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Formidable Popp
At 31, Alexandra Popp has an exemplary career with trophies galore with her Wolfsburg club, but also the Olympics with the selection.
And the German striker may well add one to her list.
Because it is she alone who sent her country to the final of this Euro with a double full of conviction, opportunism.
Each time with rebounds from a real goalscorer: on a cross from the right, she first beat Périsset to score in force (41st), then on another cross, her furious and determined header surprised the whole French defense and sent Germany to seventh heaven.
His 58th and 59th goals in selection.
Huth, the accomplice
If Alexandra Popp is to be highlighted, we must not forget her appointed passer: Svenja Huth.
Because on the right side, it also made the Blues and Karchaoui suffer, who encountered many difficulties in containing it.
Popp's club teammate in Wolfsburg offered solutions in depth and was therefore responsible for the two German goals with two precise crosses from the right for her striker.
Germany still solid in defense
If Diani's strike on the post was beautiful, it still took a csc from Brohms to see Germany concede their first goal at the Euro.
Because beyond its offensive efficiency, the Nationalmannschaft proved to be very solid mentally and physically to prevent the Blues from achieving their highlight.
We can think of the goalkeeper Frohms, who made up for it by signing two decisive parades in front of Bacha (63rd) and Diani (67th), or even the hinge Hegering-Hendrich who did not miss anything.
FLOPS
Conquering Blues but still lacking in efficiency
Against the Netherlands, the France team had been warned: their inefficiency almost cost them dearly, before being saved by a penalty in extra time.
Except this time, it didn't happen.
And the regrets will perhaps be eternal.
Because after coming back to score before half-time, the Blues went through a good phase after the hour mark during which they got three good unconverted chances.
So many opportunities that ended up cutting the French legs.
And restore energy to the Germans who finished better and scored this second fatal goal.
Katoto's detrimental absence
We already knew it before the meeting but the absence of a real point of support like Marie-Antoinette Katoto was felt.
The attacker, seriously injured at the start of this Euro, was able to weigh on a defense, to manage the balls with their backs to goal.
And without it, the France team was deprived of this point of support capable of raising the block.
Result: the Blue lost a lot of balls and never knew how to exert constant pressure on the German defense.
Malard, still insufficient
Brought to replace Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Melvine Malard had however started her adventure well by scoring from the first minute of the match against Iceland.
But since then, the French striker has struggled to be effective.
Above all, she is not present enough in the game and encounters a lot of waste in her game. An insufficient point of support which again disappointed Corinne Deacon, who released her even earlier than against the Netherlands, at half-time.
A failing midfielder
We knew that this semi-final would be played a lot at the level of the midfield, a strong sector of Germany with its Dabritz-Oberdorf-Magull trio.
And in this game, the French have not made the weight.
If Geyoro deceived in the fight, Toletti and Bilbault seemed a notch below.
Sometimes overwhelmed, they above all did not take enough risks in their game, preventing more fluid links with the offensive players.