Miedema strikes give Dutch the women's Euro Cup

Miedema pulled the host level at 1-1 on ten minutes and added her second goal two minutes from the end to round off the scoring, with Lieke Martens and skipper Sherida Spitse also scoring for the champion.

Published : Aug 07, 2017 01:19 IST , Enschede (Netherlands)

Vivianne Miedema celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 final.
Vivianne Miedema celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 final.
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Vivianne Miedema celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 final.

A brace from Vivianne Miedema led host Netherlands to a 4-2 win over Denmark and its first women's Euro title in Enschede on Sunday.

Miedema pulled the host level at 1-1 on ten minutes and added her second goal two minutes from the end to round off the scoring, with Lieke Martens and skipper Sherida Spitse also scoring for the champion.

Denmark took the lead as Nadia Nadim scored from the penalty spot on six minutes after Kika van Es had brought down Sanne Troelsgaard in the box.

Miedema then fired home a superb cross from right winger Shanice van de Sanden who had outsprinted Cecilie Sandvej on the wing.

Martens turned with the ball just outside the box in the 28th minute and her low left-footer beat diving Danish keeper Stina Petersen at her left post.

The valiant Danes equalised on 33 minutes when skipper Pernille Harder picked up a long pass on the right wing, took it inside the box and wrong-footed Dutch keeper Sari van Veenendaal, scoring with a low left-foot shot to her left post.

Spitse then scored five minutes after the break with a low shot from a free-kick and Miedema made it 4-2 after fooling a defender inside the box and beating Petersen with a low shot in the 89th minute.

The Dutch are only the fourth team to lift the trophy after eight-time champion Germany, two-time winner Norway and Sweden, which won the first edition in 1984.

"It was an open match, both teams played to win of course," said Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman.

"There were two teams who really wanted to play football. A match with six goals, that's very important for women's football as well."

"We've played six amazing games and today we showed that even if we get behind in the game we can still change the game," said Miedema, pointing out the champion's perfect record at the tournament.

"The moment we scored for 3-2, I just thought -- it's not going to go wrong again," added the 21-year-old new Arsenal signing from Bayern Munich.

"We played so much better in the second half and I think we deserved to win the tournament."

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