Technical report

Lithuania hosted the 11th edition of the UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship, with aUEFA youth tournament returning to the Baltic nation just five years after the European Under-19Championship, although this was the first time the country had staged a women's finaltournament.

Šiauliai, Alytus and Marijampolė were the venues with the latter staging the final, as it had in 2013,and the former no stranger to women's football, with FK Gintra-Universitetas' UEFA Women'sChampions League last-16 round tie with FC Barcelona in November 2017 drawing a recordcrowd for a women's match in Lithuania.

Some 1,825 spectators saw the hosts, who were joined in the finals by fellow debutants Finland –bringing the total number of countries participating in the finals to 22 – open proceedings againstthe Netherlands, who were taking part for the third time after 2010 and 2017. Completing Group Awere Germany, bidding for their seventh title in their tenth participation. Spain, who Germany hadbeaten in the past two finals, were Group B's old heads, with England involved for the sixth time,Italy participating for the third time and 2013 champions Poland back for the first time sincewinning the last four-nation finals in Nyon, Switzerland.

Introduction

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Debutants Finland and Lithuania

The format wasunaltered for the fifthconsecutive year with atotal of 16 gamesplayed: 12 in the groupstages, two semi-finalsand the final, plus aplay-off between thelosing semi-finalists todetermine Europe'sthird qualifier for theFIFA U-17 Women'sWorld Cup Uruguay2018. Šiauliai helddouble-headers on theopening two rounds of matches with Alytus and Marijampolė venues for one game each, featuringcrowds in excess of 1,000 when the hosts Lithuania were playing, before staging back-to-backfixtures on the third and decisive day of the group stage.

In view of the distances of 185km and 225km respectively from the tournament's two bases ofKaunas and Birštonas to Šiauliai, the teams travelled the evening before and spent the night in theŠiauliai region before returning after their fixtures. Coach rides of between 35 and 60 minuteswere otherwise necessary for reaching the other venues.

Switzerland's Désirée Grundbacher was chosen from a group of 16 officials – six referees, eightassistants and two local fourth officials – to officiate the final in Marijampolė. Meanwhile, thepreviously separate anti-doping and match-fixing education sessions were amalgamated into acombined integrity meeting incorporating UEFA's new #EqualGame message. All nationsattended the sessions, which were presented in English, Italian and Spanish, with simultaneousinterpretation provided into all other languages.

UEFA's Technical Observers for the tournament were Anna Signeul and Anja Palusevic.

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Lithuania v Finland (UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship Group A) ©Sportsfile

Road to the final

Staging their first UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship, and involved in the final tournamentfor the first time after failing to progress beyond the first qualifying round in their previous tenattempts, Lithuania were given a crash course in the level of quality by a ruthless Netherlandsside, who were appearing in their third final tournament and mercilessly emphasised theirexperience in the space of 15 minutes. The Dutch's fast transitions and effective use of wing play– eight of their nine goals came from wide or in the channels – provided a lesson Lithuania woulddraw the right consequence from for their second game, while it swelled the confidence of MarleenWissink's side for their subsequent challenge with Germany.

The perennial titlefavourites, bidding for ahat-trick of consecutivetriumphs, had to workhard for the win over aFinland side whosefocus was firmly onattacking theiropponents with acourageous 1-4-1-3-2system which mutatedinto a compact 1-4-4-2with lots of ballsrecovered in midfieldfrom their organised, compact pressing. Germany created 21 chances, but could only hit the targetsix times, with as many blocks and nine missing their aim. Finland were more efficient with their

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fewer opportunities and took the lead with a characteristic move over the right wing, the composedlow finish from Aino Vuorinen the final touch following a string of 14 passes. Germany maintainedtheir initial 1-3-4-3 shape and continued to chisel away at the Finland defence, forcing a defensivemistake which the athletic Shekiera Martinez pounced on to level. Martinez subsequently showedher predatory instincts to drill in a winner at the death following a corner.

Injuries prevented England coach John Griffiths from fielding several key players in his side'sopening fixture against Poland, who took the lead early in the second half. Paulina Tomasiak wasunsurprisingly involved, underlining her aerial ability – which went hand in hand with her excellenttechnique down the wing throughout the game – to tee up Paulina Filipczak to volley in. Acommon trait which would emerge from England's play was their pace on the ball and bursts onthe counter-attack, and this is how they levelled matters just shy of the hour mark. Poland couldnot clear their lines and Jessica Park's distance effort took a bounce over Poland custodian SaraKierul. Paris Mckenzie headed England in front from a corner – the only goal of the tournamentscored directly from a set piece – but there was to be a sting in the tail as Tomasiak levelled instoppage time with a rising shot into the top corner following good work from sitting midfielderAdriana Achcińska, who again showed her excellent all-round ability.

Italy's return to the final tournament for the first time since beating England to third place in 2014saw them face last year's beaten finalists Spain in Šiauliai. Only three of Spain's ten attempts ongoal hit the target, but there they were met with the stubborn resistance of Camilla Forcinella.Italy's goalkeeper made one key intervention in the first half, but it was her communication andpositioning which formed the foundations of a solid Italian defence – something which would beseen again in Massimo Migliorini's side's second group game with Poland. Spain's Eva MariaNavarro, appearing in her third straight finals, tried to find a way through with her pace andexcellent dribbling qualities, but when she did get round the back, there were no takers for herdeliveries. Her impact on the tournament was only delayed 80 minutes, however.

Spain got their first three points on the board in their second game against England, beginningwith attacking intent and a high tempo which suffocated their opponents for the first 20 minutes.They were rewarded as early as the fourth minute, when Paula Arana Montes put them in front.England pressed high up the field in the first half, but their main threat came on the counter-attack,with positive transitions, just like in the 26th minute when Ebony Salmon brought them back onterms. Navarro then registered in her second straight finals to be Spain's match-winner in Alytus.

Italy built on their opening draw against Spain with Chiara Ripamonti and Heden Corrado holdingthings together well at the back. Their reading of the game and the latter's distribution, combinedwith another commanding performance from Camilla Forcinella in goal, kept a plucky Poland atbay. Tomasiak was again outstanding for the well-organised Polish side, and had captain AdrianaAchcińska not picked up an early injury, limiting her contribution significantly, it may have been adifferent story.

Finland made six changes for their clash with the hosts in Šiauliai, but their system and mentalitywas unaltered from their narrow defeat to Germany. Annika Huhta was too hot for the Lithuaniansto handle, with a hat-trick proving she knows how to finish in addition to create, while JoannaTynnilä enjoyed the extra freedom afforded to her with two assists. The hard-working UgnėLazdauskaitė embodied the Lithuanians' battling belief compared to their opening fixture, withKibirkštis sending the right message with her endless encouragement on the touchline.

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Spain squeezed past Finland in Marijampole

"There's nothing to lose; they have to enjoy the experience, because the girls will remember thisforever," said Lithuania coach Ieva Kibirkštis, whose side showed they had taken the message onboard for their second appointment in front of their fans.

Similar encouragement came from Germany coach Anouschka Bernhard after her team fell twogoals behind to the Netherlands, who had been reduced to ten players following Claire Dinkla'sdismissal early in the second half. Julia Pollak had a hand in both goals as the holders levelledlate on, finally finding a way through a well-drilled Dutch defence to make their extra player countas the clock ticked down.

That result meant Germany needed just a point from their final fixture to be assured of their placein the semi-finals for the tenth time in 11 editions, although they came up against the hosts' pridewhich, despite being reduced to ten players in the 28th minute, saw them fight through to thebreak only one goal behind. "It can't be about results – our goal was to be competitive and that wewouldn't be scared," said Lithuania coach Ieva Kibirkštis, who could remain proud of her team'sefforts, despite an 8-0 defeat. Germany forward Shekiera Martinez also had good reason to beproud as she moved onto six goals for the tournament. More, however, was still to come from the1. FFC Frankfurt 16-year-old.

England's Salmon leapt into action with an 18-minute hat-trick finally puncturing the resistance ofa hard-working Italy side which had kept a clean sheet in five halves, but ultimately ran out ofenergy against fit, fast and agile opponents. The Azzurrine managed just two corners in their threematches and went 207 minutes before conceding their first goal. Salmon then turned the screwand led England into the semi-finals for the fourth time, to face Germany for the second time sincetheir 2016 meeting, which Bernard's team edged by the odd goal in seven.

The other semi-finalwould be betweenSpain, who continuedtheir match-by-matchimprovement with theirhitherto best teamperformance in puttingfive past Poland withoutreply, and Finland. TheIberians' perpetualmovement on and offthe ball had Poland onthe back foot andchasing shadows formuch of the 80 minuteswith the lively Paola Hernández Díaz and Navarro taking the game to their opponents while AnaTejada kept things together at the back. For Spain, it meant a ninth semi-final appearance in ninefinals appearances.

The Netherlands became the latest to discover the tactical astuteness of a well-organised,disciplined Finland side. The tournament's first goal on a direct free-kick, with three players

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Finland's comeback clinched the World Cup spot

dummying to shoot before Kaisa Juvonen drilled a low shot past a five-player wall into the bottomcorner, gave the Finns the lead before Aino Vuorinen stole in ahead of her marker to convertcaptain Tuuli Enkkilä's cross. The Dutch pulled one back with a Romée Leuchter penalty, but ranout of time as they sought the equaliser which would have taken them through. Finland thusmarked their tournament debut with a place in the final four.

There, they made a superiorly experienced Spain side work hard for their fifth straight finalappearance and "left a message to all upcoming teams that hard work and trust in your ownabilities will pay off," according to Technical Observer Anja Palusevic. Indeed, starting from theirgoalkeeper Anna Koivunen, who provided security from the back, the tournament debutantsplayed with a remarkable all-for-one, one-for-all attitude, with each player supporting their team-mates. Spain had to raise their game accordingly, but they managed this in their distinctivefashion. Twenty two passes preceded Navarro's goal which broke Finland's resistance, afterKoivunen had reinforced their belief with a penalty save, and a sixth final appearance was theirs.

Their opponents would be familiar to them, with Germany capitalising on a weary England byputting eight goals past John Griffith's team without reply. Martinez brought up a tournamentrecord of nine goals with her second hat-trick on Lithuanian soil as Germany pressed high up thefield, overloading their opponents with their wing-backs, in particular down the left. Most ofGermany's attacks came centrally, however, with defender Greta Stegemann getting forward andhelping drive the space, often creating two-v-one and three-v-two situations. England could notcope, and after the deadlock was broken in the 23rd minute – Ivana Fuso's shot crashing down offthe crossbar and in off the back of England goalkeeper Kayla Rendell – there was only going to beone winner: Germany, back in the final for the eighth time.

With the FIFA U-17Women's World Cup2018 taking place inUruguay in November,England still had plentyto play for as theyreturned to action threedays later to faceFinland for Europe'sthird ticket to thattournament. Despitesome personnelchanges, tiredness wasstill on show, however,as the hard-working,disciplined Finns underscored their fighting qualities by cancelling out an opener from England'simpressive Park with two second-half strikes. It would be they joining the finalists in South America– a first World Cup finals following on from their highly impressive and successful EURO debut.

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Spanish national team (2017/18 UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship winners) ©Sportsfile

The final

"I expect to win the final," said Spain's wily winger Eva Navarro on the eve of her third final. Therewas conviction in her words and, 24 hours later, also in her actions as she inspired Spain to theirfourth tournament victory, allowing them to hold Women's Under-19 and Under-17 crownssimultaneously for the first time since Germany achieved the same feat in 2008.

The confidence with which the pint-sized number 18 spoke with UEFA's Technical Observers wassubstantiated by her performance on the field in Mariampolė. "I feel very fortunate," she said. "Inmany years I can look back on this as the most important experience of my life."

She will look back on the 2018 showpiece with particular fondness.

After the tearful endings in 2016 and 2018, there would be emotions of a different nature come thefinal whistle. Germany, boasting an unbeaten record in seven previous finals, had gainedconfidence from their semi-final humbling of England, and they shaped up with the same elevenplayers, boasting a consonantly confident mentality. The early chances were consequently theirs.

Greta Stegemann, advancing often from her deep starting position and effusing authority, had thefirst sighter as she headed over. Her free-kick from deep was subsequently headed on byShekiera Martinez, who was denied her tenth goal of the tournament by Catalina Coll. TheSpanish custodian excelled again by tipping Leonie Köster's effort behind before making anotherfine save to prevent Vanessa Fudalla from giving Germany the lead just before the break.

Spain had enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening 40 minutes, albeit struggling to carve away through the Germany defence as Navarro and Salma Paralluelo swapped sides to keepGermany's wing backs second guessing.

Their perseverance paid off, however, as they made the breakthrough early in the second half with

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Nine-goal Shekiera Martinez top-scored overall

Paula Arana playing an incisive ball through for Navarro. Spain's number 18 did not need to alterher penetrating run as just one deft touch was required to slot the ball coolly past the onrushingWiebke Willebrandt and give Spain the lead.

Paralluelo had the opportunity to double Spain's advantage as they were now in the ascendancy,but Willebrandt held her nerve to deny the pacey winger, repeating the trick to deny Navarro asecond soon after. With penalty shoot-out defeats in 2014, 2016 and 2017 still lingering in theirminds, Spain looked to turn the screw and prevent a similar epilogue to their journey in Lithuania,holding their positions and looking to hit powerfully on the break.

