GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times BST)
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By Jonathan Stevenson
Germany goal: That’s one of the greatest goals you’ll ever see in a final, I’m not joking. **Melanie Behringer **takes a touch 40 yards out and fizzes one into the top corner of Rachel Brown’s net. Let’s not focus on the keeper there - that is a sensational strike.1722: GOAL England 0-2 Germany****1722: England have it all to do now, but they should take heart from the fact that they have been the better team so far.
Germany goal: Slightly against the run of play, but England had been giving the ball away a bit more often. Germany hit them on the break quickly and Melanie Behringer’s quick spin pass into the box is poked home by the predator *Birgit Prinz for her first goal of the tournament.1720: GOAL England 0-1 Germany****1716: No problems for Faye White as regards the physical battle, the England skipper bundling Birgit Prinz to the ground on halfway. Let’s hope she’s not wearing the mask of sorrow later…1714: England are enjoying much the better of the play at the moment, confidently knocking the ball around the park. They keep looking for Eni Aluko - her pace is the big out-ball today.From 2o-DeMoN-o9 on 606:](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A56959195)"I thought that shot was in. I really did."1709: Ooooooooooooooooh. Kelly Smith is brought down 30 yards out and Fara Williams crashes the resulting set-piece goalwards, eventually watching it whistle a couple of yards wide. Keeper beaten.1707: Karen Carney goes down with a thud near the touchline in a challenge with Melanie Behringer, as Birgit Prinz furiously appeals for a free-kick. This is lively.1705: My word that was close. Birgit Prinz - who incredibly has not scored yet in this tournament - fastens on to a through ball but Faye White just manages to get in first to toe-poke it back to Rachel Brown. Great, vital challenge.1703: England have a plan - get Eni Aluko away down the left. Searing pace takes her clear, but she just cannot keep it in play before getting a cross in. Interesting.From Neil in Runcorn, via text on 81111: "Ten years ago, I was a naysayer on women’s football, but now I love to watch it. This tournament has shown just how “marketable” the sport can be. The Premier League and TV should take it by the scruff of the neck and turn the English women’s game into the best in the world."1700: With Uefa warlord and sometime president Michel Platini looking on from the stand, the Euro 2009 final gets under way.1658: It’s England v Germany. The players are pumped and primed and we’re not far behind. Just about good to go in Helsinki.1656: The teams are out, England led by their mask-wearing centre-back Faye White. It’s anthem time.1655: Stevo’s Predo:
England 1-3 Germany
*(Please bear in mind I am always, always wrong)England striker Kelly Smith: "I’m trying to think about it as just another game, but obviously we are all really really looking forward to it. This core squad has been together for a very long time and we have to put in the performance of our lives to lift that trophy."1651: Back to the game. “Stop banging on about Germany,” I hear you cry. “They haven’t got Kelly Smith, have they” No, no they haven’t. England’s 30-year-old taliswoman () is crucial to their hopes this afternoon and her return from injury neatly coincided with England’s return to form at the Euros. The 45-yard lob against Russia was pure class.1647: Manually refresh your page, and as if by magic you will get live pictures from Helsinki at the top of this page, not to mention audio coverage and the very latest score top right. No trick, just treat.From Nick in Stone, Staffs, via text on 81111: "I was stretcher-bearer at the Women’s Community Shield last season. Farah Williams went down injured and I was called on to the pitch, but my stretcher-bearing colleagues hadn’t turned up so I was on my tod. She looked at me. I said “firemans lift” She was on her feet in a flash!"1640: You will be. This German team is also thereigning Fifa Women’s World Cup holders,having won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2007. You have to go back 10 years, to 1999, when they did not win one of the big two tournaments. Oh, and in striker Birgit Prinz, three-time Fifa Women’s World Player of the Year, they have one of the greats of the game who has scored 123 goals for her country. Gulp.1637: Once more, Germany are the hot favourites, largely because their record in this event is simply outrageous. They have won six of the nine tournaments since its inception in 1984, including all of the last four. Last time around in 2005, theysaw off Norway 3-1 at Blackburn’s Ewood Park,winning every single game along the way. Scared yetFrom thebutlerdidit on 606:](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A56959195)"The time is here, the time is England’s. Germany have been hot and cold all tournament long and have failed to produce the scintillating form we know they can on a consistent basis. Hold onto your hats folks, methinks we are in for a shock."1631: So, Deutschland, we meet again. Only 74 days after the German Under-21 team demolished their English counterparts to win that particular Euro tournament in Malmo, Scandinavia once more hosts a meeting of two of the great foes in international football.1627: But more of that chat later. Firstly, I must implore you to send me any thoughts that drift into your head on this splendid afternoon. Obviously if they are related to events in Helsinki, you’ve got better chance of getting your chat on this very page. Texts, as always, go to 81111, and as if we wouldn’tgive you some sort of 606 thread to get involved in to boot.The day after England’s men reached the World Cup finals, the women need your support too. Big time.1622: Euro 2009 final line-ups:
England: Brown, Stoney, Asante, White, Alex Scott, Jill Scott, Chapman, Aluko, Williams, Carney, Kelly Smith.
Subs: Chamberlain, Johnson, Sue Smith, Unitt, Handley, Sanderson, Westwood, Bassett, Buet, Clarke, Bardsley.
Germany Ladies: Angerer, Peter, Bartusiak, Krahn, Bresonik, Laudehr, Kulig, Behringer, Prinz, Garefrekes, Grings.
Subs: Holl, Stegemann, Mittag, Okoyino Da Mbaabi, Fuss, Mueller, Hingst, Bajramaj, Zietz, Schmidt, Weis.
Referee: Dagmar Damkova (Czech Republic)1619: Welcome, to coverage of the Uefa Women’s Euro 2009 final in Helsinki, Finland, between Hope Powell’s England and Silvia Neid’s Germany. At stake, the title of the best team on the entire continent. A title one of these teams is well used to.1615: England meet Germany in the final of a major international tournament with a trophy and bragging rights at stake. Frankly if you’re not in the mood for this, I don’t know why you botherThis article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.