The European champion dominated, but Verdeamarelha equalized after 92 minutes, with an error by Mary Earps. The best archer in the world won her own with a save for the 4-2 series victory from twelve steps.
After the Eurocup that he won in 2022, England added to its showcases the first Final history, by beating Brazil, who held out at Wembley until penalties after drawing 1-1. In the definition from the twelve steps, a shortcut of Mary Earps and an erratic shot from Rafaelle sealed the European victory 4-2.
Wembley, almost full to bursting (83,132 spectators who did not break the record that Barcelona and Real Madrid achieved in 2022), responded to the call for the first edition of the Finalissima, which in the men’s version was won by Argentina last year at the same stadium.
England, champion of Europe, and Brazil, of America, both in 2022, measured the forces of both continents and the Brazilian team showed that the differences are shortening and are becoming more even thanks to a competitive gene with which he was able to survive until the penalty shootout thanks to an agonizing goal in the 93rd minute from Andressa.
Brazil came to the meeting as the maximum dominator of its continent. For decades. The data supports a tremendous abuse of the selection he directs Pia Sundhage: Of the nine America’s Cups that have been played, they have won eight. Only Argentina, in 2006, broke the Brazilian hegemony. It was an exception.
But on a global level, The World Cup has never been won by a South American team. The United States, with four out of eight possible titles, occupies the highest place on the podium. Germany, with two trophies and Norway and Japan, with one, continue the list. Brazil, in 2007, touched success with a runner-up and years later warmed up to try to give a coup in the World Cup to be held this summer in Australia and New Zealand.
The clash against England, in addition to serving as a scale to gauge the state of football on both continents, also served Sundhage to delve into the depths of her memory and evoke a historic and nostalgic date for her.
The Brazil coach re-entered the venue where she became the first female footballer to score a goal at Wembley. He celebrated it in 1989, when he played for Sweden in a match against England that they won 0-2. Almost 25 years later, he returned to sit on the bench of Brazil and star in another historic event: inaugurating the Finalissima.
Sun garden could not align the historic Marta, who is recovering from a left posterior biceps femoris injury. Also the England coach, Sarah Wiegmanhad to deal with an important casualty: that of Beth Mead (second classified in the Ballon d’Or behind Alexia Putellas), who is fighting to leave behind a torn cruciate ligament in one knee.
With that script, England completely dominated the first half. They annulled Brazil from the first minute to minute 45. Absolutely intimidated by the setting and by the British drive, the South American team completed the first 45 gray minutes in which they were at the mercy of their rival.
England racked up multiple chances until they got it right Ella Toonewhich at 22 minutes culminated in a combination between Lucy Bronze y Georgia Stanway with a shot from the penalty spot that did justice to the score.
Later he was able to expand it Lauren James -very insistent on the left wing-, but his lack of forcefulness allowed Brazil to go to the locker room alive.
Sundhage’s changes (Andressa Alves for Lauren and Adriana for Zaneratto) had an effect for Brazil, which won in verticality and he abandoned his predictable game that became a much more electric one with which he caused England some concern.
The culmination of the Brazilian dominance came in the 59th minute, when Geyse unleashed a shot from outside the area that Earps saved with a providential dive. The ball came to hit the crossbar, went to a corner and Canarinha’s best chance went to limbo.
Clearly, the direction of the wind had changed and Brazil’s new dominance looked set to last as long as their players’ physique could take. He lasted another quarter of an hour and in that time he failed to level the balance. However, in one last desperate burstalready in added time, Earps did not clear a ball wellleft her dead at the feet of Andressa Alves and the equalizer was a bucket of cold water for England.
On penalties, the British team recovered and was more successful. Earps stopped Tamires the fourth shot of the series – after Leticia’s save to Toone – and Rafaelle crashed the next one against the crossbar.
Chloe Kelly did not miss the decider and the Finalissima found its first champion. The British team got his second title in history after the Eurocup that he lifted in September 2022. Brazil showed race and ran as a candidate to fight in the World Cup.
With information from EFE
