Germany superior to the Women’s Euro 2025 semifinals Saturday after edging France 6-5 in a penalty shootout, regardless of taking part in practically your entire match with 10 gamers and ending 1-1 after additional time.
Ann-Katrin Berger was the hero by saving Amel Majri and Alice Sombath’s penalties to safe a last-four conflict with world champions Spain in Zurich on Wednesday.
Germany maintained their report of getting by no means misplaced to France in a serious summer time event after battling again from going a aim and a lady down within the first quarter-hour to win a bruising encounter in Basel.
“I would have loved to have had the game in 90 minutes and done and dusted,” Berger informed reporters.
“I did my part in the game. In 120 minutes, they (the team) worked incredibly hard and I think all the credit should go to the team, not me.”
“Maybe it was the decisive moment in the penalty shootout but everyone here should talk about it with him (coach Christian Wueck) now about the performance of the team, because that was amazing and incredible,” she stated.
St. Jakob-Park was dominated by fierce German help, which flocked over the close by border with Switzerland and roared their group on even after Kathrin Hendrich was despatched off and gave away the penalty from which Grace Geyoro opened the scoring.
Sjoeke Nuesken — who additionally missed a penalty within the second half — levelled the scores 10 minutes later and, after a protracted battle to carry off France, Berger despatched nearly all of the group wild along with her shootout stops.
France have now fallen on the quarter-finals stage in eight of their final 10 Euros after shedding a match by which that they had two targets dominated out for offside.
“I don’t think it was down to character, you have to remember that Germany are third in the FIFA rankings. They sat back and it was hard to break them down — they put in a huge effort against us,” stated France coach Laurent Bonadei.
“We couldn’t make the difference, we had two goals ruled out for offside… it’s a lack of being clinical in front of goal.”
– Battling Germany -Germany got here into the match already lacking key defenders Giulia Gwinn and Carlotta Wamser, to damage and suspension respectively, whereas star striker Lea Schueller was additionally surprisingly left on the bench.
And the Germans’ activity was made even tougher within the thirteenth minute when Hendrich was rightly dismissed for inexplicably pulling Griedge Mbock’s hair whereas defending a free-kick, and giving Geyoro an opportunity to attain she did not move up.
But out of nowhere Nuesken drew an enormous roar from Germany followers when she rose, fully unmarked, to look dwelling Klara Buehl’s inswinging nook.
From there Germany had been content material to take a seat again and maintain France off by truthful means or foul, they usually had been saved from being behind on the break by Delphone Cascarino needlessly straying offside earlier than she flicked dwelling Kadidiatou Diani’s low cross.
That was one of many few first rate assaults France managed to conjure up with an additional girl, they usually continued to wrestle after the break.
Even when Geyoro had the ball within the internet for the second time, lashing dwelling on the rebound after a positive save from Berger, the aim was dominated out as Maelle Lakrar impeded the Germany goalkeeper whereas in an offside place.
And Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved France’s pores and skin when she saved out Nuesken’s terrible penalty within the 69th minute, given for a comfortable foul on Jule Brand.
But it was Ann-Katrin Berger who made probably the save of the event 12 minutes into additional time when she in some way clawed out Janina Minge’s inadvertant header and stopped Germany going out to an personal aim.
Berger may solely watch as Melvine Malard shook the crossbar with virtually the final kick of the sport earlier than the shootout, however she stepped up within the shootout to permit Germany to win towards all odds.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
