Wikipedia

2023 Women's Finalissima

The 2023 Women's Finalissima was the first edition of the Women's Finalissima, an intercontinental women's football match between the winners of the most recent European and South American championships. The match featured England, winners of UEFA Women's Euro 2022, and Brazil, winners of the 2022 Copa América Femenina. It was played at Wembley Stadium in London on 6 April 2023.[5][6] The match was organised by UEFA and CONMEBOL as part of a renewed partnership between the two confederations.

2023 Women's Finalissima
EventWomen's Finalissima
England Brazil
1 1
England won 4–2 on penalties
Date6 April 2023 (2023-04-06)
VenueWembley Stadium, London
Player of the MatchKeira Walsh (England)[1]
RefereeStéphanie Frappart (France)[2]
Attendance83,132[3]
WeatherCloudy night
9 °C (48 °F)
72% humidity[4]

England won the match 4–2 on penalties following a 1–1 draw after 90 minutes to secure the inaugural Women's Finalissima title.[3]

Background

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On 12 February 2020, UEFA and CONMEBOL signed a renewed memorandum of understanding meant to enhance cooperation between the two organisations. As part of the agreement, a joint UEFA–CONMEBOL committee examined the possibility of staging European–South American intercontinental matches, for both men's and women's football and across various age groups.[7] In September 2021, UEFA and CONMEBOL announced the revival of the Artemio Franchi Cup between the winners of the men's UEFA European Championship and Copa América.[8] On 15 December 2021, UEFA and CONMEBOL again signed a renewed memorandum of understanding lasting until 2028, which included specific provisions on opening a joint office in London, England and the potential organisation of various football events.[9] On 2 June 2022, the day after staging the 2022 Finalissima, CONMEBOL and UEFA announced a series of new events between teams from the two confederations. This included the Women's Finalissima, to be played by the winners of South America's Copa América Femenina and Europe's UEFA Women's Championship. As part of the announcement, the first edition was confirmed to take place in Europe, with the exact date and venue to be announced at a later date.[10] The match was provisionally scheduled to be held during the FIFA International Match Calendar window of 13 to 25 February 2023,[11] but was later confirmed to take place on 6 April 2023 in London.[6] On 26 October 2022, it was confirmed the match would take place at Wembley Stadium.[12]

In the UK, the match was broadcast live on TV by ITV1 and STV, with radio coverage being provided by BBC Radio 5 Live.

Teams

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Team Confederation Qualification FIFA Rankings
March 2023[13]
  England UEFA Winners of UEFA Women's Euro 2022 4
  Brazil CONMEBOL Winners of the 2022 Copa América Femenina 9

England qualified for the match by virtue of winning UEFA Women's Euro 2022 as hosts, having defeated Germany 2–1 after extra time in the final.[14] The win secured England's first major women's football title. Brazil qualified for the match by virtue of winning the 2022 Copa América Femenina, having defeated hosts Colombia 1–0 in the final. The win was Brazil's eighth Copa América title.[15]

Match

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Details

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England  1–1  Brazil
  • Toone   23'
 Report
Penalties
 4–2
Attendance: 83,132[3]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
England[16]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brazil[16]
GK 1 Mary Earps   76'
RB 2 Lucy Bronze
CB 5 Leah Williamson (c)
CB 6 Alex Greenwood
LB 3 Jess Carter
DM 4 Keira Walsh
CM 8 Georgia Stanway
CM 10 Ella Toone
RW 7 Lauren James   74'
LW 11 Lauren Hemp   82'   88'
CF 9 Alessia Russo   74'
Substitutes:
GK 13 Ellie Roebuck
GK 21 Hannah Hampton
DF 12 Maya Le Tissier
DF 14 Esme Morgan
DF 15 Niamh Charles
DF 23 Lotte Wubben-Moy
MF 16 Jordan Nobbs
MF 18 Laura Coombs
FW 17 Chloe Kelly   74'
FW 19 Rachel Daly   74'
FW 20 Jess Park
FW 22 Katie Robinson   88'
Manager:
  Sarina Wiegman
 
GK 12 Letícia Izidoro
RB 14 Lauren   46'
CB 3 Kathellen
CB 4 Rafaelle (c)   39'
LB 6 Tamires
RM 2 Antônia   87'
CM 17 Ary Borges   87'
CM 15 Luana   69'
LM 21 Kerolin
CF 16 Beatriz   46'
CF 18 Geyse
Substitutes:
GK 1 Camila
GK 22 Luciana
DF 13 Tarciane
DF 19 Yasmim
DF 20 Fe Palermo   87'
MF 7 Duda Francelino   69'
MF 8 Ana Vitória
MF 9 Andressa   46'
MF 10 Duda Santos
MF 25 Gabi Portilho
FW 11 Adriana   46'
FW 23 Gabi Nunes   87'
Manager:
  Pia Sundhage