One such counterattack, which came straight out of a textbook, ensured this would not be the fifthfinal in seven years to be decided on spot-kicks, and guaranteed Spain's fifth straight final wouldend in glory. Within minutes of the final whistle, the world's media had already picked up on a goalwhich would have made the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi proud. It was Navarro'scoup de grâce.

The Murcian advanced with the ball at her feet at a phenomenal pace, while her mind was tickingeven faster as she anticipated two Germany challenges, skipping out of the way of both, beforecutting back onto her left foot and looping the ball unstoppably over Willebrandt from just outsidethe penalty area.

A fourth Women's Under-17 European Championship title was Spain's.

Martinez was unable toadd to her nine goals, arecord for thiscompetition and alreadythe joint most in anyUEFA football finaltournament (withMichael Platini in EURO'84 and Elena Danilovain the 2005 Women'sU19 EURO), but shehad the honour of takingto the podium first toreceive her consolationaward as thetournament's top-scorer.

A German guard of honour then marked the path for Spain's players to march forth and take theirplace in history. One thing can be taken for granted, however: Germany will be back next year toensure this first final defeat is merely a blip, and Spain can be expected in Bulgaria, bidding for asixth straight final, in their new role as holders.

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Aixa Salvador (Spain) & Gia Corley (Germany) ©Sportsfile

Technical topics

Full Tournament Teams and Players’ Statistics

INDIVIDUAL SKILLS

The third straight final between Germany and Spain was a showcase of under-17 talent; abenchmark for this age group. Both sides had grown from game to game on their way to the all-too-familiar showpiece, showing why they have been the dominant nations at this level in recentyears, and setting the bar for their rivals to attain.

"The quality of thesetwo teams should be aprofile for others inEurope," opined AnnaSigneul. "Theirindividual qualities – thisshould be like abenchmark." The twofinalists, both theTechnical Observersagreed, had the lot.Skills, movement andagility, with dynamic,athletic players. "Theyare players that have the technique, tactical awareness and physical attributes to play fasttransition football," Signeul continued. "They can play these penetrating passes because they cansee them, physically play them and run in to pick them up – they have the three dimensions

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needed to play this kind of football."

Indeed, both finalists provided the majority of players providing the key passes in Lithuania.

Obtaining this blendrequires a strongunderstanding andreading of the game,which the finalistsshowed in abundance.However, the generallevel of the competitionwas also particularlyhigh, with third-placedFinland earningacclaim. They may havestruggled to measure uptechnically to either ofthe finalists, but morethan matched them withtheir gameplan andbelief. "Finland left amessage to allupcoming teams thathard working and trustin their own abilities, willpay off," commentedAnja Palusevic.

SPAIN'S MOVEMENTOFF THE BALL

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One of the stars of the tournament was EvaNavarro, who fit into the mechanisms of a finely-oiled Spain side. Indeed, her movement downeither of the wings – with coach Toña Isswitching her wingers to good effect – was one ofthe keys to the Iberians' success.

"If one looks at how the goal of Spain againstFinland was scored, it gives a clear idea of whatkind of football Spain play," explained AnjaPalusevic. "They had 22 successful, consecutivepasses, holding possession for 90 seconds up toscoring through a defence-splitting pass. Almostall of their players, except their goalkeeper, werein possession before the goal was scored. Thisshows that Spain are following the tradition ofpossession football, with a patient build-up and

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possession football, with a patient build-up andan accurate passing game with the ability to findthe right moment to play the final pass, and thisdecided the semi-final."

That right moment more often than not came down the wing, when they were able to open playwith overlapping defenders, with 30 attacks coming down the left, 35 down the right and 23centrally.

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The example in the diagram shows how they manufactured their third goal against Poland – amove typical of their wide assaults. Four players were involved in the move: Navarro, whosupplied the finish, full-back Jana Fernandez (and also her replacement Paula Tomás, whoshowed the strength in depth the team had), right midfielder Paola Hernández and forward PaulaArana.

Navarro received the ball from her full-back and was able to play a ball inside to Hernández andsupport the action with a run past her marker. The ball was subsequently played via a wall-pass

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with Arana into the path of the overlapping winger. Nine passes preceded the goal. In fact, of thefive goals scored at the tournament with the greatest number of passes in the build-up, Spainscored three.

FINLAND'S SPACE CREATION

Also high up on the list of passes before a goalwere Finland, who laid a marker with their firstgoal of the tournament against Germany –another fine example of off the ball movementand combination play, also coming down theright wing. Indeed, Finland demonstratedthroughout the whole tournament an excellentbuild-up play. Even if they were faced withopponents who pressed high and tried to preventthe build-up, Finland found a way with theirflexible diamond in a 1-4-4-2 formation to relieveand release themselves from their opponents'grasp.

Key to the move illustrated below was theirgoalkeeper Anna Koivunen, who had the qualityto find the right choice and timing to play aquality pass to her team-mates, and the holdingmidfielder Tuuli Enkkilä, who would feint a runback towards her goalkeeper and thus openspace for a deep pass towards the attackingmidfielder, who was offering herself for the firstpass to arrive.

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UEFA's Technical Observer Anja Palusevic explains how they then employed a tactic to createspace which worked to great effect and could provide inspiration to other coaches.

"Finland played with a diamond and it was interesting in how they tried to lead their opponents toone side and once they had shifted to one side, they played a diagonal ball to the other side,where the opposite defender was making a fast sprint," Anja Palusevic said. "They used thediamond and their right and left winger to push their opponents to one side, and then immediatelythey made the switch to the other side."

Such dynamism was one of the keys to Finland's success in Lithuania, where they effused astrong team spirit and willingness to follow instructions and work as a team, resulting inqualification for the World Cup.

PENETRATING PASSES FROM GERMANYIn Greta Stegemann, Germany had a central defender whose propensity to progress play up thefield shone through. Whether it was leading the ball out of defence herself or playing a penetratingpass in behind the midfield or defensive line, she had it all in her locker.

For this to work, you also need midfielders and strikers to make themselves available to receivethis pass and turn it into an overload situation in midfield, or a goalscoring opportunity.

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Germany had these players with Leonie Köster (8) and Vanessa Fudalla (11) sharing the ability toplay these kind of passes often in speed and with few touches, while their forwards ShekieraMartinez (9) and Ivana Fuso (10) had the ability to receive this pass and turn it into a goalscoringopportunity.

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Interestingly, while Spain may have played more passes overall throughout the tournament,Germany were more efficient with their key passes, with 58% successful, from an overall passsuccess rate of 79%. This shows how Germany were more productive with their penetratingpasses, leading to goalscoring opportunities: 54% of their passes into the penalty area weresuccessful – more than any of the other nations.

In the final, Anna Aehling (6) also assumedStegemann's role, leading the ball out of defenceconfidently, while much of their success againstEngland in their 8-0 semi-final victory also camethrough the centre. It was also marked adifference in approach compared to their finalopponents. "Whereas Spain play lateral balls,Germany go up the field," noted Anna Signeul.

DRIVING THE SPACEGermany and Spain in particular showed anability to create an overload by driving the space,with the best example of this coming from bothteams' central defenders: Germany's No. 5 GretaStegemann and Spain's No. 3 Ana Tejada.

"This is a new remit for a defender," noted AnnaSigneul. "They've always been strong, but now they are also strong travelling with the ball;Stegemann just goes through two forwards."

Composure is one of the presuppositions for such an attitude when on the ball in what is a criticalarea of the field, and a significant level of maturity was shown by many players in Lithuania inwhat was one of the stand out technical features of the tournament.

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"After a switch of play in the backline, the defenders travelled with the ball past the forwards in tothe midfield area," commented Anna Signeul. "Both [Stegemann and Tejada] were verycomfortable on the ball and did this with great conviction in their ability."

In the above example, Stegemann is travelling with the ball, creating an overload in the midfieldafter a switch of play in the backline, thus driving the space with her passing options increased.Having players able to perform such a role gave both of the finalists an edge.

"Tejada is Spain's leading force," said Anja Palusevic. "Spain's build-up was out of defence –before their goal against Finland, there were 22 passes in the build-up with everybody involved.They used the space between the lines, with Paula Arana going into this space. Tejada had anexcellent build-up play, with calmness and confident in one-on-one in defensive situations and theability to dribble if necessary."

ADAPTING SYSTEMSTactical flexibility and adaptation is an increasingly important part of football, even at under-17level. A sophisticated understanding of the game and the ability to read in-game situations andadapt accordingly certainly helped give Germany an edge. "They had different approaches andcould change things – they knew different ways," noted Anja Palusevic. Players were aware thatin attack-to-defence transitions, they had a new role and a new position to play, and they dulyadapted. "Players are able to do this," Palusevic added. "They are comfortable in transitions."

Trailing 2-0 to the Netherlands and having struggled to make a one-player advantage count,

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Germany altered their system several times. "They got something out of it, so they were not justtrying, but also succeeding," continued Palusevic. It was also the key to unlocking their final groupgame against Lithuania at the start of the second half, after leading only 1-0 at the break. Theychanged to a 1-4-4-2 and scored a further seven times.

This tactical understanding also extends to the ability to adapt systems in all phases of the gamewith Anna Signeul noting that "many of the teams are changing formation in attack and defence."A case in point was Italy, who had three forwards when they attacked, but came back with four orfive in midfield when defending, with the player on the ball side dropping down but the otherwinger staying high. "We've seen in this tournament that there are very many teams where theplayers have great tactical ability," concurred Signeul.

The following tables highlight how Italy's defensive numbers ensured that they won most of theirtackles in their defensive quarter of the field, yet their position in third on the ranking of overallattacks supports how they ensured players were also contributing in numbers to their attackingplay, with more counter-attacks than any other nation.

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Germany coach Anouschka Bernhard agreed that the level of tactical awareness is growing – onand off the field. "I think all coaches look at who they are playing against and try to develop a planand the girls are capable of making changes and this is a huge development," she said.

SET-PIECES: DEFENCE OVER ATTACKGoals from set-pieces were in short supply in Lithuania, raising a debate over attacking anddefensive organisation. UEFA's Technical Observers felt that coaches were perhaps now placingmore of an emphasis on how to defend against set pieces rather than how to organise them in anattacking sense.

"There was just one single goal [out of 61] which came from a direct header from a corner," saidAnna Signeul. "It was hard to score a goal on a set play."

The work put in to defending set-pieces could be seen across the board with hosts Lithuania andPoland also showing disciplined defending in their group matches. Italy coach Massimo Miglioriniconfirmed that he dedicates time during the final 10-15 minutes of training sessions to set piecesby "restarting play with one" each time there is a break in play.

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However, Germany coach Anouschka Bernhard said that if your defensive organisation is alreadyrefined, no specific work needs to be dedicated to training set-piece situations. "Set-pieces aregiven a rather subordinate significance in our training," she said. "We spend more time training theattacking set-pieces, while in defence it is more about general defensive mechanisms."

GOALKEEPERS GETTING INVOLVEDThe importance of goalkeepers as integral parts of teams was emphasised further in Lithuania,with consensus that goalkeeping at this level has improved significantly.

"The footwork has been better, they are able to build up play from the back and play long ballsalso," said Technical Observer Anja Palusevic. Indeed, the following table highlights how, forexample, Finland's outstanding goalkeeper Anna Koivunen featured heavily in her team's actions.Her 40 long balls were only a fraction of her overall 149 passes, which placed her 19th on the listof overall passing – including outfield players.

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Of those passes, 117 –or 79% – wereaccurate. "If I amcomparing ourgoalkeepers, I am surethey are better at thislevel in girls than inboys, and I also workwith U16 boys," saidFinland's goalkeepercoach Eemeli Reponen,who also coaches awomen's team in Turku."The tactical knowledgemay not so high at this level – such as defending the area and defending on crosses – but it'sabout the coaches and how to educate by putting more effort on the technical side of things, andnow we are putting more effort into tactical aspects."

The work appears to be paying off, with Koivunen in particular showing some excellent technicalability, making a tournament-high total of 26 saves, of which ten were key stops.

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Reponen nevertheless believes goalkeepers should be receiving more focalised training soonerthan they currently are. "At this age group, they have started at eight years old – they should startearlier," he said. "We can do more technical things when they are eight, nine or ten, then at tenwe can move onto more tactical aspects. Currently, it's more at 12 when you start working on thetactical things."

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England v Finland (FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup play-off) ©Sportsfile

Talking points

COACH DEVELOPMENTLithuania will be looking to leave a legacy from staging this UEFA Women's Under-17Championship, and the event was used as an opportunity to educate women's football coachesfrom around the Baltic region. Lithuanian Football Federation Technical Director RaimondasStatkevičius led a six-day coaching workshop for the LFF’s top club and Elite women’s youthcoaches, with participants attending several of the group stage fixtures and discussing theirfindings in a series of theory sessions, while neighbouring Latvia and nearby Estonia also tookadvantage of the occasion with workshops and match observation and analysis.

"We aimed to use theWomen's Under-17EuropeanChampionship as thepossibility to experienceelite youth women’sfootball from inside,learn from the best andto identify trends ofwomen’s football," saidRaimondasStatkevičius, who ledtwo groups of 14coaches – the firstcomprising Lithuanian youth category coaches, who observed pre-match training of Lithuanian'steam and the Spain vs Italy, Finland vs Germany and Lithuania vs Netherlands matches with each

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participant given a specific task related to match analysis. They also met with Lithuania's under-17s coach Ieva Melanija Kibirkštis together with her staff and analysed their first match beforemeeting with Lithuanian Football Federation Technical Department development manager AndriusSkerla.

