UEFA WOMEN’S EURO CHAMPIONSHIPS 2013

This will be the 11th time the championships are staged. Germany are way in front having won seven of the 10 tournaments and the last five in a row. The other teams to win it have been Norway twice and Sweden who were the very first winners in 1984.

The tournament will run from July 10th – 28th and even though Germany are favourites, it is expected to be a close fought thing.

Group A

DENMARK

Star Player: Katrine Pederson
Star Support: Line Roddik Hansen
One to Watch: Pemille Harder

Denmark topped their qualifying group by two points from Austria. Losing one and winning seven from their eight games. They will want a better showing than four years ago when they went out in the group stages.

Veteran midfielder and skipper Pederson will lead the team from midfield; she’s clocked over 200 caps for her country. Hansen, as well as being a competent defender, is known to pop up with a goal or two. Denmark has a real gem in 21-year-old striker Harder. She is in fine form and was joint fourth in qualifying with 9 goals.

Prediction: Quarter Finals

FINLAND

Star Player: Marianna Talonen
Star Support: Annica Sjolund
One to Watch: Emmi Alanen

Finland topped their qualifying group by three points from Ukraine. However they will be hard pressed to find their way out of the group and emulate their performance four years ago, when they reached the quarter finals.

They went one better in 2005 and reached the semi-finals. They will be led by star striker Talonen but she will be equally supported by second striker Sjolund. Young midfielder Alanan is gaining a reputation as a bit of a midfield dynamo. She loves to get on the ball, dictate play and initiate attacks.

Prediction: Group Stages

ITALY

Star Player: Patrizia Panico
Star Support: Alessia Tuttino
One to Watch: Alice Parisi

The Italians have gradually improved over the years and will look to go further than their quarter-final exit four years ago. They stormed their qualifying group by six points from Russia, winning nine and drawing one of their ten games, scoring 35 and incredibly conceded 0.

They are led by their veteran striker Penico who finished joint fourth in the scoring charts with 9 goals. Defender come midfielder Tuttino is a steady and strong influence in all areas of the team. Parisi is a young gifted footballer who’s sure to dazzle on the ball in midfield.

Prediction: Fourth

SWEDEN

Star Player: Lotta Schelin
Star Support: Lisa Dahlkvist
One to watch: Kosovare Asllani

As hosts Sweden will want to progress further than their quarter-final exit in 2009. They also went out at that stage in the Olympics last year but finished third in World Cup 2011. They didn’t have any qualifying games but their recent friendly results saw them beat Norway 2-1, draw with Brazil 1-1 and crush England 4-1.

Schelin will lead the line with her impeccable striking abilities; she will also be adequately supported by young striker Asllani, the two link up very well. Dahlkvist will supply the ammunition from midfield. They also have a lot of experience in the side namely keeper Lindahl and veteran striker Sjogran who has 182 caps.

Prediction: Runner Up

Group B

GERMANY

Star Player: Cilia Okoyino da Mbabi
Star Support: Melanie Behringer
One to Watch: Dzsenifer Marozsan

Germany are everyone’s favourites to win this tournament. They won their group by eight points from Spain, scoring a staggering 64 goals and conceding 3 (this was helped by a 17-0 home and 7-0 away win v Kazakhstan and a 10-0 home win v Turkey).

They will be hungry for a sixth Euro title in a row especially as they did not qualify for the Olympics last year. Mbabi is a goal machine who was way ahead in the qualifying scoring charts with 17 goals. Behringer is an experienced, influential and tidy midfielder while young explosive striker Marazsan is a player capable of scoring the odd spectacular goal.

Predictions: Third

ICELAND

Star Player: Margret Vioarsdottir
Star Support: Katrin Jonsdottir
One to Watch: Katrim Omarsdottir

Iceland qualified for this tournament for a second time in a row, which was also the second time in their history. Just like four years ago it will be hard for them to get past the group stages. They finished second to Norway in their qualifying group by two points. In the play offs they impressively beat a decent Ukraine side 3-2 home and away.

