Betting Week in Review 1/8/2022 – Lionesses Bring Football Home
The English women’s team became the first English male or female team to win the European Championships. The Lionesses beat Germany 2-1 at Wembley in extra time to claim their first major honour.
Lionesses Bring Football Home Against Germany © Pixabay.
England’s Lionesses Claim First Title under Sarina Wiegman
England’s women’s team created history last night by winning their first major competition against eight-time champions Germany at a packed-out Wembley Stadium.
In a predictably tight game, Ella Toone opened the scoring for England in the second half after a tense but entertaining first 45 minutes. Keira Walsh delivered an incredible ball with just enough curve to curl around the retreating defenders. The German goalkeeper was off her line, and Toone perfectly executed a lob that sent the 87,192 fans inside the stadium and millions more watching at home into raptures.
Agonisingly for the Lionesses, their lead would last little more than 15 minutes as Germany showed why they are two-time world champions. They also consider this competition their own, having won three-quarters of all European Championships (eight wins out of twelve, including six back-to-back titles between 1995 and 2013). Germany’s Sydney Lohmann found Tabea Wassmuth inside the area, and her cross was turned home by Bayern Munich’s Lina Magull.
With no further goals in normal time, the match went to extra time, which will have delighted bookmakers who had England as heavy favourites at 27/20, Germany at 217/100 and the draw the outside bet at 219/100.
The first half of extra time was almost inevitably a nervous affair, with neither team wanting to make mistakes. Although England fans were happy to still be in the game, many people’s minds were starting to think about penalties, as happened to Gareth Southgate’s men’s team in July last year.
However, the Lionesses retook the lead with ten minutes left to play. Germany made hard work of a corner, and Chloe Kelly got a shot away. Although Merle Frohms parried it, the Manchester City forward had a second attempt, and her effort found the net, sending the home support into raptures.
24-year-old Kelly left no doubt about what it meant to her and the team. After a moment, to ensure there was no doubt about the legitimacy of the goal, she removed her England shirt and celebrated wildly with her teammates.
For the England manager, Sarina Wiegman, the win means she has now won back-to-back European Championships, having won the 2017 tournament with her home country, the Netherlands. The Mail newspaper report she will pick up a £200,000 bonus for winning the tournament, and English bosses are keen to extend her current deal. Following the win, England are likely to be among the favourites for those betting on the 2023 Women’s Football World Cup which kicks off in July.
The World Reacts to England’s Historic Win
Seconds after the final whistle at Wembley, words of congratulations came from far and wide, and one of the first to react was Queen Elizebeth, whose Grandson, Prince William, had been at the final.
“My warmest congratulations, and those of my family, go to you all on winning the European Women’s Championships,” a statement from the reigning UK monarch said.
“It is a significant achievement for the entire team, including your support staff.
“The Championships and your performance in them have rightly won praise. However, your success goes far beyond the trophy you have so deservedly earned.
“You have all set an example that will be an inspiration for girls and women today and for future generations.
“It is my hope that you will be as proud of the impact you have had on your sport as you are of the result today.”
Prince William congratulated the players individually at the stadium, many of which broke protocol by hugging the second-in-line to the throne. He was all smiles and didn’t seem to mind the break from tradition.
He later wrote on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Twitter account: “Sensational. An incredible win. The whole nation couldn’t be prouder of you all. Wonderful to see history in the making tonight at Wembley, congratulations!”
The soon-to-be-replaced Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, offered his congratulations on Facebook, writing: “Football has come home! A stunning victory by the Lionesses.
“Huge congratulations to Sarina, Leah and the whole team. Football pitches across the country will be filled as never before by girls and women inspired by your triumph.”
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham said it was an “incredible achievement and a historic sporting moment”.
“This team of Lionesses have been outstanding ambassadors, both on and off the pitch, from the first game to the last. Each and every member of this squad has left an indelible and enduring mark on women’s football in England.
“Not only have they captured the hearts of the nation, but they have also broken down boundaries. They have left a lasting legacy that will positively impact women’s and girls’ football in this country for generations to come.”
Sir Geoff Hurst, a member of the men’s team who won the World Cup in 1966, wrote on Twitter: “European Champions. Unbelievably proud. #Lionesses”.
The current men’s team captain Harry Kane tweeted: “Absolutely unreal scenes at Wembley!! Massive congrats to the amazing Lionesses!! Ella Toone, take a bow for that finish too.”
However, over in Germany, the defeat hasn’t gone down well, with many commentators feeling that the eight-time winners should have had a penalty when England captain Leah Williamson appeared to handle the ball in her area. VAR checked the incident, but the spot-kick wasn’t given.
The German manager, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, said in her post-match interview: “In such a big game, it’s difficult to cope with that. So I’m asking, why didn’t the referee look at it? That would have given us more safety if we’d scored.”
A journalist from the German newspaper BILD compared the incident to Geoff Hurst’s controversial 1966 World Cup final goal, which still divides opinion 56 years after the incident.
Feindt tweeted: “And again, Wembley cheating – despite VAR! The DFB team didn’t deserve that!”