A second group of 14 participants were chosen from Lithuanian women's league clubs andnational team coaches, who carried out similar match analysis of a further three games and metwith Kaan Kahraman, who had mentored Kibirkštis with the support of UEFA. A meeting withUEFA Technical Study Group members Anna Signeul and Anja Palusevic also enriched theirworkshop experience.

"The participants learned a lot from this workshop," Statkevičius added. "They have the possibilityto discuss with each other, to work with modern analytic tools and to learn from internationalexperience."

During the tournament in Lithuania, Anja Palusevic also made a presentation to a congregation ofLatvian coaches who had used the occasion to arrange a workshop. A mixture of male and femalecoaches observed the semi-finals and the final, analysing the games with a focus on talentidentification, for which they received further guidance from UEFA's Technical Observer in theform of a presentation and discussion.

Meanwhile, neighbouring Estonia also observed some of the early group stage games, with UEFAsupporting all three of the Baltic nations in grasping this rare opportunity to observe and gaineducations from such a level of games right on their doorsteps.

ITALIAN PROGRESSWomen's football in Italy is undergoing something of a revolution, and the first fruits are alreadyevident. Part of a recent initiative to raise the profile of and participation in the game launched bythe Italian Football Federation (FIGC) saw professional men's clubs obliged to have a at least 20girls training in an under-12 side in order to receive their licence to play in Serie A. This wasreinforced by obligations to give a further 20 girls the opportunity to play in at least one femaleyouth team from the 2017/18 season.

"There are more girls playing now, and Italy have more coaches and more professionalstructures," said Italy's coach Massimo Migliorini. "This came from when we forced maleprofessional clubs to

have a girls' under-12s and then under-14s. And since the clubs were already setting these up,many have gone even further and created higher age groups."

Many of Italy's top men's clubs have also taken strides at boosting the women's game, with theemergence of the likes of Fiorentina Women's FC and Juventus Women operating under thesame umbrella and with the same organisation structures as their men's counterparts also givingthe game greater visibility.

25

Italy coach Massimo Migliorini on matchday duty

John Griffiths and his England back-room staff

"The problem facinggirls' football in Italybefore was thementality of people,"continued Migliorini. "Ifa daughter would go toher father and say 'dad,can I play football', heused to say: 'no, we'lltake you to playsomething else, likevolleyball'. Those whodid play would train in apark, playing for somelocal boys' team, butnow we have top clubs and if that daughter were to ask to play for Juventus, Fiorentina or InterMilan, the father would now be delighted and take them there straight away. Girls see that theycan now aim to play for the likes of Juve, Fiorentina etc. professionally."

Italy's under-19s also qualified for the UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in 2018, with thesenior team having also qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup – their first participationsince 1999.

GROWING QUALITY, EXPANDING TOURNAMENT?The perennial question of whether a finals with just eight teams does enough justice to theincreased quality levels of nations at under-17 level was raised again in Lithuania.

With the likes of Sweden, Austria, France, Norway, Switzerland – to name but a few – failing toqualify, it could well be time for more opportunities to be given to nations to gain valuabledevelopment experience each year, even more so when the tournament serves as a qualifier forthe FIFA Under-17 World Cup, as it did in 2018.

"I would urge UEFA tothink about having moreteams in thistournament – we're justabout ready," saidEngland coach JohnGriffiths. "Norway,France, Denmark,Sweden, Ireland,Austria – there are sixor seven teams whoaren't here who shouldbe. The challenge is wehave only three sidesgoing to a World Cup -

©UEFA.com

©Saulius Čirba

26

It's the hardest qualification campaign for a World Cup in world football.

"Maybe going to 12 as an interim would work. There's no France and Norway here, yet we want tobe playing against the best teams."

Italy returned after missing out in 2015 and 2017 and the coach of their under-19s, EnricoSbardella, who was present to see the Azzurrine's final two group games, also gave his supportfor a larger tournament in future. "Spain have built this success on years of being involved in thiscompetition," he said. "Each time you are involved, you gain even more experience. For [Italy], wecould only benefit from taking part frequently in the finals and being able to build, block by block,like Spain have done – and there are many other nations who would also benefit."

INJURY CONCERNSContrasting with the appeal for a larger final tournament field was the unequivocal call for fewercompetitive games on the domestic front. Having the top nations involved in the Women's Under-17 European Championship is only half of the recipe for success, ensuring the best players are fitenough to be there is the other.

All of the nations involved in the final tournament in Lithuania had a story of malaise to report.Spain may have won the tournament, but they did so without one of their most talented players ofthis age category, Clàudia Pina, whose 15 goals in qualifying took her onto 20 overall at this level– equalling the record set by the Netherlands' Vivianne Miedema.

The 16-year-old would arguably have broken that record had she played in Lithuania.

"We have three or four girls injured right now who would have helped us," said Spain coach ToñaIs. "I think that Claudia's injury is down to the fact that she played too many games – they justdon't have enough time to recover. They are too young and play too many games for their age."

To put a figure on it, a 16-year-old girl playing successfully in Poland could be involved in as manyas 70 games in a single season.

"Five players are not here due to injury," explained Poland coach Nina Patalon. "Four from 2001and another girl from 2002. All five have cruciate knee ligament tears. There is too much playingand not enough training. I'm really disappointed and upset because we have a lot of time spentjust on recovering and not on training. Sometimes I feel it's just a summer camp."

In England, it could be queried whether some young girls are becoming victims of the success ofthe domestic women's game.

"Of girls born in 1998, there were three players playing in top-flight first teams, from 1999 it wasfour, from 2000 it was two and now (2001) we have 12 players playing for clubs in the Women'sSuper League," said England coach John Griffiths. "They are playing WSL on Saturday, adevelopment game on Sunday then Tuesday again they are playing in the WSL."

With top level professionals regularly rotated at club level to ensure they maintain peak physicalcondition, the issue of playing too many games has certainly been recognised. More considerationmay therefore now be due in determining how much is too much for players still in their formativeyears, since serious injuries at the ages of 15 and 16 can have a significant impact on careers andmay prevent talent from emerging.

27

Toña Is directs proceedings from the sidelines

YOUTH COACHES' FORUM FOR DEVELOPMENTOne item which was discussed with the coaches of the eight finalists in Lithuania was whetherthey would find any value in exchanging of ideas, and there was unanimous support for the idea ofa workshop involving coaches of youth selections.

"It would be awesome," said England coach John Griffiths. "We do a lot of study visits with UEFA,but never get on the grass with teams, philosophy and case studies. Anouschka and I share a lot.I'm sure Pedro [López], Sandrine [Soubeyrand] would come."

Spain coach Toña Ishad the pleasure ofparticipating in thecoaching forum whichfollowed the lastWomen's EURO in theNetherlands, and thatexperience is one shewould be keen onrepeating.

"A meeting betweencoaches at this levelwould be good for us tolook at all the problemsthat we have," she said. "When I was at the coaching meeting in the Netherlands, I learned a lot.Communication can only help you improve. It was important for me to see the opinion of all thehead coaches of the top nations. [Being assistant coach at WEURO] was an experience whichwas invaluable for me, to learn more things and methods that I can apply at this level."

A round table could therefore be the answer, with coaches developing from their experiences justas much as their players did in Lithuania.

©Saulius Čirba

28

María Antonia 'Toña' Is (Spain) ©Sportsfile

Interviews

The tears of sadness following Spain's penalty shoot-out defeat to Germany a year ago weretransformed to tears of joy – almost disbelief – as Toña Is collapsed to the ground at the finalwhistle. The emotions were amplified by the pain of that defeat; the outpouring unplugged.

The defeated finalist Anouschka Bernhard sportingly gave her a congratulatory embrace as thetears continued to flow. "Enjoy this moment; take it all in," you could imagine four-time winnerBernhard whispering in her rival's ear. The words and praise were fitting as Is attained herpersonal highlight.

"We knew we were up against Germany again, but it didn't matter – it was something we neededto do," Is told Spanish media. "We won it in the end. The team needed this." Oviedo-born Isneeded it too. "Yes, for me it was a huge injection of morale," she continued. "It would have beenhard to lose today. I didn't want even to consider the idea of going to penalties again and we dideverything to ensure it would not end that way."

Winning coach

29

'Toña Is (right) and rival boss Anouschka Bernhard

With her commandsfrom the touchline, itwould be intuitive toguess her career path.A stern centraldefender, Is made 34appearances for theSpain national team andwas part of the teamwhich marked theirUEFA Women's EUROdebut in 1997 with athird-placed finish inSweden.

In 2014, Is filled the spare time she had while working as a traffic officer in Oviedo to study for hercoaching badge. She missed the game; the scent of the grass; the action and emotion. With apassion for helping young girls develop as footballers, Is wanted to give something back to thegame she loved. Rather than writing tickets, she was scribbling tactics on her notepad.

Just two years after graduating from a coaching course with the likes of former professionals Guti,Iván Helguera and Mista, Is was sitting alongside Pedro López as Spain won their third Women'sEuropean Under-17 Championship title in Iceland. It was 2015 and it was a sweet taste of successwhich would linger on in the mouth.

After that triumph, Is made history by becoming the first female coach of a Spanish national team,taking López's place in October 2015 and guiding them to that first heart-breaking penalty shoot-out defeat to Germany. Revenge followed just a matter of months later as Spain defeatedGermany 2-1 in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women's Under-17 World Cup in Jordan, where theIberians beat Venezuela 4-0 to finish fourth – the highest-ranked European nation – thanks in nosmall way to three goals from the incandescent Eva Navarro.

Disappointment followed in the 2017 final, but Is managed to motivate her team to take that finalstep in 2018. "In the dressing room before the final, I told the girls that all of the pressure was onGermany, who had won the last two finals and have one million girls playing football, compared toour 40,000," she revealed.

"It was a testing first half, but we could see that as soon as we pressed them, they wereuncomfortable. During half-time, we said that if we attacked that little but more, we would win it."

Attack and win it they did, giving rise to that release of emotion at the final whistle, the realisationof a dream which Is worked so hard on making come true. The tears, this time, were accompaniedby a gleaming smile.

Interview with Eva Maria Navarro

After picking up the ball in midfield, Eva Maria Navarro darted instinctively towards the penaltyarea with just seven minutes left on the clock in Mariampolė. There was still plenty of work to be

©Sportsfile

30

done and no team-mate had been able to match her pace and provide support. The 17-year-oldhad to go it alone, her team's destiny at her dazzling feet.

Navarro knows what it means to play in theUEFA European Women's Under-17Championship, having taken part already in the2016 and 2017 editions. She thus knows thefeeling of being on the losing side, and wasaware how important a second goal would be toher team, leading Germany 1-0 in theshowpiece.

"This year I've played very well, scored fourgoals and I expect to win the final," she said onthe eve of her majestic moment. Thanks to thatconfidence off and on the field, she now knowswhat it feels like to win it.

A burst of pace, excellent close control, ashimmy past the lunging Anna Aehling and

another to take Julia Pollak out of the equation. Retreating just outside the penalty area, Navarrolooped an unstoppable shot over a forlorn Wiebke Willebrandt. Spain had their hands firmly on theprize.

"I still can't quite believe what I am experiencing," Navarro told Spanish media as her goal wasalready going viral on social media. "I'm so happy with what we've achieved and that our wholecountry saw us, as well as the reactions to my second goal which completed this collective victory.

"It's going to be a very important goal for me and I'm delighted to have scored it. It was verydifficult – I stole the ball, pushed forward and the defence closed in on me a lot. Their goalkeeperwas very far out of her goal, but I was lucky to hit it well and get the goal which gave us somebreathing space to win the title. This goal is, without doubt, my most important – the one whichhas given me the most; something spectacular I can never forget it as it practically gave us thetitle."

A title which was the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and persistence which Navarroeffused when she met with UEFA's Technical Observers prior to the final.

©Saulius Čirba

31

"It's a great competition,I feel very fortunate – inmany years I can lookback on this as the mostimportant experience ofmy life," she said. "Thefirst time was in 2016,when I was 15 – I didn'tplay much, but last yearin the Czech Republic Iplayed every gameapart from the semi-final, and also scoredagainst Germany."

Born in Yecla, in the region of Murcia in eastern Spain, Navarro found a football at her feet at thetender age of three. It was kicked to her by her brother – the greatest gift he could have given. "Iwould play at home with my brother as he plays football too," Navarro recounted. "Until I was, 13 Iplayed with boys. I would train three times a week, for an hour," dreaming of becoming like heridol, Andrés Iniesta.

She then joined SPA Alicante and debuted in Spain's Segunda Divison – second tier – at the ageof 15, catching the eye of the Spanish federation and forming part of the squad which lost out toGermany in the 2016 final, suffering the same fate a year later. It was all important for herdevelopment, though.

"This year I am one of the older players here," Navarro said. "In the last years, I felt someopponents were stronger than me, but now I feel that I am stronger." Conversely, she can help herteam-mates, such as 14-year-old Salma Paralluelo who would often switch sides with Navarro inLithuania, on their path to emulating hers. "I give a lot of confidence to my team-mates and forthem it may be the first time in a final phase so I can pass on my experience," she said.

