Inka Grings and Birgit Prinz scored two goals apiece on Thursday to lead defending champions Germany past England 6-2 in the women’s European Championship final.
It was the fifth straight European title for two-time defending world champions Germany, who beat England for the 17th time in their last 19 meetings.
The Germans took a 2-0 lead on Prinz’s low shot in the 20th minute and Melanie Behringer’s 30m drive two minutes later.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Karen Carney gave England hope when she cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 24th minute.
Kim Kulig, a 19-year-old midfielder, put Germany 3-1 up by netting a rebound from close range in the 51st minute.
Kelly Smith reduced the deficit to just one goal again with a shot from a tough angle four minutes later, but Grings put the game out of reach with two goals, first a header in the 62nd minute and then a left-foot shot near the right post 11 minutes later.
PHOTO: REUTERS
It was Grings’ tournament-leading fifth and six goals.
Prinz ended the scoring in the 76th minute, beating England goalkeeper Rachel Brown with a shot after being left unmarked inside the penalty area.
It was Prinz’s first two goals in the tournament.
The 31-year-old midfielder has now scored 125 goals for the national team.
For England, who knocked out the Netherlands in the semi-finals, it was a first major final since finishing runners-up at the inaugural European Championship 25 years ago. Germany beat Norway in the other semi-final.
The final drew a crowd of 8,000, including UEFA president Michel Platini, at the Olympic Stadium.
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