Player of the Match:
Keira Walsh (England)[1]

Assistant referees:
Élodie Coppola (France)
Manuela Nicolosi (France)
Fourth official:
Esther Staubli (Switzerland)
Video assistant referee:
Jérôme Brisard (France)
Assistant video assistant referee:
Maïka Vanderstichel (France)

Match rules

Statistics

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Aftermath

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England midfielder Keira Walsh was named official player of the match,[18] with teammate Lucy Bronze voted by fans as England's player of the match.[19] Brazil's Geyse was highlighted for her constant attacking threat throughout the match;[20] coach Pia Sundhage praised Geyse's contribution and credited her move to Barcelona the previous summer for her form.[21] After the match, pundits on British show Football Focus suggested that Walsh and Bronze also joining Barcelona at the same time had similarly improved their form, while giving the same assessment to Georgia Stanway and her move to Bayern Munich.[22]

England's unbeaten run before the match included several encounters that were deemed not challenging enough for the team to prepare for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup set to take place in July and August 2023; sports media agreed that while England had looked equally dominant in the first half of the Finalissima, the threat of Brazil in the second half was "the test England needed". The experience of the penalty shoot-out in front of such a large crowd was also considered beneficial for the teams.[23][24]

Both teams played international fixtures again five days later on 11 April 2023. England would go on to lose 2-0 to Australia in Brentford, their first defeat under manager Sarina Wiegman and ending a 30-match unbeaten run that started in September 2021.[25] Meanwhile, Brazil would beat Germany 2-1 in Nuremberg.[26]

Notes

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  1. ^ Each team was given only three opportunities to make substitutions, excluding substitutions made at half-time.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Women's Finalissima: England's Keira Walsh named official Player of the Match". UEFA. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Referee Frappart set for Finalissima first". UEFA. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "England 1–1 Brazil (4–2 on pens): Euro winners edge Finalissima thriller". UEFA. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Tactical Line-ups – Final – Thursday 6 April 2023" (PDF). UEFA. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  5. ^ "England v Brazil: First-ever women's Finalissima to be played at Wembley in April 2023". BBC Sport. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Fechas y Sedes de los Torneos CONMEBOL 2023" [Dates and venues of the 2023 CONMEBOL tournaments] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 1 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  7. ^ "UEFA and CONMEBOL renew Memorandum of Understanding to enhance cooperation". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  8. ^ "UEFA and CONMEBOL broaden cooperation". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 28 September 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  9. ^ "UEFA and CONMEBOL renew and extend Memorandum of Understanding". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  10. ^ "UEFA and CONMEBOL launch new intercontinental events". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 2 June 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Calendario de torneos de la CONMEBOL 2023" [CONMEBOL tournament schedule 2023] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Women's EURO winners England to face South American Champions Brazil in first-ever Women's Finalissima". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  13. ^ "Women's Ranking". FIFA. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  14. ^ Sanders, Emma (31 July 2022). "Euro 2022: England beat Germany to win first major women's trophy in dramatic style". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Copa America Femenina: Brazil beat Colombia to win tournament for eighth time". BBC Sport. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Line-ups – Women's Finalissima 2023" (PDF). UEFA. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  17. ^ a b c "Full Time Report Final – England v Brazil" (PDF). UEFA. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Women's Finalissima: England's Keira Walsh named official Player of the Match". UEFA. 6 April 2023.
  19. ^ The FA. "Your England Player of the Match connected by @EE. Congrats, @LucyBronze!". Twitter. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  20. ^ Sport (7 April 2023). "El Barça brilló en la primera Finalissima". Sport (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  21. ^ "Pia Sundhage da las gracias al Barça por Geyse Ferreira". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 7 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  22. ^ "Lucy Bronze, Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh. Some big names have left the WSL. But could that benefit the Lionesses?". Twitter. BBC. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  23. ^ Harpur, Charlotte. "England needed a test before World Cup - and got one in Finalissima". The Athletic. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  24. ^ "'This was the test England needed and they passed it'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  25. ^ Emma Saunders (11 April 2023). "England 0–2 Australia: Lionesses' unbeaten run ends". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  26. ^ AFP (11 April 2023). "Brazil beat Germany to continue World Cup preparation". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
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