This experience is only relative, however. Her own footballing path is only in its precocious stages,and Navarro did not hide her ambitions. "I want to play in the Primera Division play the Copa de laReina and play in the UEFA Women's Champions League," she said. If that is not possible withAlicante, "then with a club who can be competitive."

With a livewire Navarro in the side, that may well be a formality.

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12 Anna Koivunen

Finland

3 Ana Tejada

Spain5 Greta Stegemann

Germany6 Nana Yang

Finland

7 Paola Hernández

Spain10 Kirsten van de

WesteringhNetherlands

10 Ivana Fuso

Germany11 Vanessa Fudalla

Germany

18 Jessica Park

England

Team of the Tournament

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

33

9 Shekiera Martinez

Germany18 Eva Navarro

Spain

Forwards

34

This year's Team of the Tournament was reduced from the usual 18 players to an actual star-studded starting XI, in view of the increase in the squads from 18 to 20 and a decision to focusmore on the absolute key individuals. This did not mean that fewer than 20 candidates wereinitially under consideration, however.

The quality of the goalkeeping meant that picking just one was a significant challenge. Spain'sCatalina Coll would have been worthy of a place, but it was felt that Anna Koivunen had beenmore decisive for Finland, and was certainly a crucial member of her team. Three defendersshone with the central duo coming from each of the finalists, while Finland's Nana Yang edged outGermany's Julia Pollak for similar reasons to her goalkeeper: her overall influence on Finland'sgame.

The midfield was packed with talent, including numerous creative players but lacking a genuineholding midfielder, although Italy's Martina Tomaselli and Finland's Annika Huhta had caught theeye in these roles. Tournament top scorer Shekiera Martinez became an obvious choice for theattack while Eva Navarro, whose goals decided the final, fully earned her place, although theNetherlands' Romée Leuchter – who would have been included in an 18-player squad – alsowarranted a mention.

A stellar line-up

Eva Navarro (Spain) & Greta Stegemann (Germany)

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Team analysis

England

36

No. Player Born Pos. POL ESP ITA GER FIN GS Club1 Kayla Rendell 29/06/2001 Goalkeeper 80 80 80 80 Southampton Saints (ENG)

2 Emma Brown 16/10/2001 Defender 80 17+ 14+ Teeside RTC (ENG)

3 Phoebe Williams 23/03/2001 Defender 80 80 52* 80 Southampton Saints (ENG)

4 Katie Bradley 25/12/2001 Midfield Manchester City WFC (ENG)

5 Lia Cataldo 11/02/2001 Midfield Arsenal WFC (ENG)

6 Abbie Roberts 07/06/2001 Defender 80 80 80 66* 80 Milton Keynes Dons FC (ENG)

7 Simran Jhamat 22/01/2001 Forward 80 26+ 63* 80 80 Liverpool LFC (ENG)

8 Ava Kuyken 15/06/2001 Midfield 80 80 80 Arsenal WFC (ENG)

9 Ebony Salmon 27/01/2001 Forward 19+ 72* 68* 54* 40+ 4 Aston Villa Ladies FC (ENG)

10 Annabel Blanchard 07/05/2001 Forward 17+ 80 64* 1 Liverpool LFC (ENG)

11 Olivia Smith 11/03/2001 Forward 61* 8+ 16+

12 Asmita Ale 03/11/2001 Defender 80 80 28+ 80 80 Aston Villa Ladies FC (ENG)

13 Frances Stenson 27/04/2001 Goalkeeper 80

14 Paris Mckenzie 17/01/2001 Midfield 80 80 80 40+ 1 Birmingham City LFC (ENG)

15 Lucy Roberts 11/05/2001 Defender 54* 80 80 80 Liverpool LFC (ENG)

16 Missy Bo Kearns 14/04/2001 Midfield 80 80 17* Liverpool LFC (ENG)

17 Paige Bailey Gayle 12/11/2001 Forward 63* 12+ 26+ 40* Arsenal WFC (ENG)

18 Jessica Park 21/10/2001 Midfield 80 80 80 63+ 80 2 Manchester City WFC (ENG)

19 Hannah Griffin 12/01/2001 Forward 80 80 80 80 80 1. FC Saarbrücken (GER)

20 Jessica Woolley 27/03/2001 Midfield 80 40* Bristol City WFC (ENG)

22 Francesca Bentley 26/06/2001 Goalkeeper Manchester City WFC (ENG)

Pos. = Position; GS = Goals scored; * = Started; + = Substitute

37

John Griffiths, England coach:

We go through a process of talent ID: you can't go from a club straight into the national team, yougo to regional development camp first.

Height not a problem, handling, shot stopping strength, distribution – piced up 2001 born fourweeks before we came here. We're seeing massive impact ith thtat Mo Marley has 60-75 playersto choose from for U20 camp for WU20 – selected 25 through U17 programme.

It has to be about educating the players. Now, over last four weeks we have seven playersbroken. We have no starting centre backs, we've lost our best XI.

Of girls born in 1998, there were three players playing in top-flight first teams, in 1999 it was four,2000 was two and now (2001) we have 12 players playing in WSL – They are playing WSL on Saturday, a development game on Sunday then Tuesday again WSL.

School exams are also causing stress – one or two players can't play because of exams – it's notabout winning, it's about experience and developing players. I'm heartbroken to see girls in tearsbecause of the stress, and we've had to see what they've had to go through. I'm a dad and thinkabout them as children. The medals I wear around my neck is seeing players develop, and themplaying in a first team is my medal.

We need to look at female coaches – we've gone from situation where our senior coach has leftand there's nobody with experience to replace him. We're going to look at how we developcoaches with players. If we're going to create a sustainable situation for players and coaches,there are going to be downs.

Look at the situation we are in: we have no centre backs, left back has to go to centre, widemidfielder to play right back - we say to the players if they want to play for England, they've got tobe flexible. We have a structure and a DNA we would like to play and develop. When the girls areyounger, they play a 4-4-2 to gain experience of how to be more compact, then when they getolder and understand the game more can be more flexible. Playing the same formation becomespredictable.

Physically the nations are changing now – technically how players deal with the ball. Goalkeepershave changed massively – when I first came in, some girls could or couldn't handle the ball, nowthey are strong, kick and handle the ball. There is a good quality of the game. I would urge UEFAto think about having more teams in this tournament – we're just about ready. Norway, France,Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, Austria – there are six or seven teams who aren't here who should be.The challenge is we have only three sides going to a World Cup. UEFA's is the hardestqualification campaign for a World Cup in world football. We have three rounds of ten days, then afinal where you have to qualify for three places. Maybe go to 12 as an interim would work. There'sno France and Norway – we want to play the best teams.

[A meeting of all youth national team coaches would be] awesome – we do a lot of study visitswith UEFA, but never get on the grass with teams, philosophy and case studies. Why would theteams not share? Anouschka and I share a lot. Pedro, Sandrine would come.

England goalkeeper coach:

38

England team analysis

September in qualifying round – first experience with women's football. They have incredibledesire to get better and improve, they want to be way ahead of where they are, but they need to fillin the gaps. When I first came in, the level they are at is a lot better than what I expected. Usingboth feet is important but I've … distribution with both feet can be improved. There is a processout there and it will be over time that it happens.

Invited 10/12 goalkeepers in and also their coaches so they could take it away and spread theword.

When I do warm-ups, I always see what others are doing – interesting to see other sides.

Formation in attack:

Formation in defence:

• Fast in transitions with combination of deeppasses and tempo dribbling.• Build-up mainly constructed through themiddle of the field.• Dangerous on counter-attacks.• Confident and authoritative goalkeeperKayla Rendell, excellent shot-stopping andgood with feet; able to read the game andunderstand tempo; important in building upfrom the back.• Sitting midfielder Paris Mckenzie (14)important in build-up with good range ofpassing.• Quick forward Ebony Salmon (9) with goodball control and excellent finishing.• Versatile attacking midfielder Jessica Park(18), able to play in different positions(winger, attacker, attacking midfielder); free-kick specialist.

John Griffiths, England coach: "Physicallythe nations are changing now – technicallyhow players deal with the ball. Goalkeepershave changed massively – when I first camein, some girls could or couldn't handle theball, now they are strong, kick and handle theball. There is a good quality in the game."

39

Finland

40

No. Player Born Pos. GER LTU NED ESP ENG GS Club1 Emma Immonen 01/05/2001 Goalkeeper 80 PK-35 Vantaa (FIN)

2 Joanna Tynnilä 01/09/2001 Defender 80 80 80 80 80 TiPS (FIN)

3 Jenna Topra 17/06/2001 Forward 80* 67* 40* TiPS (FIN)

4 Kaisa Juvonen 07/01/2001 Defender 79* 80 80 80 1 Ilves FS Tampere (FIN)

5 Ella Pesonen 22/07/2001 Defender 80 HJK Helsinki (FIN)

6 Nana Yang 01/10/2001 Defender 80 27+ 80 80 80 FC Honka Espoo (FIN)

8 Oona Siren 23/02/2001 Midfield 80 53* 80 80 80 TiPS (FIN)

9 Emma Varmanen 19/03/2001 Midfield 27+ 3+ 40* HJK Helsinki (FIN)

10 Tuuli Enkkilä 18/06/2001 Midfield 80 80 80 80 Ilves FS Tampere (FIN)

11 Jenni Kantanen 12/08/2001 Forward 1+ 80 13+ 40+ 80 1 Ilves FS Tampere (FIN)

12 Anna Koivunen 06/11/2001 Goalkeeper 80 80 80 80 FC TPS Turku (FIN)

13 Emmi Siren 23/02/2001 Defender 80 53* 80 64* 80 TiPS (FIN)

14 Aino Vuorinen 08/12/2001 Forward 80 80 80 65* 2 FC Honka Espoo (FIN)

15 Annika Huhta 29/01/2002 Midfield 66* 80 77* 80 40+ 4 HJK Helsinki (FIN)

16 Alma Forstén 07/06/2001 Midfield Jyväskylän PK (FIN)

17 Vilma Koivisto 21/11/2002 Midfield 14+ 80 49* 24+ 76* 1 Piteå IF (SWE)

18 Katariina Kosola 24/02/2001 Midfield 80 68* 31+ 56* 4+

19 Heta Olmala 29/12/2001 Midfield 12+ Oulu Nice Soccer (FIN)

20 Dana Leskinen 22/09/2001 Forward 80 16+ 15+ TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (GER)

21 Eerika Appelqvist 04/06/2001 Midfield 1+ 80 FC Honka Espoo (FIN)

Pos. = Position; GS = Goals scored; * = Started; + = Substitute

41

Marko Saloranta, Finland coach:

Some players are able to play in two or three positions and most important is to have the mostsuitable player for that game – we see our opponents, what we need and then select our players.Of course we need to have the players. Normally we have a back four. We have one player at herclub who is playing in midfield, but for us she is playing as full-back. We are looking for a suitablemix as a team. Of course we want to win the games, but we want to find those players who areperhaps physically smaller but they have good capacity to improve, so it's best to let them play.Both goalkeepers we have can make it to the A team – never had two goalkeepers of this level.Outfield players? We have six or seven who have that chance – it will be important how they aretraining in next years, staying free from injuries and that their motivation is high enough. I wouldsay that in five years, we could have five to seven players for the A team.

We've played against all the top-ranked nations – in the elite round we had Sweden, France,Scotland – France were leading two times and they are top in Europe, but my players were cryingbecause we only drew 2-2 with them and I like that attitude.

We want continuation in terms of staff: it's better for the players and gives us continuity too. I wasUnder-16 and under-17 coach 2005 to 2008 and was a club coach in our highest league team,then in 2009 I was assistant coach of senior team and I am now in this position since 2011,without coaching a league team at the same time.

The rhythm is the same as in elite round, where we also have very good teams of our age. Hereall the teams are very high quality and very good teams who are not even here. For the playersand for us it is a little bit bigger, but we are doing everything the same as in an elite round. Wewant more days together for the players to develop – if you are not at a final tournament, it's oneand a half years with nothing then they go to under-19s, so there aren't that many days togetherthen.

We use 'Polar' in every training session, every game, every camp – physios take care of Polardata as they are also fitness coaches. After every camp when we are coming to the tournament,we're not guessing what they need to do. Important information for club coaches what they needin those games and train during the week if they want to achieve – it's not guessing, it's knowing. After our last game is played, I will send all the data to the club coaches – after the trainingsession, I will go through everything. Game day morning, before game, after game, next morning– every girl weighs herself and female physio is following them. Good that we've been doing it allthe time as it is so individual and find different ways for different players – sometimes dinner is notenough, they need a snack too, or how they need to drink other than water. It's been extremelygood as we have the background. Those physios are with the team since we started.

Finland goalkeeping coach:

I coach in Turku with a women's team – first tournament with U17s. Good for me, I will be at boys'U19s this summer – started one and a half year ago. How we are defending the area and crosses.Tactical knowledge is not so good at this level – defending the area and defending on crosses. It'sabout the coaches and how to educate putting more effort on technical and now we are puttingmore effort on tactical. If I am comparing our goalkeepers, I am sure they are better at this level ingirls than in boys – I also work with U16s boys.

42

Finland team analysis

Coach working closely with the assistant coach. At this age group, they have started at eight yearsold – they should start earlier, be involved in training with the whole team, but earlier would bebetter. We can do more technical things when 8, 9, 10 then at 10 tactical, now they are more10,11,12 and only when they are 12 you start working on the tactical things.

