Germany face old rivals at WOMEN'S EURO
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Article summary
The draw for UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ in Helsinki on Tuesday produced a number of intriguing contests, not least repeats of the 2005 showpiece between Germany and Norway and the inaugural final contested in 1984.
Article top media content
Article body
Holders Germany will begin the defence of their trophy with a rematch of the 2005 final against Norway while hosts Finland meet Denmark in their opener next summer after the UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ draw was made in Helsinki on Tuesday.
Final rematch
The final tournament has been expanded from eight to 12 teams for the 2009 event, and runs from 23 August until 10 September in Helsinki, Lahti, Tampere and Turku. Germany are aiming for a fifth straight title having been successful in 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2005, and will open their Group B campaign against the team they defeated for the last of those titles, Norway, before facing France and Iceland, who were matched in qualifying. Germany also played Norway in their opening game of the 2005 finals in England.
Inaugural winners
After tackling Denmark, Finland will take on debutant finalists the Netherlands and Ukraine. All the hosts' group games will be played at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, which will also stage the final. Group C matches inaugural winners Sweden with the side they finished above in qualifying, Italy, as well as Russia and England.
| |||||||||||||||||||||