UEFA Women's Euro 2013 Final

Background

Germany had previously won the competition a record seven times (including one title as West Germany) and had won six of the seven tournaments staged under its current title and status (in 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2009). Three of their seven titles had come after defeating Norway in the final. Despite losing three finals, Norway had twice previously managed to win the competition: in 1987 under its original title of the UEFA European Competition for Representative Women's Teams, and in 1993; the only time since the competition was given European Championship status by UEFA that Germany did not win the competition. With this unparalleled record in European women's football, Germany had begun the tournament as the number one ranked team, with Norway ranked fifth in UEFA's coefficient ranking before the competition.

The two teams had already met during the finals just eleven days earlier. In their final game of the group stage, Norway became the first team to defeat Germany in any form of UEFA Women's Euros fixture since they lost a qualifying match in May 1996, again against the Norwegians. Prior to the final, the two sides had previously met each other a total of 36 times, with Germany winning 17 and Norway 14. The 2013 Final was the fourth time that the two teams had met in the competition's final.

Route to the final

Both teams began the tournament in Group B and achieved qualification for the knockout stage by gaining four points from their first two fixtures (both facing Iceland and the Netherlands, respectively). Although Germany led the group going into their final group matchday meeting on goal difference, Norway were able to defeat the Germans 1–0 through an Ingvild Isaksen goal to top the group and face Group C runner-up Spain in the quarter-final round.

Norway comfortably beat the Spanish team in a game that saw them three goals ahead by the 65th minute, eventually progressing as 3–1 victors. In their semi-final against Denmark, the Norwegians took a third-minute lead but their advantage was eventually cancelled out three minutes from full-time to send the game into extra time. After no further additions to the 1–1 scoreline, Norway successfully converted all four of their penalty kicks to win the shootout 4–2. Germany advanced through the knockout stage with two successive 1–0 wins, which firstly eliminated Italy, then the host nation Sweden in two tightly-contested matches.

Team selection

Neither team had any suspensions; indeed no red cards were shown during the entire tournament. In Germany's only change to their starting XI in their semi-final victory, Célia Okoyino da Mbabi, who had scored a record 19 goals during the overall qualification campaign and final tournament but had suffered a hamstring injury during their quarter-final win, was now fit enough to start. She replaced Anja Mittag, who had been pushed forward from her usual midfield role to cover Okoyino da Mbabi, as the main forward.

Despite having played 120 minutes in their semi-final three days earlier, Norway had no injury concerns ahead of the match. Coach Even Pellerud opted to make one change from their previous game as Cathrine Dekkerhus was selected ahead of Ingvild Isaksen in central midfield.

Summary

In the opening moments a German free-kick from the right was met by a looping header from Nadine Keßler which Ingrid Hjelmseth in the Norwegian goal managed to keep out from underneath the crossbar. The opening half-hour brought several other opportunities for Germany, but Norway received the best chance to take the lead when Okoyino da Mbabi was adjudged to have brought down Cathrine Dekkerhus in the area and a penalty kick was awarded in the 29th minute. Trine Bjerke Rønning struck the ball powerfully but centrally and the German captain Nadine Angerer blocked it with her outstretched leg.

The deadlock was broken four minutes into the second-half when Okoyino da Mbabi's fast run along the left drew the attentions of the Norwegian defence. She was therefore able to square the ball into the centre of the penalty area, where an unmarked Anja Mittag – a half-time replacement for Lena Lotzen – was awaiting to side-foot the ball into the net from close range.

Germany then had further chances to increase their lead as two efforts from Okoyino da Mbabi had to be blocked on the goal-line by Norway. However, on the hour mark, Norway received a second penalty when Saskia Bartusiak fouled Caroline Graham Hansen. After Rønning's earlier miss, Solveig Gulbrandsen was instead chosen to take the kick but it was again saved by Angerer as she leapt to her left.

Norway did finally have the ball in the net four minutes later when Ada Hegerberg turned Maren Mjelde's drilled cross in, but it was ruled out for offside. In the 72nd minute the Norwegian substitute Elise Thorsnes beat Angerer to a lofted through-ball but poked it narrowly wide. Eight minutes from time, Germany almost sealed victory when Leonie Maier crossed dangerously for Nadine Keßler to shoot, but her effort was scuffed and clipped the post. However, the single-goal advantage proved sufficient as the time ran out on Norway's attempts to win an equaliser.

Post match

After the match, the trophy was handed to the German captain and Player of the Match Award winner Nadine Angerer by UEFA president Michel Platini. The German squad celebrated at their team hotel in Solna before returning home to a public reception at Frankfurt's town hall. Here, they were greeted by a crowd outside the building in excess of 7,000.