Formation in attack:

Formation in defence:

• Brave and self-confident, playing adisciplined build-up with excellentcombination play.• Physically strong and athletic players.• Confident in holding possession with apatient passing game, spreading play acrossthe lines rather than between the lines,waiting to create spaces.• Effective use of a midfield diamond, withcaptain Tuuli Enkkilä (10) a key player.• Influential goalkeeper Anna Koivunen (12),with excellent shot-stopping ability andintelligent involvement in build-up play.• Good movement and composure on the ballin midfield, with Annika Huhta (15) a keyplayer.

Marko Saloranta, Finland coach: "We'veplayed against all the top-ranked nations – inthe elite round we had Sweden, France andScotland. France were leading against us twotimes and they are a top team in Europe, butmy players were crying because we onlydrew 2-2 with them and I like that attitude."

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Germany

44

No. Player Born Pos. FIN NED LTU ENG ESP GS Club

1 WiebkeWillebrandt 16/01/2001 Goalkeeper 80 80 80 TuS Lipperode (GER)

2 Laura Donhauser 04/09/2001 Defender 80 80 80 80 1 FC Amberg (GER)

3 Julia Pollak 09/05/2002 Defender 80 80 57* 80 FC Bayern München (GER)

4 Emilie Bernhardt 05/05/2002 Defender 70* 60* 80 80 71* DJK Ingolstadt (GER)

5 Greta Stegemann 12/02/2001 Defender 80 80 80 80 SC Freiburg (GER)

6 Anna Aehling 23/03/2001 Defender 80 80 80 80 80 FSV Gütersloh 2009 (GER)

7 Gia Corley 20/05/2002 Midfield 80* 60* 55* 65* 80 1 JFG Wendelstein (GER)

8 Leonie Köster 06/04/2001 Midfield 80 80 49* 80 80 2 FC Bayern München (GER)

9 ShekieraMartinez 04/07/2001 Forward 80 80 80 80 80 9 1. FFC Frankfurt (GER)

10 Ivana Fuso 12/03/2001 Forward 80 80 80 80 80 2 SC Freiburg (GER)

11 Vanessa Fudalla 21/10/2001 Forward 76* 75* 25+ 73* 56* 2 FC Bayern München (GER)

12 Maria LuisaGrohs 13/06/2001 Goalkeeper 80 80

13 Charlotte Blümel 08/12/2001 Defender 1+ 80 FSV Gütersloh 2009 (GER)

14 Madeleine Steck 31/01/2002 Defender 23+ VfL Sindelfingen (GER)

15 Lina Jubel 26/01/2001 Midfield 80 1. FC Neubrandenburg 04(GER)

16 Michelle Weiß 27/05/2001 Defender 40* TSV Neu-Ulm / SV Alberweiler(GER)

18 Miray Cin 05/07/2001 Midfield 31+ SGS Essen (GER)

19 Pauline Berning 09/01/2001 Midfield 10+ 20+ 80 15+ 9+ FSV Gütersloh 2009 (GER)

20 Nora Clausen 08/02/2001 Forward 4+ 20+ 7+ SV Werder Bremen (GER)

22 Sophie Weidauer 10/02/2002 Midfield 5+ 40+ 24+ 2 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam(GER)

Pos. = Position; GS = Goals scored; * = Started; + = Substitute

45

Germany team analysis

Anouschka Bernhard, Germany coach:

I started in 2011, just before WWC 2011 and I have to say it's getting harder every year because Irecognise I am getting older, but the girls are still 16 – the gap is getting bigger and bigger. But Ireally like this age group, they are growing in between children and adults and often have theirown opinion, but far away from being a star. I like to guide them through a different period in theirlife. It's a transition time in their lives; they are at a crossroads, deciding which direction they cango – be it football for fun, or as a career – this is an interesting period.

All other teams are getting better, which means we are putting more effort into our work.

Seven important players are missing, six of whom definitely would have been in, and one maybe.We've had lots of knee injuries: ACLs. Meanwhile, Sjoeke Nüsken and Lena Oberdorf [key playersfrom team last year, still U17] are now with the under-19s.

We've changed our statutes so that girls under 18 can play with boys – Sjoeke is playing in a highlevel boys' team and feels very well there.

We try to have ten really good players on the pitch and then we find a position for them –sometimes they play a position for us they've not played before, in club, regional select XIs, but forus they can play wherever. From my beginning, we play differently – it depends on the players Ihave and sometimes on the teams we face. We have become more open in the last few years.When you play with one forward and that age group we have two good forwards, then one cannotplay.

We have five at back as we have only got one really good central defender, so I thought what dowe do? I added two others and the girls are comfortable with this system. We've never it donebefore and only started in November, but for these girls here, it's the perfect solution.

The physical side is getting better and better, there are no weak teams and the key to this is goodcoaches – like Marleen [Wissink]: from last year to this year, she has learned a lot. Last year theyplayed 4-3-3 vs. Spain and Spain came through them from all sides. Now we played them andthey played 4-2-3-1. I think all coaches look at who they are playing against and try to develop aplan and the girls are capable of making changes and this is a huge development, especially fromlast year to this year. This is why I don't want to go away from this age group – because they canstill learn a lot.

Some develop slowly. We select girls in the first half of the season then after January we don'twant to make too many changes to our squad for qualifying and elite round. If we see anoutstanding player, though, there is no doubt we will bring her in, but we see that some developwell then but it is too late – had she developed before, she would have been in, no doubt.

Formation in attack: • Flexible adaptation of formation and system

46

Formation in defence:

according to opponents' behaviour duringgames.• Effective use of wing-backs, able to exert alot of pressure attacking and retreat to formfive-player defensive line.• Fast transitions with Greta Stegemann (5)calm and confident leading the ball out fromdefence, combining defensive strength andprecise passing.• Very athletic and agile forward ShekieraMartinez (9), dangerous with and without theball; set new final tournament goalscoringrecord.• Ivana Fuso (10) similarly athletic attackingplayer who is able to play in differentpositions, take responsibility and provideassists.• Hard-working wing-back Julia Pollak (3),particularly active in attacking build-up.• Positive mentality, always wanting to scoregoals.

Anouschka Bernhard, Germany coach:"All other teams are getting better, whichmeans we are putting more effort into ourown work. The physical side is getting betterand better, there are no weak teams and thekey to this is good coaches. I think allcoaches look at who they are playing againstand try to develop a plan and the girls arecapable of making changes and this is ahuge development, especially from last yearto this year."

47

Italy

48

No. Player Born Pos. ESP POL ENG GS Club1 Beatrice Beretta 01/07/2003 Goalkeeper Juventus Football Club (ITA)

2 Angela Orlando 04/05/2001 Defender 16+ 80 ASD Riviera di Romagna (ITA)

3 Paola Boglioni 28/06/2001 Defender 80 80 Brescia Femminile (ITA)

4 Chiara Pucci 13/01/2002 Defender 29+ 54* FC Bayern München (GER)

5 Chiara Mele 23/01/2002 Defender 80 Fortitudo Mozzecane CF (ITA)

6 Benedetta De Biase 03/08/2001 Midfield 64* 69* 50* Napoli CF (ITA)

7 Elisa Donda 03/03/2001 Defender 80 80 80 UPC Tavagnacco (ITA)

8 Marta Morreale 29/08/2001 Midfield Fiorentina Women's FC (ITA)

9 Sara Tamborini 03/05/2001 Forward 80 80 80 CSR D Azalee (ITA)

10 Melissa Bellucci 08/02/2001 Midfield 80 80 63* Jesina CF (ITA)

11 Asia Bragonzi 05/03/2001 Forward 51* 80 80 Inter Milano (ITA)

12 Camilla Forcinella 22/06/2001 Goalkeeper 80 80 80 ASD Verona (ITA)

13 Maria Grazia Ladu 24/01/2001 Forward 1+ 17+ ASD Torres Femminile Sassari (ITA)

14 Heden Corrado 05/03/2002 Defender 80 64* ASD Riviera di Romagna (ITA)

15 Chiara Ripamonti 31/03/2001 Defender 80 80 80 Inter Milano (ITA)

16 Emma Severini 18/07/2003 Midfield Fiorentina Women's FC (ITA)

17 Teresa Fracas 04/03/2001 Forward 79* 26+ 65*

18 Veronica Battelani 23/07/2002 Midfield 16+ 11+ 30+ Inter Milano (ITA)

19 Martina Tomaselli 01/08/2001 Midfield 80 80 80 Brescia Femminile (ITA)

20 Serena Landa 29/03/2001 Forward 15+ ASD Real Meda (ITA)

Pos. = Position; GS = Goals scored; * = Started; + = Substitute

49

Italy team analysis

Massimo Migliorini, Italy coach:

It's very important for these girls to play against this calibre of opponents.

I stopped playing and was at college in the USA, where I started coaching [girls] and then movedback to Italy with Internazionale and then the under-16 national team for two years.

There are more girls playing now, and Italy have more coaches and more professional structures.This came from when we forced male professional clubs to have a girls' under-12s and thenunder-14s. Since the clubs were already setting these up, many have gone even further andcreated higher age groups.

The problem facing girls' football in Italy before was the mentality of people. If a daughter would goto her father and say 'dad, can I play football', he would have said 'no, we'll take you to playsomething else, like volleyball'. Those who did play would train in a park, playing for some localboys; team, but now we have top clubs and if that daughter were to ask to play for Juventus,Fiorentina or Inter, the father would now be delighted and take them there straight away.

Serie A and Serie B are going to be organising the leagues from next year [rather than both beingrun by the Italian Amateur Football Association] and so Serie B will be renewed. Girls see thatthey can now aim to play for the likes of Juve, Fiorentina, Brescia etc. professionally.

Maybe our championships are currently too low a level – we can see here we're not used to thisrhythm, and you can see that. All regional clubs play a season together, so you get the likes ofInter winning 18-0 each game they play in Lombardy. Then the winner of each region plays in anend-of-season tournament, but that means they only get a quarter-final, semi-final and final whichmay be competitive games.

National goalkeeper coaches are important. We arrange it so they have 40 minutes working with agoalkeeper coach and then the rest of the session they train with the team. During the first part,they work on technical things and then when we talk about possession of the ball, starting from theback and our defensive line, we do this with the goalkeeper. We decide with goalkeeper coachhow to arrange defending set pieces. Each team now has a goalkeeper coach. Now they areworking more with goalkeeper coaches and improving.

Formation in attack: • Ability to build-up from the back.

50

Formation in defence:

• Good occupation of the pitch in attack withmidfielders and defenders supporting theforwards, allowing them to hold the ball up orregain possession quickly after losing theball.• Ability to break quickly with many playerscapable of playing long passes, switchingplay and pushing the opponents' rearguardback with dangerous runs from their threeforwards, trying to get in around the back. • Excellent defensive organisation and strongcentral defenders with Heden Corrado (14)and Chiara Ripamonti (15).• Brave, disciplined players with goalkeeperCamilla Forcinella (12) authoritative at theback; good communication with team-mates;calm and confident on the ball with goodpassing range.• Intelligent ball-winning central midfielderMartina Tomaselli (19) with excellenttechnique and range of passing; strongtackler.

Massimo Migliorini, Italy coach: "It's veryimportant for these girls to play against thislevel of opponents. Maybe our nationalchampionships are currently at too low alevel – we can see here we're just not used tothis rhythm, but more and more girls areturning to the game – they can now aim toplay for the likes of Juve, Fiorentina etc.professionally so the mentality is changing."

51

Lithuania

52

No. Player Born Pos. NED FIN GER GS Club3 Gintarė Blažytė 08/01/2001 Defender 80 80 80 Žalgiris (LTU)

4 Alina Špakovskaja 11/09/2003 Defender 22*+ Vilniaus Vytis (LTU)

7 Silvija Šafronovič 29/08/2001 Midfield 80 80* 28 Žalgiris (LTU)

8 Eva Jakaitė 05/03/2002 Defender 80 80 80 Kauno Žalgiris (LTU)

9 Erika Šupelytė 28/07/2003 Forward 40* Žalgiris (LTU)

10 Gabija Toropovaitė 28/01/2002 Midfield 2+ 40+ 80 Šiaulių SG-FA (LTU)

11 Milita Ragauskaitė 27/08/2002 Defender 80 80 FK Jonava (LTU)

12 Monika Bačkieriūtė 23/05/2002 Goalkeeper FK Sūduva (LTU)

13 Greta Markauskaitė 04/04/2002 Defender 15+ 20+

14 Ugnė Lazdauskaitė 09/10/2002 Midfield 80 80 80 Žalgiris (LTU)

15 Dorotėja Aidukaitė 15/05/2002 Defender 80 60* 58* Žalgiris (LTU)

16 Marija Galkina 12/09/2002 Midfield 80 80 80

17 Laura Ubartaitė 07/08/2002 Defender 65* 1+ FK Banga (LTU)

18 Judita Sabatauskaitė 23/05/2002 Midfield 78* 80 80 FK Jonava (LTU)

19 Saulè Jonynaitè 05/05/2002 Midfield Žalgiris (LTU)

20 Gabrielė Ragauskaitė 11/08/2001 Midfield

21 Karilė Liužinaitė 10/09/2002 Forward 40+ 40*

22 Meda Šeškutė 01/08/2003 Goalkeeper 80 80 80

23 Loreta Rogačiova 19/03/2001 Midfield 80 80 80

24 Dovilė Dockaitė 12/12/2003 Midfield 1+ FK Šešupė (LTU)

Pos. = Position; GS = Goals scored; * = Started; + = Substitute

53

Lithuania team analysis

Ieva Kibirkštis, Lithuania coach:

I was already coaching when I was 16, I took it very seriously. When I was playing, I got lots ofinjuries so I would spend my time coaching kids. At 23, there was no chance to make it, so Idecided to pursue a career as a coach. I've been living the last 3 years in Sweden, as a U17coach in Damallsvenskan. I only moved here [to Lithuania] in January. I worked back and forth fora year – 3 weeks Sweden, 1 week Lithuania. I was doing a Masters in sports psychology inFinland and went on an exchange in Leipzig so was writing my thesis and tried to find work there,emailing all the Damallsvenskan clubs and two were interested.

