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The Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-France's European run ended by familiar foe Germany
Soccer Football - UEFA Women's Euro 2025 - Quarter Final - France v Germany - St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland - July 19, 2025 France's Alice Sombath looks dejected after losing the penalty shoot-out REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo BASEL, Switzerland (Reuters) -Heartbroken France were left lamenting another European exit at the hands of Germany on Saturday in a stunning 6-5 penalty shootout loss in the Euro 2025 quarter-finals, leaving Les Bleues still searching for their first major tournament title. The loss came despite having a player advantage for most of the game, after Germany's Kathrin Hendrich was sent offfor a tug on the hair of Griege Mbock Bathy in the box in the 13th minute. Grace Geyoro's ensuing penalty kick in the 13th minute was France's only goal in a bruising match that was tied 1-1 at the end of extra time. "It's very cruel, it's very difficult," Geyoro said. "We don't realize it yet, and there's a lot of disappointment and frustration at going out like that tonight. We're wondering when it's going to be smiling for us at last. It's difficult, frankly it's hard, that's football. I'm disappointed." The loss conjured memories of Euro 2022 when Germany dispatched France 2-1 in the semifinals before losing to England for the title. Despite the man advantage, France seemed to wither as the minutes wore on against the eight-times European champions. "We're sorry because when you're eleven against ten, you know that your set-pieces, numerical superiority do not exist anymore, so we had to avoid giving them those situations," coach Laurent Bonadei said. "We didn't manage to find the back of the net except for two goals that were flagged offside. It's a shame, we didn't need much. Especially after what we'd done in the group phase, I thought we were getting stronger." France indeed had their chances, with goals by Delphine Cascarino and Geyoro chalked off for offside in each half. Melvine Malard clanged a rocket off the crossbar in the dying seconds of extra time. "I'm obviously disappointed," France goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin said. "They were down to ten against 11, so even more disappointed. Finishing on penalties and going out like that is always the worst way to go. "It was a complicated game, they were behind for almost 90 minutes and they were sending warheads up front. "We're a bit down, we've just taken a blow to the back of the head." France's Amel Majri and Alice Sombath had their penalties saved in the shootout, with Sombath's spelling the end of France's tournament, as the heartbroken players collapsed on the pitch. "There's obviously a lot of disappointment," Geyoro said. "We really wanted to go all the way, but unfortunately we stop at the quarter-finals. Leaving the tournament just before the semi-finals is a real blow." (Reporting by Lori Ewing, Editing by Franklin Paul)
France 24
2 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Ten-woman Germany in Euros semis after stunning shootout win over France
Ann-Katrin Berger was the hero by saving Amel Majri and Alice Sombath's penalties to secure a last-four clash with Spain to Germany, who will take on the world champions in Zurich on Wednesday. Germany maintained their record of having never lost to France in a major summer tournament after battling back from going a goal and a woman down in the first 15 minutes to win a bruising encounter in Basel. "I would have loved to have had the game in 90 minutes and done and dusted," Berger told reporters. "I did my part of the game. In 120 minutes they (the team) worked incredibly hard and I think all the credit should go to the team, not me. "Maybe it was the decisive moment in the penalty shootout but everyone here should talk about it with him (coach Christian Wueck) now about the performance of the team because that was amazing and incredible." St Jakob-Park was dominated by fierce German support which flocked over the nearby border with Switzerland and roared their team on even after Kathrin Hendrich was sent off and gave away the penalty from which Grace Geyoro opened the scoring. Sjoeke Nuesken -- who also missed a penalty in the second half -- levelled the scores 10 minutes later and, after a long battle to hold off France, Berger sent the majority of the crowd wild with her shootout stops. France have now fallen at the quarter-finals stage in eight of their last 10 Euros after losing a match in which they had two goals ruled out for offside. "I don't think it was down to character, you have to remember that Germany are third in the FIFA rankings. They sat back and it was hard to break them down -- they put in a huge effort against us," said France coach Laurent Bonadei. "We couldn't make the difference, we had two goals ruled out for offside... it's a lack of being clinical in front of goal." Battling Germany Germany came into the match already missing key defenders Giulia Gwinn and Carlotta Wamser, to injury and suspension respectively, while star striker Lea Schueller was also surprisingly left on the bench. And the Germans' task was made even harder in the 13th minute when Hendrich was rightly dismissed for inexplicably pulling Griedge Mbock's hair while defending a free-kick, and giving Geyoro a chance to score she didn't pass up. But out of nowhere Nuesken drew a huge roar from Germany fans when she rose, completely unmarked, to glance home Klara Buehl's inswinging corner. From there Germany were content to sit back and hold France off by fair means or foul, and they were saved from being