Berger Stars In Shootout As Germany Overcome Early Red Card To Fell France At Euro 2025

Germany produced a heroic capacity pinch only 10 players to sound retired a stunned France broadside successful a punishment shootout and advancement to nan Euro 2025 semi-finals connected a nighttime of compelling play successful Basel.

The grounds eight-time European champions had to play nan immense mostly of nan title pinch 1 subordinate less than nan French but defended doggedly passim other clip and past won nan shootout 6-5 to book a semi-final gathering pinch nan world champions, Spain, connected Wednesday successful Zurich. The goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was Germany’s heroine, not only successful nan shootout, but pinch an astonishing prevention successful other time.

Germany’s destiny had looked bleak successful nan 13th infinitesimal erstwhile Kathrin Hendrich was shown a consecutive reddish paper for pulling Griedge Mbock’s hairsbreadth wrong nan punishment area. It was a blatant, cynical foul and frankly bizarre behaviour from nan 33-year-old Hendrich, 1 of nan astir knowledgeable players connected nan pitch. Grace Geyoro duly stepped up and did what scarcely anybody has been capable to do successful this tourney truthful acold and converted her penalty. Berger sewage a manus to Geyoro’s spot-kick but could not support it retired and nan midfielder became France’s all-time apical scorer astatine Women’s European Championships.

For nan remainder of nan first half, Germany defied their numerical disadvantage pinch a brave capacity of counterattacking shot and they equalised erstwhile Sjoeke Nüsken darted to nan adjacent station unmarked to meet Klara Bühl’s area and loop an fantabulous header into nan acold corner.

France thought they had scored an outstanding squad extremity earlier half-time, erstwhile Delphine Cascarino’s instinctive back-heel into nan nett rounded disconnected a flowing move, but she had been successful an offside position. Another offside decision, confirmed by nan video adjunct referee, besides ruled retired a French “goal” early successful nan 2nd half, erstwhile Geyoro tucked successful connected nan rebound from Berger’s close-range prevention from Marie-Antoinette Katoto; Maëlle Lakrar was offside and deemed to person interfered pinch play, overmuch to nan vexation of France and Geyoro, who had tally to observe pinch her teammates adjacent to nan substitutes’ bench.

Sjoeke Nüsken of Germany celebrates her equaliser aft her broadside had already been reduced to 10 players. Photograph: James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

Germany were doing an fantabulous occupation of stifling their opponents pinch a valiant protect show and past – abruptly – astatine nan different end, they were awarded a punishment erstwhile Selma Bacha clumsily fouled nan superb Jule Brand. Cue German joyousness successful nan stands, but it was short-lived arsenic Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved Nüsken’s penalty, which had been fired somewhat to nan near of centre, and a comparatively benignant tallness for nan keeper.

Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger slots successful her spot-kick during a melodramatic punishment shootout. Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP

Berger produced nan prevention of nan tourney truthful acold successful nan first 15 other minutes, wowing everybody successful nan stadium arsenic she someway leaped backwards to make a one-handed prevention to forestall an ain extremity from her teammate Janina Minge, pinch nan keeper magnificently managing to claw nan shot disconnected nan statement erstwhile it had been down her body. She was superb again successful nan shootout, making 2 saves – including nan decisive 1 from Alice Sombath’s sudden-death onslaught – to complete a stunning result. On nan measurement she besides scored a spot-kick of her own.

The consequence ensured that France’s agelong hold for a first awesome trophy successful nan women’s crippled will continue, arsenic they exit astatine nan quarter-final shape of this title for nan 4th clip successful nan past 5 editions of nan Women’s Euros. The teams besides met successful nan semi-finals of nan Euros 3 years agone successful Milton Keynes, erstwhile nan Germans emerged victorious aft a talismanic capacity from their now-retired striker Alexandra Popp, but this was supposedly a caller France, a fresher France, a much technically awesome France team, and 1 that had enjoyed 3 wins retired of 3 to decorativeness apical of Group D, scoring 11 goals successful nan process. Yet they could not break this stubborn Germany defence down and they will surely spot this arsenic nan top of each their galore missed opportunities down nan years.