I wish I had more time, but the distance thing was difficult, working with the coaches. We have anational academy with 15 of the players and I was trying more to coach the coaches on thephilosophy I would like to bring in. The last five months have been more hands-on and it's beenreally cool.

It can't be about results – our goal was to be competitive, that we wouldn't be scared. It didn't quitehappen in the first game, but I helped them not have a freak-out for the full 80 minutes. It's beenreally interesting. Before, we couldn't beat the likes of Estonia and Latvia, but maybe now we cancompete with Austria, Switzerland and Ireland now, but we're not at the top yet.

I was actually hired as technical director for this project… I coached Under-17 elite level inQuebec in Canada. I've finished my B licence and am halfway through my A licence in Sweden.Loving every minute of it in Sweden.

Formation in attack: • Building up from the back, willingness to try

54

Formation in defence:

different varieties in build-up.• Build-up through full-back advancing or longball from goalkeeper to forward or winger.• Disciplined defence of set-pieces with focuson women marking, not conceding despitegiving away ten corners vs. Netherlands,seven vs. Finland.• Youngest goalkeeper in the tournament,with great reflexes and maturity, able to readthe game.• Immediate pressure after losing possessionwith hard-working, determined mentality.• Youngest team in the tournament showingexcellent team spirit.• Youngest coach of the tournament withpositive attitude, giving self-confidence andsupport to her players.

Ieva Kibirkštis, Lithuania coach: "It can'tbe about results – our goal was to becompetitive, that we wouldn't be scared. It'sbeen really interesting. Before, we couldn'tbeat the likes of Estonia and Latvia, butmaybe we can compete with Austria,Switzerland and Ireland now, but we're not atthe top yet."

55

Netherlands

56

No. Player Born Pos. LTU GER FIN GS Club

1 Claire Dinkla 22/06/2002 Goalkeeper 80 43 CTO Amsterdam Talent Team(NED)

2 Lieske Carleer 16/04/2001 Defender 80 80 80 CTO Eindhoven Talent Team(NED)

3 Gwyneth Hendriks 04/03/2001 Defender 80 80 80 1 CTO Amsterdam Talent Team(NED)

4 Samantha van Diemen 28/01/2002 Defender 23+ 8+ CTO Amsterdam Talent Team(NED)

5 Lotte Jansen 02/06/2001 Defender 80 80 72* CTO Eindhoven Talent Team(NED)

6 Jonna van de Velde 04/11/2001 Midfield 80 80 80 1 CTO Amsterdam Talent Team(NED)

7 Chasity Grant 19/04/2001 Forward 57* 74* 80 1 ADO Den Haag Women (NED)

8 Dana Foederer 27/07/2002 Midfield 80 80 80 1 CTO Eindhoven Talent Team(NED)

9 Romée Leuchter 12/01/2001 Forward 80 80 80 3 CTO Eindhoven Talent Team(NED)

10 Kirsten van deWesteringh 06/06/2001 Midfield 80 80 80 3 CTO Amsterdam Talent Team

(NED)

11 Nikita Tromp 08/05/2002 Forward 76* 44* 40* 1 CTO Amsterdam Talent Team(NED)

12 Julia Kagie 08/01/2001 Defender ADO Den Haag Women (NED)

13 Roos van der Veen 30/10/2001 Midfield CTO Eindhoven Talent Team(NED)

14 Moisa van Koot 09/06/2001 Defender 57* 80 80 FC Zwolle (NED)

15 Danique van Ginkel 25/04/2001 Midfield Saestum (NED)

16 Lois Nienhuis 04/02/2001 Goalkeeper 36+ 80 Longa'30 (NED)

17 Isa van Eester 07/03/2001 Forward 4+ 6+ CTO Eindhoven Talent Team(NED)

18 Ella Peddemors 06/08/2002 Forward 23+ Sparta Enschede (NED)

19 Lakeesha Eijken 07/07/2001 Forward 40+ CTO Amsterdam Talent Team(NED)

20 Pascalle Pomper 13/05/2001 Forward SV Meppen (GER)

Pos. = Position; GS = Goals scored; * = Started; + = Substitute

57

Netherlands team analysis

Marleen Wissink, Netherlands coach:

We had an U15 GK three years ago and she was not the best GK at that age – she was third orfourth GK, there were things she could not do. Then she made a choice to leave her club and goto the academy. She's on the academy and started to train every day. Now her progress wasupward.

It's been so far, so good. This season our left midfielder had an injury (ACL) so we had to switch –we don't have a left-sided player. She was always the best player we had on this position now weare looking how we do this. We try to find a solution – first qualities of the players, who can dobest in this position. We have a midfielder who is now our left winger. This was a struggle, but sheaccepted it and is doing her best for the team, so we are looking where players can perform.

[About a meeting with youth coaches] It's good to exchange the problems they have – but whenyou discuss tactics, it becomes a secret.

Netherlands goalkeeping coach:

Two and a half years ago I started with U15 then two seasons ago I started with U17. GK pro ismy next step. When I was 16 I got the basic one, then I did UEFA C and B at school, then when Ifinished playing myself.

All the time I put a mirror in front of them and get them to think how do they make the save – thereare different ways to catch the ball and I say let them catch it the way they find easiest. When youput them in training session and do things with their feet, they can do both. The quality is notenough at young age for a specific GK trainer for clubs.

Most important thing for a goalie is not to be afraid and to go for the ball. Don't go and step insomeone else's shoes – be yourself and then you will go further and further.

You can talk with each other about [defending set pieces]. Everything is open. We talk with theGKs about it – what do you like, and who do you want in what position. Of course I am the onewho puts it on paper and decides what to do. We never do zonal marking. [Wissink: we do thesame with U15 then do a list of who does the heading, who is afraid – we ask the players] Whenyou ask them, they will think about it. They need to have a feeling for the situation. If I just say youthere, you there, you there, it's nothing from me.

Formation in attack: • Strong defensively with defenders able to

58

Formation in defence:

read the game well, make interceptions andremain organised.• Players very well prepared physically and ingood condition; good endurance.• Fast transitional play with deep passing outof defence and dribbling and quick passes inopponents' half.• Individual pressing to regain possessionand launch quick counterattacks.• Chasity Grant (7) effective winger with gooddribbling skills and agility. • Kirsten van de Westeringh (10) able to playcomfortably with both feet; technically giftedplayer always a danger on wing andattacking midfield positions.• Romée Leuchter (9) showed good pace andwillingness to run and work for the team;technically strong player.  

Marleen Wissink, Netherlands coach: "Thisseason our left midfielder had an injury so wehad to switch – we don't have a left-sidedplayer. She was always the best player wehad on this position so we had to find asolution. Looking at the qualities of ourplayers, we moved a midfielder onto the leftwing. This was a struggle, but she accepted itand is doing her best for the team."

59

Poland

60

No. Player Born Pos. ENG ITA ESP GS Club1 Marta Kaźmierczak 28/11/2002 Goalkeeper

2 Anna Konkol 08/01/2002 Midfield 40+ 80

3 Agnieszka Glinka 08/07/2002 Forward 80 UKS SMS Lódz (POL)

4 Paulina Oleksiak 04/07/2002 Midfield 66* 27+ 19+ UKS SMS Lódz (POL)

5 Oliwia Silny 16/07/2002 Defender 80 80 80

6 Zuzanna Radochońska 11/11/2002 Defender 10+ 40* KS Sztorm AWFiS Gdańsk (POL)

7 Paulina Tomasiak 02/01/2002 Forward 80 80 80 1 UKS Staszówka Jelna (POL)

8 Wiktoria Zieniewicz 09/05/2002 Defender 80 80 80 UKS SMS Lódz (POL)

9 Kinga Kozak 15/10/2002 Forward 80 80 40* KKPK Medyk Konin (POL)

10 Paulina Filipczak 05/07/2001 Midfield 80 53* 1 UKS SMS Lódz (POL)

11 Adriana Achcińska 22/04/2002 Midfield 80 80 61*

12 Sara Kierul 23/06/2002 Goalkeeper 80 80 80 Blau-Weiss Hohen Neuendorf (GER)

13 Wiktoria Kiszkis 14/06/2003 Midfield 11+ 80 80* Arsenal WFC (ENG)

14 Michelle Biskup 24/01/2002 Midfield 14+ 80 80 1. FC Köln (GER)

15 Oliwia Cichy 18/09/2001 Midfield 1+ KKS Czarni Sosnowiec (POL)

16 Alicja Sokołowska 26/10/2002 Defender 13+ UKS SMS Lódz (POL)

17 Zofia Buszewska 05/04/2002 Defender 70* KKPK Medyk Konin (POL)

18 Klaudia Homa 18/01/2002 Forward 80 67* 80 KS AZS Wrocław (POL)

19 Natalia Padilla Bidas 06/11/2002 Midfield 40+ Club Atlético Málaga (ESP)

20 Alexis Legowski 20/09/2001 Forward 69*

Pos. = Position; GS = Goals scored; * = Started; + = Substitute

61

Nina Patalon, Poland coach:

I have been four years here – started in 2014 – one year after our title success.

I think it's important [having a coach who helps mentally] – sometimes we have a team who don'tneed help, but sometimes she has to teach them how to work with their breathing, if you arenervous you need to breathe differently to calm down if you know how to do it. So to know how toprepare for games in terms of nervousness – not so much psychologically, but she can help thegirls to perform better and mentally recover after a game. It's very important because these areyoung girls and we cannot know what will happen. I know her and if she tells me a player is reallynervous and she needs calming down, I know that. Sometimes she tells me not to push somegirls. She has been with us for three years, when she came back from the USA and she previouslyworked in boxing. I have a different opinion now about psychology as it's not therapy, it is smallthings like interaction and relations.

The most important thing is having people around me – more opinions I can analyse and take onboard. I have 12 staff, but usually I have seven or eight. I have two video analysts and physiosand a media assistant here – normally I have just one of each.

[Goalkeeping:] A lot of time we discuss set pieces together, but he makes the decision. We seewhat is better and we need to discuss, but he's responsible.

We have 4-3-3 in youth team. I can change the system, like alter to 4-1-4-1 – where it's easier forthe number six to stay between the lines, but I think we need to change defending against Spainas against Italy we had problems with 9 and 10 as our number 6 had two players and just onepass would open up our midfield. I think I need to bring my number 8 a bit closer to my number 6.If I start attacking, I go back to the 4-3-3… I can do this.

Now I analyse without emotion, I think we lost the goal against England disappointingly as therewas no danger attacking, it was no fantastic action for them. We got the 2-2 in the last action sowe've got to think positively.

Second half with Italy was unfortunate too, we had one fantastic opportunity with number 9 one onone and she told me 'Nina, I think I don't know what to do, I just have to shoot, but not like I did'. Itold her, if you will be in the same situation next time, look where you have to shoot and shootquickly.

In Poland we don't have a national academy, we have everything within clubs. My captain is in aclub academy, but it's the big men's academy and she trains with the boys. Number 7 trains withboys and also plays with a women's team. The best players train with boys.

We have two or three women's club where they have 50, maybe even 100 players, and teams inwomen's top, second and youth division. The big problem we have is that the girls have too muchcompetition, especially in women's clubs – they can play games in the senior team, in the youthteam or in the school team. I have girls from Polish champions last season. They play for youth,senior and for us. In one year, when we came back from elite round in Bosnia, the playerssometimes played twice or three times in the week. Nobody can stop this as it is a system. I'vebeen fighting for maybe two or three years for this, but the clubs have the possibility to changewhen they play, but they don't. I have about four meetings with the coaches in the year and they

62

Poland team analysis

told me the same – but in Poland, we have a stupid system. If you win, you get money fromgovernment – especially in youth. This gives you the point to get results – if you get results, youget money, if no results, no money. I cannot get girls sometimes because their teams say theyneed them to get results.

Five players are not here due to injury. Four from 2001 and another girl is 2002. It started notbefore this final tournament, it started before qualification – ACL for all five. Two before firstqualifying round, two before Elite round. At under-15 we had game against Czech Republic andthey got ACLs. There is too much playing and not enough training. I'm really disappointed andangry because we have a lot of time spent just recovering and not training. Sometimes I feel it's asummer camp.

Goalkeeper coach, Poland:

Game on the ground, physically better and taller – we have more goalkeepers too so we havemore to choose from, and mentally they are better. Sara is physically better than Anna andmentally stronger, and she is younger than Anna was in the WU17s. Ten years is a good time tostart.

