Ten-women Germany scraped past France 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in a pulsating Quarter-Final showdown at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025.
Ann-Katrin Berger saved Alice Sombath’s penalty in the shootout to clinch Germany’s semi-final spot after Sara Dabritz and Amel Majri had missed their spot kicks within the first five rounds of penalties, which sent the showdown to sudden death with Sjoeke Nusken netting Germany’s match-winner.
Grace Geyoro fired France ahead from a 15th-minute penalty after Germany’s Kathrin Hendrich was red carded two minutes earlier following a Video-Assistant Referee review (VAR), having pulled the hair of Griege Mbock Bathy during a 11th-minute free-kick.
Nusken pulled Germany level with a 25th-minute header from Klara Buhl’s corner, yet she couldn’t complete a normal-time comeback after her 69th minute penalty was saved by Pauline Peyraud-Magnin.
Spain now await Germany in the semi-finals at Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich, on Wednesday 23 July at 9pm CEST (8pm UK Time).
Without right-backs, Giulia Gwinn (despite being named on the substitutes bench) and Carlotta Wamser due to a knee injury and suspension respectively, Germany manager – Christian Wuck made three changes as Sarai Linder switched to right back whilst striker, Lea Schuller was benched.
The right-back issue soon looked to become a piece rotten luck just minutes into the game as Linder hobbled off with an ankle injury, but she was soon able to re-join the action after treatment.
Germany’s difficult start however took a nightmare turn during a 11th-minute free-kick which Marie-Antoinette Katoto headed wide whilst Hendrich pulled the hair of Mbock, which resulted in the German’s dismissal after a VAR review.
Geyoro subsequently stepped up in the 15th minute and fired her penalty down the middle to put France ahead against their hoodoo team – having lost their three previous meetings against Germany in this competition, including at the semi-final stage in 2022.
Wuck consequently opted to substitute Linder to prevent any risk of further injury and introduced Sophia Kleinherne in the 20th minute, just moments before Berger kept the eight-time former champions in the game with a crucial save of Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s header.
Germany in response won a 25th-minute corner which Buhl swung in toward the near left post for Nusken to nod in to restore parity.
Berger further consolidated that equaliser just three minutes later as she saved Delphine Cascarino’s free-kick as France looked to quickly re-establish their one-goal lead.
That goal eventually came in the 40th minute as Cascarino played an one-two with Geyoro inside the box, from which she calmly flicked the return pass into the far left corner only for the goal to be disallowed due to her offside position with Germany lucky to be level at half time.
France continued to up the intensity after half-time as Cascarino broke forward from a Germany free-kick in the 55th minute, but her shot was saved by Berger.
Berger’s second-half luck seemingly ran out two minutes later as a corner was headed upon goal by Katoto but Berger flapped her shot to the feet of Elisa De Almeida, which saw the French right-back eventually tee Geyoro up to smash in on the rebound to put France back in front.
VAR however had other ideas as they controversially ruled De Almeida offside for her positioning as Berger flapped away Katoto’s header, much to Germany’s relief.
Berger kept Germany in the game once more with a 62nd-minute save to deny Kadidiatou Diani’s shot towards the left corner, with Diani having met Cascarino’s cutback cross from the right post.
Momentum however looked to swing Germany’s way in the 67th minute after Julie Brand was brought down by Selma Bacha, which saw referee – Tess Olofsson point to the spot but Peyraud-Magnin saved Nusken’s penalty towards the bottom left corner.
France finished normal time on top but couldn’t find a winner to avoid extra time, although De Almeida went close with a 89th-minute right-footed volley from a corner-kick which was crucially saved by Berger as Germany dug deep to keep their hopes alive.
Within the first-half of extra time, Berge kept a fatigued Germany still level with a well-timed run to flap away a careless backward 103rd-minute header from Janina Minge which almost flew into her own goal.
Berger then saved a header from France substitute, Melvine Malard in the second-minute of two additional minutes as France dominated much of extra-time as Malard hit the bar in the final seconds of the match, yet Germany dug in like they had done throughout the match to ultimately force a penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Minge put Germany ahead with the opening penalty but France’s first penalty was saved after Majri put her curved shot towards the right corner only for Berger to make a crucial save.
Linda Dallmann and Rebecca Knaak dispatched Germany’s second and third penalties either side of Sakina Karchaoui and Malard’s strikes for France.
Sara Dabritz missed Germany’s fourth penalty with a hit onto the crossbar which allowed Sandie Baltimore to pull France level, before Berger, Oriane Jean-Francois, Buhl and Melween N’Dongala converted the next four spot kicks to make it 5-5 after six penalties apiece.
Nusken atoned for her failed second-half penalty as she converted Germany’s seventh spot kick into the right corner, which proved to be the winner after Sombath’s penalty was saved by Berger who dived correctly to her left.
Germany’s victory also meant that they have reached the semi-finals in 11 of 12 UEFA Women’s Euro tournaments in which they’ve featured in, having only exited at this stage once which came in a 2-1 loss to Denmark in the 2017 edition.
Teams
France: Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, Elisa De Almeida (N’Dongala 112′), Griedge Mbock Bathy (Sombath 85′), Maelle Lakrar, Selma Bacha, Grace Geyoro (Majri 112′), Oriane Jean-Francois, Sakina Karchaoui, Delphine Cascarino (Malard 76′), Marie-Antoinette Katoto (Mateo 76′), Kadidiatou Diani (Baltimore 67′)
Substitutes: Sandy Baltimore, Lou Bogaert, Kelly Gago, Justine Lerond, Amel Majri, Melvine Malard, Clara Mateo, Melween N’Dongala, Constance Picaud, Thiniba Samoura, Alice Sombath, Sandie Toletti,
Germany: Ann-Katrin Berger, Sarai Linder (Kleinherne 20′), Kathrin Hendrich, Janina Minge, Rebecca Knaak, Franziska Kett (Cerci 114′), Julie Brand (Dallmann 120′), Elisa Senss (Dabritz 120′), Sjoeke Nusken, Klara Buhl, Giovanna Hoffmann (Schuller 98′)
Substitutes: Selina Cerci, Linda Dallmann, Sara Dabritz, Laura Freigang, Giulia Gwinn, Stina Johannes, Sophia Kleinherne, Sydney Lohmann, Ena Mahmutovic, Lea Schuller, Cora Zicai
Referee – Tess Olofsson (Sweden)
Attendance – 34, 128
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