September 7 – England’s women footballers will meet Germany in the final of the European Championships in Helsinki after the defending champions beat Norway 3-1 in the semi-final.
Simone Laudehr and Celia Okoyino da Mbabi came off the substitutes bench to help see off a stubborn Norwegian side in the Finnish capital before a crowd of 2,765.
Isabell Herlovsen appeared to get the final touch to a far-post corner to send Norway in ahead at the break, but second half strikes from the two replacements, plus a stoppage time effort from third sub Fatmire Bajramaj downed the Scandinavians.
England now stand between the Germans and the trophy they have won on the last four occasions in what promises to be an epic final on Thursday.
Germany has won six of the last seven tournaments.
The only time in the last two decades it did not win was in 1993 when it fell to Italy in a shootout in the semi-finals.
But Everton’s Fara Williams is confident that England can come out on top in the final at the Olympic Stadium.
She said: “It will be amazing to walk out into the Olympic Stadium and play in a final.
“We will be giving everything we have.
“This is the greatest achievement in my career so far. I’m still lost for words slightly, even today.
“It means so much to us and we’ve worked hard for this.
“But we have to remember that nothing has been won yet, no trophies are handed out for winning a semi-final.
“We want to go on and make history and write ourselves in the record books.”
Laudehr certainly fears England.
She said: ”They can switch from defence to attack very quickly and aggressively.”
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