behind at the break by Delphone Cascarino needlessly straying offside before she flicked home Kadidiatou Diani's low cross. That was one of the few decent attacks France managed to conjure up with an extra woman, and they continued to struggle after the break. Even when Geyoro had the ball in the net for the second time, lashing home on the rebound after a fine save from Berger, the goal was ruled out as Maelle Lakrar impeded the Germany goalkeeper while in an offside position. And Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved France's skin when she kept out Nuesken's awful penalty in the 69th minute, given for a soft foul on Jule Brand. But it was Ann-Katrin Berger who made possibly the save of the tournament 12 minutes into extra time when she somehow clawed out Janina Minge's inadvertant header and stopped Germany going out to an own goal. Berger could only watch as Melvine Malard shook the crossbar with almost the last kick of the game before the shootout, but she stepped up in the shootout to allow Germany to win against all odds.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Germany's Berger 'living best life' after Euros shootout heroics
Ann-Katrin Berger is on top of the world after her saves on Saturday helped send Germany past France and into the semi-finals of Women's Euro 2025. Berger, a two-time survivor of thyroid cancer, saved Alice Sombath's penalty to decide the shootout 6-5 in Germany's favour after a gruelling match ended 1-1 after extra time. The 34-year-old also stopped France's first penalty from Amel Majri and kept the scores level in the first half of extra time with an astonishing stop to make sure Janina Minge didn't knock Germany out with an own goal. "I feel like I'm not a really emotional person, I'm glad I'm here and I'm glad that I have the team I have. Obviously the time here just makes me proud to be here," Berger told reporters. "Whatever happened in 2022 is in the past and I'm looking forward to it now, to the future. For me, now I live my best life and I'm in the semi-final." In the last four, Germany will face world champions Spain in Zurich on Wednesday. td/rcw
France 24
2 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Germany's Berger 'living best life' after Euros shootout heroics
Berger, a two-time survivor of thyroid cancer, saved Alice Sombath's penalty to decide the shootout 6-5 in Germany's favour after a gruelling match ended 1-1 after extra time. The 34-year-old also stopped France's first penalty from Amel Majri and kept the scores level in the first half of extra time with an astonishing stop to make sure Janina Minge didn't knock Germany out with an own goal. "I feel like I'm not a really emotional person, I'm glad I'm here and I'm glad that I have the team I have. Obviously the time here just makes me proud to be here," Berger told reporters. "Whatever happened in 2022 is in the past and I'm looking forward to it now, to the future. For me, now I live my best life and I'm in the semi-final." In the last four, Germany will face world champions Spain in Zurich on Wednesday. © 2025 AFP
France 24
2 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Ten-woman Germany beat France on penalties to reach Euro 2025 semis
Alice Sombath missed the decisive penalty for France to hand a last-four clash with Spain to Germany, who will take on the world champions in Zurich on Wednesday. Germany maintained their record of having never lost to France in a major summer tournament after battling back from going a goal and a woman down in the first 15 minutes to win a bruising encounter in Basel. St Jacob's Park was dominated by fierce German support which flocked over the nearby border with Switzerland and roared their team on even after Kathrin Hendrich was sent off and gave away the penalty from which Grace Geyoro opened the scoring. Sjoeke Nuesken -- who also missed a penalty in the second half -- levelled the scores 10 minutes later and, after a long battle to hold off France, Sombath's mistake sent the majority of the crowd wild. Germany came into the match already missing key defenders Giulia Gwinn and Carlotta Wamser, to injury and suspension respectively, while star striker Lea Schueller was also surprisingly left on the bench. And the Germans' task was made even harder in the 13th minute when Hendrich inexplicably pulled Griedge Mbock's hair while defending a free-kick. But out of nowhere Nuesken drew a huge roar from the fans when she rose, completely unmarked, to glance home Klara Buehl's inswinging corner. From there Germany were content to sit back and hold France off by fair means or foul, and they were saved from being behind at the break by Delphone Cascarino needlessly straying offside before flicking home Kadidiatou Diani's low cross. That was one of the few decent attacks France managed to conjure up with an extra woman, and they continued to struggle after the break. Even when Geyoro had the ball in the net for the second time, lashing home on the rebound after a fine save from Ann-Katrin Berger, the goal was ruled out as Maelle Lakrar impeded the Germany goalkeeper while in an offside position. And Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved France's skin when she kept out Nuesken's awful penalty in the 69th minute, given for a soft foul on Jule Brand. But it was Ann-Katrin Berger who made possibly the save of the tournament 12 minutes into extra time when she somehow clawed out Janina Minge's inadvertant header and stopped Germany going out with an own goal. Berger could only watch as Melvine Malard shook the crossbar with almost the last kick of the game before the shootout, in which Amel Majri and Sombath both had weak efforts saved and allowed Germany to win against all odds.
