Sweden topped Group C with a comeback 4-1 victory over ten-women Germany in Zurich, Switzerland.
Fridolina Rolfo’s 34th-minute penalty secured top spot for Sweden after Germany’s Carlotta Wamser was red carded for handballing Stina Blackstenius’ shot three minutes earlier.
Julie Brand initially fired Germany ahead with a seventh-minute strike but Blackstenius sparked Sweden’s comeback five minutes later, before Smilla Holmberg’s 25th-minute chipped strike completed the turnaround.
Lina Hurtig’s 80th-minute effort from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s cutback pass completed the turnaround which saw Sweden win Group C ahead of Germany, as the eight-time winners conceded four goals in a single Women’s Euro game for the first time in their history.
Sweden now will face the Group D runner-up in Zurich on Thursday 17 July at 9pm CEST (8pm UK Time), whilst Germany await the Group D winner in Basel just 48 hours later on Saturday 19 July.
Poland finished third in Group C after Natalia Padilla-Bidas, Ewa Pajor and Martyna Wiankowska netted in a 3-2 victory over Denmark, as consolatory goals from Janni Thomsen and Signe Bruun couldn’t prevent the Danes from stopping Poland’s maiden win at a major tournament.
Separated by just goal difference at the top of Group C which Sweden topped coming into this clash, Germany immediately tried to displace their hosts just 22 seconds in, as Julie Brand’s low shot forced a save from Jennifer Falk.
Lea Schuller saw a volley and header denied in quick succession either side of Sweden’s first threat as Kosovare Asllani dragged her shot wide of the left corner in the third minute.
Germany’s bright start eventually paid off just seven minutes in as Wamser teed up Brand to fire in from her through ball, which she initially picked up from Sjoeke Nusken’s pass out to the right flank.
Sweden however refused to let their hoodoo in this Women’s Euro fixture hold them back as Asllani played Blackstenius through just five minutes later, from which the Swede calmly fired in beyond Ann-Katrin Berge to restore parity and put Sweden back on top of the group.
The game subsequently began to go see-saw in terms of momentum as Falk denied Klara Buhl in the 18th minute.
A crucial 25th-minute tackle from Nathalie Bjorn however changed the game as she intercepted the ball and fed Holmberg to burst up the right, which left the right-back free to chip in over Berger to put the Swedes ahead.
Germany’s nightmare worsened in the 31st minute as Wamser cleared Blackstenius’ shot off the line with her hand, which left referee – Silvia Gasperotti with no option other than to send her off in a blow for the eight-time winners already without captain, Giulia Gwinn due to a medial collateral ligament injury.
Wamser consequently will miss Germany’s Quarter-Final tie and then the semi-final if the Germans get to the last four.
Rolfo stepped up and dispatched the penalty three minutes later to put the Swedes firmly in control at half-time with a two-goal cushion from behind, having never beaten Germany in five previous clashes in this competition.
Half-time saw both teams begin to turn their focus towards the Quarter-Finals with two changes each, which showed in a relatively quieter start to the second half as the tempo dropped aside from a 76th-minute shot by Rytting Kaneryd which was saved by Berger.
Germany’s defensive meltdown was completed in the 80th minute after Madelen Janogy’s cross from the left was cut back by Rytting Kaneryd for Hurtig to roll into the near-right corner, which condemned the eight-time champions to their worst-ever result in this competition.
Teams
Sweden: Jennifer Falk, Smilla Holmberg, Nathalie Bjorn (Sembrant 46′), Magdalena Eriksson, Jonna Andersson, Filippa Angeldahl (Zigiotti Olme 82′), Kosovare Asllani (Hurtig 56′), Hanna Bennison, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Stina Blackstenius (Wangerheim 71′), Fridolina Rolfo (Janogy 46′)
Substitutes: Rebecka Blomqvist, Tove Enblom, Emma Holmgren, Lina Hurtig, Amanda Ilestedt, Sofia Jakobsson, Madelen Janogy, Hanna Lundkvist, Amanda Nilden, Linda Sembrant, Ellen Wangerheim, Julia Zigiotti Olme
Germany: Ann-Katrin Berger, Carlotta Wamser, Janina Minge, Rebecca Knaak (Hendrich 46′), Sarai Linder, Elisa Senss (Dabritz 84′), Sjoeke Nusken (Cerci 77′), Julie Brand, Laura Freigang (Lohmann 46′), Klara Buhl, Lea Schuller (Hoffmann 64′)
Substitutes: Selina Cerci, Linda Dallmann, Sara Dabritz, Giulia Gwinn, Kathrin Hendrich, Giovanna Hoffmann, Stina Johannes, Franziska Kett, Sophia Kleinherne, Sydney Lohmann, Ena Mahmutovic, Cora Zicai
Leave a Reply