UEFA Women's European Championship 2017

[Keith Putnam]

The 2017 UEFA Women's Euros kicked off today in the Netherlands, with the host nation defeating Norway 1-0. The winning goal came from a textbook cross and was headed in by Janice van de Sanden.

The other Group A match was Denmark v Belgium, which the Danes won 1-0.

16 teams, four groups. The group stage wraps up on 7/27 and the final is on 8/6.

Germany, who have won the last six Women's Euros, remain the favorites.

High-level women's soccer which doesn't involve the US! Worth it? Signs point to probably.

It appears that in the NYC area the matches are being shown exclusively on Univision, so polish your Spanish.

http://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/

 

[Keith Putnam]

Germany, the ostensible favorites, and Sweden, led by former USWNT manager Pia Sundhage, ground out a frustrating 0-0 draw.

Germany had an edge in technical on-the-ball skill, but Sweden kept a compact, narrow shape and packed the box with bodies whenever Germany managed to get close to creating a chance and so stifled the bit of attacking momentum Germany managed to create.

I'm not sure if Germany just lacks pacy wingers, but I kept expecting them to exploit some of the available width and being confused why they weren't.

Just an awful lot of bad giveaways, poor touches, and picking the wrong pass from both teams.

I'm sure Sweden came out happier, and honestly by the end I was rooting for them to win the game with one of their many decently executed counterattacks which wound up falling apart around the 18.

If Germany wants to win their seventh straight Women's Euros they need to get their attack straightened out pronto.