Basel, Switzerland – Germany’s women’s national football team showcased incredible resilience on Saturday, July 19, 2025, overcoming a numerical disadvantage to defeat France 6-5 in a thrilling penalty shootout at St. Jacob’s Park, following a gruelling match that ended 1-1 after extra time. This dramatic victory secured Germany a spot in the Women’s Euro 2025 semifinals, where they will face world champions Spain.
A Battle of Attrition and German Grit
The quarterfinal clash was a testament to Germany’s fighting spirit. Despite going a goal and a player down within the first 15 minutes, the Germans maintained their impressive record of never having lost to France in a major summer tournament. The stadium was largely dominated by fierce German support, who had flocked across the nearby border with Switzerland and roared their team on through every challenging moment.
The early drama unfolded when German defender Kathrin Hendrich was sent off for a foul inside the box, conceding a penalty. Grace Geyoro calmly converted the spot-kick, putting France ahead. However, Germany’s response was swift and resolute. Just 10 minutes later, Sjoeke Nuesken found the equalizer, heading the ball home to level the scores.
The remainder of regular time and extra time saw Germany battling valiantly with ten women to hold off a relentless French attack. The match was characterized by its bruising nature and high intensity. In the decisive penalty shootout, it was France’s Alice Sombath who missed the crucial spot-kick, sending the vast majority of the crowd into wild celebration and securing Germany’s passage to the last four. German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was also a hero in the shootout, saving two penalties and converting her own.
Semifinal Showdown with World Champions Spain
Germany will now prepare for a highly anticipated semifinal clash against reigning world champions Spain. This heavyweight encounter is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in Zurich. The winner of this match will advance to the final in Basel on Sunday, July 27, to face either England or Italy.
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