🚨 Penalty shootout drama: Germany reach the Euro semi-finals

Germany is in the semifinals! Although the DFB women were down to ten players since the 13th minute, the team coached by Christian Wück fought their way to a penalty shootout and managed to defeat the French. 

ADVERTISEMENT: Strong for the future: With ERGO's retirement plan, tailored to the needs of women.

The match started with a special kind of excitement. After about twelve minutes, referee Tess Olofsson was unexpectedly called to the VAR monitor by the video assistant. The reason: Kathrin Hendrich had pulled Griedge Mbock's hair during a harmless free kick. The Swedish referee immediately decided on a red card and a penalty for France. Grace Geyoro converted it with a bit of luck to make it 1-0. 

📸 Charlotte Wilson - 2025 Getty Images

In the 25th minute, the Germans struck back. After a corner to the near post, Sjoeke Nüsken headed the DFB women back into the game. Although the French continued to press, truly dangerous scoring chances remained absent until halftime. 

That changed after the break. In the 57th minute, the ball was in the German net again. After a world-class save by Ann-Kathrin Berger, the ball landed at the feet of Grace Geyoro, who was able to slot it in from close range. But once again, the video assistant intervened. 

📸 Alexander Hassenstein - 2025 Getty Images

The reason: France's Lakrar had actively gone for the ball from an offside position after Berger's save, thus interfering with the play. Referee Olofsson rightly decided on offside and disallowed the goal. 

In the 68th minute, a cheer echoed through St. Jakobs Park. After a foul by Bacha on Jule Brand, the referee pointed to the spot. But the cheers of the traveling German fans were short-lived. Sjoeke Nüsken stepped up for the penalty and was denied by France's keeper Peyraud-Magnin.

📸 Charlotte Wilson - 2025 Getty Images

In a fiercely contested final phase, neither team could make a decisive breakthrough. Due to inaccuracies in the final pass or finish, neither the French nor the Germans were truly dangerous again. After eight minutes of added time, both teams went to the locker rooms to catch their breath before extra time. 

And here, Ann-Kathrin Berger made herself immortal once again in the 103rd minute. After a failed header clearance that arched towards the goal, the goalkeeper sprinted back and saved the ball with a spectacular diving stop on the line. 

📸 SEBASTIEN BOZON - AFP or licensors

The rest of the extra time was pure battle. The German women threw themselves at every conceivable ball, while the French, despite their long numerical advantage, could not develop the necessary penetration and were a bit unlucky in the end. In stoppage time, Malard hit the crossbar for France from about 30 meters. The game was to be decided as dramatically as possible. In a penalty shootout. 

Germany got to start. Janina Minge went first and scored to make it 1-0. The first penalty for the French by Amel Majri was immediately saved by the outstanding Ann-Kathrin Berger. Linda Dallmann took the second shot for the Germans, spectacularly firing the ball into the top corner. Sakina Karchaoui then scored to make it 2-1. 

But the DFB women continued to show nerves of steel. Rebecca Knaak scored to make it 3-1 before Melvine Malard converted for France to make it 3-2. Then the setback for the German national players. Sara Däbritz hit the crossbar with the fourth penalty - Sandy Baltimore equalized to 3-3. 

📸 FABRICE COFFRINI - AFP or licensors

Ann-Kathrin Berger herself took the fifth penalty for Germany and confidently scored to make it 4-3. But Jean-François also scored for France.

Ann-Kathrin Berger, Oriane Jean-François, Klara Bühl, and Melween N'Dongala all converted their penalties as well. Then it was Sjoeke Nüsken's turn. After missing her penalty in regular time, the Chelsea player scored to give Germany the lead again. France's Alice Sombath then had to step up. And once again, Ann-Kathrin Berger was there. The woman for whom superlatives soon run out saved the penalty and sealed the victory. Germany is in the semifinals against Spain. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 SEBASTIEN BOZON - AFP or licensors