to deal with two set plays – the fi rst, a free-kick but insisted “the players will benefi t greatly from participating in driven right-footed into the net from 25 metres out on the left the last four of a UEFA competition for the fi rst time – and fi nishing by skipper Claire Lavogez and, the second, an inswinging fourth represents the fi nest achievement in the history of Icelandic Lavogez corner headed home by Lydia Belkacemi. With just over football.” 20 minutes remaining, the Germans switched into onslaught mode and were rewarded when Annabel Jäger surged forward to strike The ten-goal thriller served as a curtain-raiser for the fi nal between a 30-metre lob into the French net and, with no extra time written France and Spain, which provided another advertisement for into the tournament regulations, force a penalty shoot-out. It the technical qualities of women’s football at this level. Karen turned out to be a 16 spot kick marathon topped and tailed by the Espelund, the fi rst women to be invited to sit on UEFA’s Executive two captains. Lavogez opened the shoot-out by hitting her penalty Committee, commented in Nyon: “Competitions stimulate wide and, after Jäger had failed to take advantage of a match development and about 45 of the 53 UEFA member associations ball at 5-5, the German skipper Melanie Leupolz allowed France regularly participate in women’s competitions. Watching the to emerge as 6-5 winners by also shooting wide of the mark. senior Germany team at the Women’s World Cup, you could see how many players had worked through the youth tournaments, “We had trained for penalties,” German coach Ralf Peter which are becoming the natural pathway into the senior teams. commented, “but when it comes to the crunch, all you can do Structures in national associations are developing, playing is to try to keep the players calm and concentrated and tell them opportunities for girls are increasing, and all this leads to positive to shoot fi rmly and with conviction.” “We had also practised,” development in terms of raising the general level and enhancing said Paco Rubio, “but you can’t create the pressure of the crowd the standard of the football being played at this type of event.” around you. We won but I wouldn’t say that we totally handled the pressure.” “The players were able to see how narrow the line is between success andd failure,”failure,” RalfRalf PeterPeter added.added. “The match was excellent andand didn’t deserve to have a loser. But that’s one of the things that are beautiful about the game – and it was a fi ne advertisementdvertisement for women’s football.” Both coaches highlightedhlighted the relevance ofof training-ground rehearsals inn a competition where shoot-outs play no part in thehe qualifyingqualifying rounds.rounds. Facial expressions illustrate the tension of the semi-fi nal as France’s Kadidiatou Diani tries to close down German No 8 Melanie Leupolz 03 RapportWU17E.indd 3 10.10.11 09:58 THE FINAL Albita’s brilliant bolt from the blue It soon became clear that there would be nothing between the two teams as a tight encounter unfolded. Goalscoring chances were at a total premium, although, as anticipated, Spain enjoyed the majority of the possession and did the lion’s share of the attacking. They were propelled forward by two fi ne midfi elders – captain Gemma Gili, adept in defence and attack and a fi ne reader of the game, and Marina García, competitive, a strong tackler and a sharp passer. On the left wing Albita Pomares was a constant threat, especially in the fi rst half. Her positional play was excellent, and her positive running gave the Spaniards considerable attacking impetus. Nevertheless, the fi rst half ended in deadlock with opportunities for both teams very few and far between. France defended sternly and capably, with the calm Griedge M’Bock Bathy Nka a solid presence in the heart of their rearguard.