Germany show grit in comeback shoot-out victory over France, to reach EURO 2025 semis despite early red card

Germany are into the semi-finals of UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 football tournament, after beating France in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in Basel on Saturday (19 July).

It didn’t take long for the first big talking point of the evening, when Kathrin Hendrich was shown a red card for a hair pull on French captain Griedge Mbock Bathy in the box inside 15 minutes. As a result, the referee had no choice other than to point to the spot.

Grace Geyoro took on the responsibility and, despite Ann-Katrin Berger getting a glove to her effort, converted the spot kick to put France 1-0 up.

Up against it, eight-time continental champions Germany found themselves defending for large parts of the half after going down to 10, but when an opportunity came, they seized it. Klara Bühl delivered a teasing corner into the box, which was glanced home by an undetected Sjoeke Nüsken to get them back on level terms.

France looked to have restored their lead right before the interval after a sublime team move that was finished off by Delphine Cascarino, but the winger was deemed to be offside. Les Bleues were had another disallowed goal shortly after half-time, following a second offside effort.

With 20 to go, Germany were offered a golden chance to get themselves ahead when Jule Brand was bundled over in the box, prompting the referee to award a penalty. Nüsken, already with a goal to her name, took the spot kick only for it to be parried away by Pauline Peyraud Magnin.

At the end of normal time, there remained nothing to separate these two sides, facing down the barrel of a gruelling 30 minutes of extra time. The biggest moment of which came when Janina Minge very nearly headed into the back of her own net, but for the heroics of Berger who, back peddling and at full stretch, just about clawed it back off the line.

The match would be decided on penalties, and it took an intense 12 of them to separate the teams. Berger stepped up yet again, saving the decisive effort from Alice Sombath to seal Germany their place in the last four, 6-5 on pens.

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