France are ranked among tournament favourites following a run of 14 consecutive wins; Italy have only lost two of their last 18 matches but trained without injured Valentina Cernoia on the eve of their Euro 2022 debut; Bertolini says through 'courage and sacrifice' France can be beaten
Saturday 9 July 2022 23:25, UK
France are bidding to make it beyond the quarter-final stage for the first time in their Euro history, with a side largely built on players from Division 1 Féminine champions Lyon, while Belgium are competing in only their second tournament finals as they take on Iceland in Group D.
Belgium and Iceland will be looking to get off to a positive start when they lock horns at the Manchester City Academy Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Belgium coach Ives Serneels has impressed on his players that whatever happens in their first game, it will not necessarily dictate their fate in the tournament.
Serneels said: "This match is not decisive for me. Remember our first game against Denmark in 2017? We lost that and ended up staying in the race until the end. I'm afraid we'll have to be patient."
Opposite number Thorsteinn Halldorsson, however, is determined to lay down a marker against the Belgians.
He said: "We need to be aggressive and play a tight game. This will be an even match. Belgium has similar qualities to us, but we believe we are better and we need to show that."
Belgium forward Tessa Wullaert said on Saturday that in order for her team to beat Iceland in the Group D opener, it will be fundamental to try to stop her former Wolfbsurg team-mate Sara Bjork.
The two played together at the Frauen-Bundesliga club between 2016 and 2018 and Wullaert joked that Bjork "is very nice, but not on the pitch."
France coach Corinne Diacre has told her players to "reset the counters to zero" as they prepare to launch their Euro 2022 Group D campaign against Italy.
The French, who qualified for the finals undefeated, meet the Italians at Rotherham's New York Stadium on Sunday evening in a contest Diacre fully expects to be tight.
Speaking at her pre-match press conference, she said: "Now we start another competition. We must reset the counters to zero.
"We take the three teams at the same level. I hope for an open game. I think it's going to be a close game."
Italy were beaten only once in qualification - by Denmark - and coach Milena Bertolini is calling for a united front in a difficult-looking first fixture.
She said: "To face a strong team like France, we need to go beyond our physical and technical qualities and to do so, we need to be united and be tactically on point in Italian fashion."
Keep up with all the latest from Euro 2022 across Sky Sports and Sky Sports News this summer.
Coverage will be anchored by Sky Sports WSL presenter Caroline Barker, alongside Jessica Creighton and Kyle Walker. Meanwhile, Karen Carney, Sue Smith, Courtney Sweetman-Kirk and Laura Bassett will give analysis throughout the tournament.
They will also be joined by experienced England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley and Manchester City defender Esme Morgan.
The pundits and presenters will work from the Sky Sports Women's Euro 2022 Mobile Presentation Bus, which will follow the Sky Sports News team around the country to the various stadiums where matches are being played.
In addition, Sky Sports' Essential Football Podcast will be rebranded for the tournament to Sky Sports Women's Euros Podcast from 21 June. Hosted by Charlotte Marsh and Anton Toloui, it will feature exclusive news and player interviews in addition to a strong programme line-up around the tournament.
Group A: England, Austria, Norway, Northern Ireland
Group B: Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland
Group C: Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal, Switzerland
Group D: France, Italy, Belgium, Iceland
Group stage
Wednesday July 6
Group A: England 1-0 Austria
Thursday July 7
Group A: Norway 4-1 Northern Ireland
Friday July 8
Group B: Spain 4-1 Finland
Group B: Germany vs Denmark - kick-off 8pm, London Community Stadium
Saturday July 9
Group C: Portugal vs Switzerland - kick-off 5pm, Leigh Sports Village
Group C: Netherlands vs Sweden - kick-off 8pm, Bramall Lane
Sunday July 10
Group D: Belgium vs Iceland - kick-off 5pm, Manchester City Academy Stadium
Group D: France vs Italy - kick-off 8pm, New York Stadium
Monday July 11
Group A: Austria vs Northern Ireland - kick-off 5pm, St Mary's
Group A: England v Norway - kick-off 8pm, Brighton and Hove Community Stadium
Tuesday July 12
Group B: Denmark vs Finland - kick-off 5pm, Stadium MK
Group B: Germany vs Spain - kick-off 8pm, London Community Stadium
Wednesday July 13
Group C: Sweden vs Switzerland - kick-off 5pm, Bramall Lane
Group C: Netherlands v Portugal - kick-off 8pm, Leigh Sports Village
Thursday July 14
Group D: Italy vs Iceland - kick-off 5pm, Manchester City Academy Stadium
Group D: France vs Belgium - kick-off 8pm, New York Stadium
Friday July 15
Group A: Northern Ireland v England - kick-off 8pm, St Mary's
Group A: Austria vs Norway - kick-off 8pm, Brighton and Hove Community Stadium
Saturday July 16
Group B: Finland vs Germany - kick-off 8pm, Stadium MK
Group B: Denmark vs Spain - kick-off 8pm, London Community Stadium
Sunday July 17
Group C: Switzerland vs Netherlands - kick-off 5pm, Bramall Lane
Group C: Sweden vs Portugal - kick-off 5pm, Leigh Sports Village
Monday July 18
Group D: Iceland vs France - kick-off 8pm, New York Stadium
Group D: Italy vs Belgium - kick-off 8pm, Manchester City Academy Stadium
Knockout phase
Quarter-finals
Wednesday July 20
Quarter-final 1: Winners Group A v Runners-up Group B - kick-off 8pm, Brighton and Hove Community Stadium
Thursday July 21
Quarter-final 2: Winners Group B v Runners-up Group A - kick-off 8pm, London Community Stadium
Friday July 22
Quarter-final 3: Winners Group C v Runners-up Group D - kick-off 8pm, Leigh Sports Village
Quarter-final 4: Winners Group D v Runners-up Group C - kick-off 8pm, New York Stadium
Semi-finals
Tuesday July 26
Semi-final 1: Winners quarter-final 1 v Winners quarter-final 3 - kick-off 8pm, Bramall Lane
Wednesday July 27
Semi-final 2: Winners quarter-final 2 v Winners quarter-final 4 - kick-off 8pm, Stadium MK
Final
Sunday July 31
Winners semi-final 1 v Winners semi-final 2 - kick-off 5pm, Wembley