They will look to striker Vioarsdottir to get goals; she finished joint fourth in qualifying with 9 goals. Captain and experienced defender Jonsdottir brings a cool head to the team while young midfielder Omarsdottir is getting a reputation for performing in the big games.

Prediction: Group Stages

NETHERLANDS

Star Player: Manon Melis
Star Support: Daphne koster
One to Watch: Danielle van de Donk

The Dutch shocked everyone four years ago by reaching the semi-finals in their first appearance at this tournament. That achievement will be hard to equal this year. They qualified as the highest ranked second place team after finishing their group a point behind England, drawing one and losing one of their eight games.

Striker Melis is their star player, she finished Joint fifth in the scoring charts on 8 goals. Captain and defender Koster leads the team, she has been capped over 100 times. Young attacking midfielder Van de Donk is a player right out of the Dutch footballing mould and is tipped to be a future star.

Prediction: Group Stages

NORWAY

Star Player: Trine Ronning
Star Support: Elise Thorsnes
One to Watch: Maren Mjelde

Norway finished third four years ago and are the only other nation besides Germany to win this tournament since 1991. They qualified top of their group two points ahead of Iceland, winning eight and losing two of their ten games which included an 11-0 home win v Bulgaria. They have reached the semi’s in five of the last six Euro’s.

Veteran midfielder Ronning pulls the strings in midfield with striker Thorsnes the main goal threat (they are without Herlovsen who finished joint fourth in qualifying with 8 goals) Young defender come defensive midfielder Mjelde looks a real prospect and is slowly becoming one of Norway’s star names.

Prediction: Quarter Finals

Group C

ENGLAND

Star Player: Fara Williams
Star Support: Rachel Yankey
One to Watch: Ellen White

The beaten finalist of four years ago will try to erase their embarrassing 6-2 defeat to Germany. They qualified top, just one point from Netherlands winning six and drawing two, only conceding goals in their opening qualifying game (2-2 away draw with Slovenia). Williams drives the team on from midfield and is usually at the heart of everything.

England’s most capped footballer Yankey is also an influential figure. Young striker White already has an impressive scoring record at this level and will definitely be a threat. With that being said, veteran striker Kelly Smith still has the quality to make a difference in this tournament.

Prediction: Quarter Finals

FRANCE

Star Player: Lousia Necib
Star Support: Marie-Laure Dellie
One to Watch: Elodie Thomis

The French have improved considerably over the past few years and were the only team to qualify with a 100% record. They topped their group eight points from Scotland with a 30 plus goal difference. They will hope to go further than their quarter-final exit four years ago. France are still yet to reach a major final, they finished fourth in their last two tournaments World Cup 2011 and Olympics 2012.

Necib is a wonderfully gifted footballer who makes things happen in midfield. Dellie has a formidable scoring record that could match up to any female or male footballer. Thomis is an exciting attacker who has pace to rival even her male counterparts.

Prediction: Winner

RUSSIA

Star Player: Elena Terekhova
Star Support: Ksenia Tsybutovich
One to Watch: Natalia Shlyapina

Russia qualified by finishing second in their group, six points behind Italy. They then defeated Austria in the play offs 3-1 on aggregate following a 2-0 away victory in the first leg. The Russians have not made it to the quarter finals since 1995 and lost all three of their group games four years ago.

They do not have many real star players but number 10 Terekhova seems to be their creative force. Captain Tsybutovich leads the team from the back and Shlyapina is currently the top scorer in the squad.

Prediction: Group Stages

SPAIN

Star Player: Adriana Martin
Star Support: Sandra Vilanova
One to Watch: Veronica Boquete

Spain qualified second to Germany in their group by 8 points (as the lowest ranked second placed team) they then defeated Scotland in the play offs in thrilling fashion. A 1-1 away draw was followed by a 3-2 home win aet, the goal coming in the second minute of stoppage time.

This is only Spain’s second major finals; the first was the Euro’s in 1997 where they reached the semi-finals. Adrian is a lethal striker who leads the line well. Captain Sandra supplies the ammunition from midfield. Boquete, who finished joint 3rd in qualifying along with absent team mate Vilas on 8 goals, scored that all important last-minute goal to qualify for the finals.

Prediction: Quarter Finals