Formation in attack: • Tactically prepared for set-pieces, attacking

63

Formation in defence:

and defending with many variations.• Brave players and good in duels, usingstrength and determination.• Good team recovery when losingpossession; defending in numbers andreturning into position quickly.• Most dangerous over the wings and withcounterattacks, with positive transitions.• Paulina Tomasiak (7) with excellenttechnique and good dribbling ability;confident at taking on opponents and readsthe game well.• Adriana Achcińska (11) able to changetempo from sitting position, with goodpassing ability and pace.• Hard-working team; good in playing foreach other.

Nina Patalon, Poland coach: "In forming myteam, I'm looking first at the players with thebest skills in youth category, after this I watchhow they understand team play. We have aplaying system of 1-4-3-3 for youth teams inPoland, but I change in defending to 1-4-1-4-1 – I can do this. My philosophy is to use onesystem – I change the setting but notsystem."

64

Spain

65

No. Player Born Pos. ITA ENG POL FIN GER GS Club1 Paula Suarez Is 06/08/2001 Goalkeeper 9+ Real Sporting de Gijón (ESP)

2 Iria Castro 02/01/2002 Defender 55* CD Nuestra Señora de Belén(ESP)

3 Ana Tejada 02/06/2002 Midfield 76* 80 80 80 80 CDEF Logrono (ESP)

4 Teresa Merida 17/07/2002 Defender 4+ Jerez Industrial CF (ESP)

5 Jana Fernandez 18/02/2002 Defender 80 80 67* 80 FC Barcelona (ESP)

6 Irene López 29/06/2001 Midfield 80 80 80* 75* Madrid CFF (ESP)

7 PaolaHernández 25/07/2002 Midfield 80 11+ 80 80 80 1 UDG Tenerife (ESP)

8 Aida Esteve 12/03/2001 Midfield 80 1 FC Barcelona (ESP)

9 Maria Okoye 30/07/2001 Forward 69* Madrid CFF (ESP)

11 Bruna Vilamala 04/06/2002 Forward 80 62* 80 11+ 1+ FC Barcelona (ESP)

12 Leire Peña 20/06/2001 Midfield 80 80 80 80 80 Madrid CFF (ESP)

13 Catalina Coll 23/04/2001 Goalkeeper 80 80 71* 80 80 UD Collerense (ESP)

14 Isabel Palá 25/11/2002 Forward 1+ 5+ Madrid CFF (ESP)

15 Naroa Uriarte 05/02/2001 Defender 25+ 80 80 80 Athletic Club (ESP)

16 Paula Arana 08/11/2001 Forward 79* 80 69* 79* 2

17 María Méndez 10/04/2001 Defender 80 80 80 80 80 Oviedo Moderno CF (ESP)

18 Eva Navarro 27/01/2001 Forward 80 80 63* 80 80 6 Sporting Plaza de Argel (ESP)

19 SalmaParalluelo 13/11/2003 Forward 61* 18+ 17+ 80 80 CD Zaragoza (ESP)

20 Paula Tomás 11/09/2001 Defender 13+ Levante UD (ESP)

21 Aixa Salvador 12/10/2001 Forward 19+ 1+ 80 80 Villarreal CF (ESP)

Pos. = Position; GS = Goals scored; * = Started; + = Substitute

66

Spain team analysis

María Antonia Is, Spain coach:

This tournament is so important for the girls. We have many girls who are here for the first yearand not so many who were here last year, because we think it's important to bring in new girls toget experience in this tournament so they are more ready next year. This year may be a bit harderfor us because we only have a few older girls in it, and then we lost Claudia Pina before thetournament due to injury, but I think it's very important for us to prepare the girls who could beinvolved next year. We have two or three girls injured right now who would have helped us – threeor four, no more. I think that Claudia's injury is down to the fact that she played too many games –they just don't have enough time to recover. They are too young and play too many games fortheir age. There are two girls who play in the top league, but they are not regularly playing in thefirst team.

A meeting between coaches at this level would be good for us to look at all the problems that wehave. When I was at the coaching meeting in the Netherlands [after WEURO], I learned a lot.Communication can only help you improve. It was important for me to see the opinion of all thehead coaches of the top nations. [Being assistant coach at WEURO] was an experience whichwas invaluable for me, to learn more things and methods that I can apply at this level.

[How we defend set-pieces] is my decision. We do listen to what the goalkeeper coach says, butin the end it's my decision. It's an evolution of the game now. A few years ago, it would have beenunimaginable to think of a goalkeeper doing what they do now – they are now like an outfieldplayer and have improved a lot with their feet.

Formation in attack: • Quick and effective transitions from defence

67

Formation in defence:

to attack.• Effective ball possession in a traditional 1-4-3-3 system, maintained throughout thetournament.• Patient build-up with accurate passinggame and well-timed final, deep passes.• Immediate pressing after losing possessionto win the ball back.• Ana Tejada Jimenez (3) commanding, tall,athletic defender, hard to beat and confidenton the ball.• Eva Maria Navarro (18) very confident onthe ball, quick and skilful, important outlet inSpain's attacking play also with crosses.• Strong wing play with Navarro and SalmaCeleste Paralluelo Ayingono (19) fast andgood in one-on-one situations; able to switchsides.

María Antonia Is, Spain coach: "Thistournament is so important for the girls. Wehave many girls who are here for the firstyear and not so many who were here lastyear, because we think it's important to bringin new girls to get experience in thistournament so they are more ready nextyear."

68

Germany 0-2

SpainE. Navarro 46, 73

ResultsFinal

Final - Monday 21 May 2018

Stadium of Marijampole football club - Marijampole 21/05/2018 - 18:00CET (19:00 local time)

Germany: Wiebke Willebrandt; Julia Pollak, Emilie Bernhardt (Pauline Berning 71), Greta Stegemann,Anna Aehling; Laura Donhauser, Gia Corley, Leonie Köster; Shekiera Martinez, Ivana Fuso (C), VanessaFudalla (Sophie Weidauer 56).

Spain: Catalina Coll; Jana Fernandez, María Méndez; Ana Tejada, Irene López (Isabel Palá 75), PaolaHernández, Leire Peña; Paula Arana (Bruna Vilamala 79), Eva Navarro, Salma Paralluelo, Aixa Salvador.

Attendance: 1983Yellow cards: Germany - Gia Corley (80+1); Spain - Leire Peña (32), Irene López (63)Referee: Désirée Grundbacher (SUI)Assistant referees: Elodie Coppola (FRA), Almira Spahić (BIH)Fourth official: Lucie Šulcová (CZE)

69

EnglandPark 12

1-2

FinlandHuhta 46Kantanen 61

Third placeThird place - Monday 21 May 2018

SRC Alytus - Alytus 21/05/2018 - 13:00CET (14:00 local time)

England: Kayla Rendell; Abbie Roberts (C), Asmita Ale, Lucy Roberts; Ava Kuyken, Jessica Park,Jessica Woolley (Ebony Salmon 41); Simran Jhamat, Annabel Blanchard (Olivia Smith 64), Paige BaileyGayle (Paris Mckenzie 41), Hannah Griffin.

Finland: Anna Koivunen; Joanna Tynnilä, Kaisa Juvonen, Nana Yang, Emmi Siren; Oona Siren, EmmaVarmanen (Annika Huhta 41), Tuuli Enkkilä (C), Vilma Koivisto (Katariina Kosola 76); Jenni Kantanen,Aino Vuorinen (Dana Leskinen 65).

Attendance: 483Yellow cards: Finland - Kaisa Juvonen (9), Nana Yang (44)Referee: Frida Nielsen (DEN)Assistant referees: Sandra Österberg (SWE), Diana Vanaga (LVA)Fourth official: Hristiana Guteva (BUL)

70

SpainE. Navarro 52

1-0

Finland

GermanyRendell 23 (og)

Martinez 27, 44, 61Köster 30, 72

Fuso 50Fudalla 64

8-0

England

Semi-finalsSemi-finals - Friday 18 May 2018

Stadium of Marijampole football club - Marijampole 18/05/2018 - 18:00CET (19:00 local time)

Spain: Catalina Coll; Naroa Uriarte, María Méndez; Ana Tejada, Irene López (C) (Isabel Palá 80+2),Paola Hernández, Leire Peña; Paula Arana (Bruna Vilamala 69), Eva Navarro, Salma Paralluelo, AixaSalvador.

Finland: Anna Koivunen; Joanna Tynnilä, Jenna Topra (Jenni Kantanen 41), Kaisa Juvonen, Nana Yang,Emmi Siren (Dana Leskinen 64); Oona Siren, Tuuli Enkkilä (C), Annika Huhta, Katariina Kosola (VilmaKoivisto 56); Aino Vuorinen.

Attendance: 265Yellow cards: Finland - Anna Koivunen (38), Emmi Siren (60)Referee: Lucie Šulcová (CZE)Assistant referees: Diana Vanaga (LVA), Elodie Coppola (FRA)Fourth official: Désirée Grundbacher (SUI)

Semi-finals - Friday 18 May 2018

SRC Alytus - Alytus 18/05/2018 - 15:30CET (16:30 local time)

Germany: Wiebke Willebrandt; Julia Pollak (Madeleine Steck 57), Emilie Bernhardt, Greta Stegemann,Anna Aehling; Laura Donhauser, Gia Corley (Pauline Berning 65), Leonie Köster; Shekiera Martinez,Ivana Fuso (C), Vanessa Fudalla (Nora Clausen 73).

England: Kayla Rendell; Phoebe Williams, Abbie Roberts (Emma Brown 66), Asmita Ale, Lucy Roberts;Ava Kuyken, Paris Mckenzie, Missy Bo Kearns (Jessica Park 17); Simran Jhamat, Ebony Salmon (C)(Paige Bailey Gayle 54), Hannah Griffin.

Attendance: 537Yellow cards: England - Hannah Griffin (53)Referee: Hristiana Guteva (BUL)Assistant referees: Sandra Österberg (SWE), Almira Spahić (BIH)Fourth official: Frida Nielsen (DEN)

71

FinlandVuorinen 53

1-2

GermanyMartinez 71, 80

Group A

Teams P W D L F A +/- Pts Germany 3 2 1 0 12 3 9 7

Finland 3 2 0 1 7 3 4 6

Netherlands 3 1 1 1 12 4 8 4

Lithuania 3 0 0 3 0 21 -21 0

Legend:P: Played W: Won D: Drawn L: Lost F: For A: Against +/-: Goal difference

Final tournament - Group stage - Wednesday 9 May 2018

Stadium of Marijampole football club - Marijampole 09/05/2018 - 16:00CET (17:00 local time)

Finland: Anna Koivunen; Joanna Tynnilä, Jenna Topra (Jenni Kantanen 80), Kaisa Juvonen (EerikaAppelqvist 79), Nana Yang, Emmi Siren; Oona Siren, Tuuli Enkkilä (C), Annika Huhta (Vilma Koivisto 66),Katariina Kosola; Aino Vuorinen.

Germany: Wiebke Willebrandt; Julia Pollak, Emilie Bernhardt (Pauline Berning 70), Greta Stegemann,Anna Aehling; Laura Donhauser, Gia Corley (Charlotte Blümel 80+5), Leonie Köster; Shekiera Martinez,Ivana Fuso (C), Vanessa Fudalla (Nora Clausen 76).

Attendance: 120Referee: Irena Velevačkoska (MKD)Assistant referees: Diana Vanaga (LVA), Sandra Österberg (SWE)Fourth official: Rasa Imanalijeva (LTU)

72

Lithuania 0-9

NetherlandsUbartaitė 2 (og)Van De Westeringh 10, 17,79Van De Velde 15Leuchter 25, 75Tromp 29 (P)Foederer 60

Final tournament - Group stage - Wednesday 9 May 2018

SRC Alytus - Alytus 09/05/2018 - 18:00CET (19:00 local time)

Lithuania: Meda Šeškutė; Gintarė Blažytė (C), Eva Jakaitė, Dorotėja Aidukaitė, Laura Ubartaitė (GretaMarkauskaitė 65); Silvija Šafronovič, Ugnė Lazdauskaitė, Marija Galkina, Judita Sabatauskaitė (GabijaToropovaitė 78), Loreta Rogačiova; Erika Šupelytė (Karilė Liužinaitė 41).

Netherlands: Claire Dinkla; Lieske Carleer (C), Gwyneth Hendriks, Lotte Jansen, Dana Foederer, Moisavan Koot (Samantha van Diemen 57); Jonna van de Velde, Kirsten van de Westeringh; Chasity Grant(Ella Peddemors 57), Romée Leuchter, Nikita Tromp (Isa van Eester 76).

Attendance: 1825Referee: Hristiana Guteva (BUL)Assistant referees: Polyxeni Irodotou (CYP), Almira Spahić (BIH)Fourth official: Désirée Grundbacher (SUI)

73

GermanyMartinez 73

Donhauser 80+4

2-2

NetherlandsHendriks 28Grant 52

Lithuania 0-4

FinlandHuhta 25, 39, 63Koivisto 52 (P)

Final tournament - Group stage - Saturday 12 May 2018

Šiauliai Central Stadium - Šiauliai 12/05/2018 - 10:00CET (11:00 local time)

Germany: Maria Luisa Grohs; Julia Pollak, Emilie Bernhardt (Pauline Berning 60), Greta Stegemann,Anna Aehling; Laura Donhauser, Gia Corley (Nora Clausen 60), Leonie Köster; Shekiera Martinez, IvanaFuso (C), Vanessa Fudalla (Sophie Weidauer 75).

