Germany GK stars in shootout win over France

Ann-Katrin Berger pulled disconnected a stunning last prevention arsenic Germany bushed France 6-5 successful a punishment shootout to acceptable up a Euro 2025 semifinal showdown with satellite champions Spain aft a bruising brushwood that ended 1-1 aft other time.

The Germans pulled disconnected a stunning comeback from a extremity down and a consecutive reddish paper for defender Kathrin Hendrich aft 13 minutes, battling their mode backmost into the crippled and yet getting the amended of their opponents successful a thrilling shootout.

Gotham FC goalkeeper Berger was -- unsurprisingly -- named subordinate of the match, but she was speedy to deflect the praise for her show onto her teammates.

"I was not blessed that we had to spell to a punishment shootout, but I think, I did my portion of the crippled now," Berger said. "Because the team, successful 120 minutes, they worked incredibly hard and I deliberation that each the recognition should spell to the team, not me.

"Maybe it was the decisive infinitesimal successful the punishment shootout, but everyone present should speech astir the show of the squad due to the fact that that was astonishing and incredible."

Hendrich was sent disconnected aft a VAR reappraisal established that she had pulled the hairsbreadth of Griege Mbock Bathy successful the box, and Grace Geyoro's consequent punishment had the powerfulness to get implicit the enactment contempt Berger getting a beardown manus to it.

On the ropes and struggling, the Germans abruptly levelled, Sjoeke Nuesken catching the defence napping by darting towards Klara Buehl's near-post country and flashing a header into the nett successful the 25th minute.

With the well-organised Germans defending doggedly, France had 2 goals ruled retired for offside and Nuesken had a second-half punishment saved, and neither broadside managed to people successful other time.

"For ample parts of the game, you wouldn't announcement we were 1 (player) less. I americium incredibly proud," Germany skipper Janina Minge said of her side's resilient comeback. "I person to say, the fans were unbelievable. I don't cognize if I person ever experienced thing similar that. You could spot that we are acceptable for thing big."

The crippled went to penalties, and Berger got the shootout disconnected to a large commencement for the Germans by redeeming from Amel Majri, but they were brought backmost to level pegging erstwhile Sara Daebrtiz struck her spot footwear disconnected the crossbar and implicit the goal.

Berger, a crab subsister who sports a tattoo to screen up a scar from her attraction that says "All we person is now," past fired location from the spot herself earlier diving to her near to contradict Alice Sombath, sending the Germans done to the past four.

England look Italy successful the different semi-final connected Tuesday.

"We cognize we'd done the hardest happening by opening the scoring against a squad reduced to 10 [players]. Penalties are difficult, we cognize that, and it's a shame for Alice due to the fact that she's young and learning. You besides person to instrumentality your chapeau disconnected to Germany," dejected France manager Laurent Bonadei said.