Netherlands: Claire Dinkla; Lieske Carleer, Gwyneth Hendriks (C), Lotte Jansen, Dana Foederer, Moisavan Koot; Jonna van de Velde, Kirsten van de Westeringh; Chasity Grant (Isa van Eester 74), RoméeLeuchter, Nikita Tromp (Lois Nienhuis 44).

Attendance: 276Red Cards: Netherlands: Claire Dinkla (43)Yellow cards: Germany - Greta Stegemann (27)Referee: Désirée Grundbacher (SUI)Assistant referees: Elena Alistratova (KAZ), Sara Telek (AUT)Fourth official: Jurgita Mačikunytė (LTU)

Final tournament - Group stage - Saturday 12 May 2018

Šiauliai Central Stadium - Šiauliai 12/05/2018 - 16:00CET (17:00 local time)

Lithuania: Meda Šeškutė; Gintarė Blažytė (C), Eva Jakaitė, Milita Ragauskaitė, Dorotėja Aidukaitė (GretaMarkauskaitė 60); Silvija Šafronovič (Dovilė Dockaitė 80), Ugnė Lazdauskaitė, Marija Galkina, JuditaSabatauskaitė, Loreta Rogačiova; Karilė Liužinaitė (Gabija Toropovaitė 41).

Finland: Emma Immonen; Joanna Tynnilä, Ella Pesonen, Emmi Siren (Nana Yang 53); Oona Siren(Emma Varmanen 53), Annika Huhta, Vilma Koivisto, Katariina Kosola (Heta Olmala 68), EerikaAppelqvist; Jenni Kantanen, Dana Leskinen.

Attendance: 1083Referee: Lucie Šulcová (CZE)Assistant referees: Maja Petravić (CRO), Elodie Coppola (FRA)Fourth official: Frida Nielsen (DEN)

74

GermanyCorley 35

Fuso 44Weidauer 47, 80+2Martinez 56, 57, 65

Fudalla 76

8-0

Lithuania

Final tournament - Group stage - Tuesday 15 May 2018

SRC Alytus - Alytus 15/05/2018 - 18:00CET (19:00 local time)

Germany: Maria Luisa Grohs; Emilie Bernhardt, Anna Aehling, Charlotte Blümel, Michelle Weiß (SophieWeidauer 41); Gia Corley (Vanessa Fudalla 55), Leonie Köster (Miray Cin 49), Lina Jubel, PaulineBerning; Shekiera Martinez, Ivana Fuso (C).

Lithuania: Meda Šeškutė; Gintarė Blažytė (C), Eva Jakaitė, Milita Ragauskaitė, Dorotėja Aidukaitė (AlinaŠpakovskaja 58); Silvija Šafronovič, Gabija Toropovaitė, Ugnė Lazdauskaitė, Marija Galkina, JuditaSabatauskaitė, Loreta Rogačiova; .

Attendance: 1881Red Cards: Lithuania: Silvija Šafronovič (28)Yellow cards: Lithuania - Alina Špakovskaja (60)Referee: Kateryna Usova (UKR)Assistant referees: Diana Vanaga (LVA), Sandra Österberg (SWE)Fourth official: Hristiana Guteva (BUL)

75

NetherlandsLeuchter 77 (P)

1-2

FinlandJuvonen 50Vuorinen 73

Final tournament - Group stage - Tuesday 15 May 2018

Stadium of Marijampole football club - Marijampole 15/05/2018 - 18:00CET (19:00 local time)

Netherlands: Lois Nienhuis; Lieske Carleer (C), Gwyneth Hendriks, Lotte Jansen (Samantha van Diemen72), Dana Foederer, Moisa van Koot; Jonna van de Velde, Kirsten van de Westeringh; Chasity Grant,Romée Leuchter, Nikita Tromp (Lakeesha Eijken 41).

Finland: Anna Koivunen; Joanna Tynnilä, Jenna Topra (Jenni Kantanen 67), Kaisa Juvonen, Nana Yang,Emmi Siren; Oona Siren, Tuuli Enkkilä (C), Annika Huhta (Emma Varmanen 77), Vilma Koivisto (KatariinaKosola 49); Aino Vuorinen.

Attendance: 234Yellow cards: Netherlands - Nikita Tromp (28), Kirsten van de Westeringh (60); Finland - Tuuli Enkkilä(59)Referee: Frida Nielsen (DEN)Assistant referees: Polyxeni Irodotou (CYP), Almira Spahić (BIH)Fourth official: Lucie Šulcová (CZE)

76

Italy 0-0

Spain

Group B

Teams P W D L F A +/- Pts Spain 3 2 1 0 7 1 6 7

England 3 1 1 1 7 4 3 4

Italy 3 0 2 1 0 4 -4 2

Poland 3 0 2 1 2 7 -5 2

Legend:P: Played W: Won D: Drawn L: Lost F: For A: Against +/-: Goal difference

Final tournament - Group stage - Wednesday 9 May 2018

Šiauliai Central Stadium - Šiauliai 09/05/2018 - 10:00CET (11:00 local time)

Italy: Camilla Forcinella; Paola Boglioni, Elisa Donda, Heden Corrado, Chiara Ripamonti (C); BenedettaDe Biase (Veronica Battelani 64), Melissa Bellucci, Martina Tomaselli; Sara Tamborini, Asia Bragonzi(Chiara Pucci 51), Teresa Fracas (Maria Grazia Ladu 79).

Spain: Catalina Coll; Iria Castro (Naroa Uriarte 55), Jana Fernandez, María Méndez; Ana Tejada (TeresaMerida 76), Irene López, Paola Hernández, Leire Peña; Bruna Vilamala, Eva Navarro, Salma Paralluelo(Aixa Salvador 61).

Attendance: 668Yellow cards: Italy - Benedetta De Biase (12), Sara Tamborini (61); Spain - Eva Navarro (38), Leire Peña(80+4)Referee: Frida Nielsen (DEN)Assistant referees: Elodie Coppola (FRA), Maja Petravić (CRO)Fourth official: Jurgita Mačikunytė (LTU)

77

PolandFilipczak 48

Tomasiak 80+2

2-2

EnglandPark 58Mckenzie 68

SpainArana 4

E. Navarro 70

2-1

EnglandSalmon 26

Final tournament - Group stage - Wednesday 9 May 2018

Šiauliai Central Stadium - Šiauliai 09/05/2018 - 16:00CET (17:00 local time)

Poland: Sara Kierul; Oliwia Silny, Wiktoria Zieniewicz, Zofia Buszewska (Zuzanna Radochońska 70);Paulina Oleksiak (Michelle Biskup 66), Paulina Filipczak, Adriana Achcińska (C), Alexis Legowski(Wiktoria Kiszkis 69); Paulina Tomasiak, Kinga Kozak, Klaudia Homa.

England: Kayla Rendell; Emma Brown, Phoebe Williams, Abbie Roberts, Asmita Ale; Paris Mckenzie,Jessica Park (C), Jessica Woolley; Simran Jhamat, Olivia Smith (Ebony Salmon 61), Hannah Griffin.

Attendance: 512Referee: Lucie Šulcová (CZE)Assistant referees: Sara Telek (AUT), Elena Alistratova (KAZ)Fourth official: Kateryna Usova (UKR)

Final tournament - Group stage - Saturday 12 May 2018

SRC Alytus - Alytus 12/05/2018 - 12:00CET (13:00 local time)

Spain: Catalina Coll; Jana Fernandez, Naroa Uriarte, María Méndez; Ana Tejada, Irene López, LeirePeña; Maria Okoye (Paola Hernández 69), Bruna Vilamala (Salma Paralluelo 62), Paula Arana (AixaSalvador 79), Eva Navarro (C).

England: Frances Stenson; Phoebe Williams, Abbie Roberts, Asmita Ale, Lucy Roberts (Simran Jhamat54); Ava Kuyken, Missy Bo Kearns, Jessica Park (C); Ebony Salmon (Olivia Smith 72), Paige BaileyGayle (Annabel Blanchard 63), Hannah Griffin.

Attendance: 674Yellow cards: Spain - Irene López (80+1); England - Paige Bailey Gayle (63)Referee: Kateryna Usova (UKR)Assistant referees: Almira Spahić (BIH), Polyxeni Irodotou (CYP)Fourth official: Rasa Imanalijeva (LTU)

78

Poland 0-0

Italy

SpainE. Navarro 8 (P) , 34

Hernández 40Esteve 61Arana 66

5-0

Poland

Final tournament - Group stage - Saturday 12 May 2018

Stadium of Marijampole football club - Marijampole 12/05/2018 - 14:00CET (15:00 local time)

Poland: Sara Kierul; Oliwia Silny, Zuzanna Radochońska (Anna Konkol 41), Wiktoria Zieniewicz; PaulinaFilipczak (Paulina Oleksiak 53), Adriana Achcińska (C), Wiktoria Kiszkis, Michelle Biskup; PaulinaTomasiak, Kinga Kozak, Klaudia Homa (Alicja Sokołowska 67).

Italy: Camilla Forcinella; Chiara Pucci (Teresa Fracas 54), Chiara Mele, Elisa Donda, Heden Corrado(Angela Orlando 64), Chiara Ripamonti (C); Benedetta De Biase (Veronica Battelani 69), Melissa Bellucci,Martina Tomaselli; Sara Tamborini, Asia Bragonzi.

Attendance: 180Yellow cards: Poland - Adriana Achcińska (77)Referee: Hristiana Guteva (BUL)Assistant referees: Sandra Österberg (SWE), Diana Vanaga (LVA)Fourth official: Irena Velevačkoska (MKD)

Final tournament - Group stage - Tuesday 15 May 2018

SRC Alytus - Alytus 15/05/2018 - 12:00CET (13:00 local time)

Spain: Catalina Coll (Paula Suarez Is 71); Jana Fernandez (Paula Tomás 67), Naroa Uriarte, MaríaMéndez; Ana Tejada, Paola Hernández, Aida Esteve, Leire Peña; Bruna Vilamala, Paula Arana, EvaNavarro (C) (Salma Paralluelo 63).

Poland: Sara Kierul; Anna Konkol, Oliwia Silny, Wiktoria Zieniewicz; Adriana Achcińska (C) (PaulinaOleksiak 61), Wiktoria Kiszkis (Oliwia Cichy 80), Michelle Biskup; Agnieszka Glinka, Paulina Tomasiak,Kinga Kozak (Natalia Padilla Bidas 41), Klaudia Homa.

Attendance: 322Yellow cards: Poland - Paulina Tomasiak (46)Referee: Désirée Grundbacher (SUI)Assistant referees: Elodie Coppola (FRA), Maja Petravić (CRO)Fourth official: Jurgita Mačikunytė (LTU)

79

EnglandSalmon 47, 63, 65

Blanchard 72

4-0

Italy

Final tournament - Group stage - Tuesday 15 May 2018

Stadium of Marijampole football club - Marijampole 15/05/2018 - 12:00CET (13:00 local time)

England: Kayla Rendell; Phoebe Williams (Asmita Ale 52), Abbie Roberts, Lucy Roberts; Paris Mckenzie,Missy Bo Kearns, Jessica Park; Simran Jhamat (Emma Brown 63), Ebony Salmon (C) (Paige BaileyGayle 68), Annabel Blanchard, Hannah Griffin.

Italy: Camilla Forcinella; Angela Orlando, Paola Boglioni, Elisa Donda, Chiara Ripamonti (C); BenedettaDe Biase (Veronica Battelani 50), Melissa Bellucci (Maria Grazia Ladu 63), Martina Tomaselli; SaraTamborini, Asia Bragonzi, Teresa Fracas (Serena Landa 65).

Attendance: 221Referee: Irena Velevačkoska (MKD)Assistant referees: Sara Telek (AUT), Elena Alistratova (KAZ)Fourth official: Rasa Imanalijeva (LTU)

80

Match officials

Name Country Date of birth FIFA

Referees

Désirée Grundbacher Switzerland 16/08/1983 2012

Hristiana Guteva Bulgaria 03/10/1990 2017

Frida Nielsen Denmark 14/12/1989 2015

Lucie Šulcová Czech Republic 06/11/1990 2017

Kateryna Usova Ukraine 12/11/1991 2017

Irena Velevačkoska FYR Macedonia 16/02/1988 2014

Assistant referees

Elena Alistratova Kazakhstan 08/02/1985 2009

Elodie Coppola France 15/07/1983 2011

Polyxeni Irodotou Cyprus 17/05/1982 2015

Sandra Österberg Sweden 18/03/1987 2016

Maja Petravić Croatia 10/01/1987 2016

Almira Spahić Bosnia and Herzegovina 11/09/1987 2013

Sara Telek Austria 08/08/1988 2016

Diana Vanaga Latvia 11/03/1988 2012

Fourth officials

Rasa Imanalijeva Lithuania 29/01/1991 2017

Jurgita Mačikunytė Lithuania 12/01/1984 2008

81

Fair play rankings

Pos. Team Points Matches played

1 Germany 9.3 5

2 England 9.25 4

3 Lithuania 9.2 3

4 Spain 9.07 5

5 Netherlands 9.05 3

6 Finland 8.875 4

7 Poland 8.717 3

8 Italy 8.667 3

82