The German female footballers were euphoric after reaching the quarterfinals of the European Championship at the expense of France (1-1). Coach Christian Wück’s team held out almost the entire match on Saturday in an outnumbered situation and won the penalty shootout.
Kathrin Hendrich received a red card after just thirteen minutes because she had pulled her opponent’s hair. France converted the subsequent penalty, but Germany equalized through Sjoeke Nüsken. The midfielder could have put Germany ahead after the break, but she missed a penalty. In addition, two French goals were disallowed.
German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger excelled in extra time with a sublime save. In the penalty series, she stopped two penalties, while she shot one in herself. “Everyone should be afraid of us now,” Berger said after the spectacle against ZDF.
“I’m not so proud of myself, but especially of the team. Standing on the field with ten players for 100 or 110 minutes is a tough task. And I have contributed to that. I don’t think it’s fair if I’m the only one being praised.”
Berger had a cheat sheet for the penalty series, but ultimately saved on instinct. “My grandfather will probably say that I sometimes jumped too early. And I know that about myself too. The coach always says that too. But I am extremely happy anyway.”
Nüsken in tears: ‘Never experienced this before’
Nüsken burst into tears of relief. “I have never experienced such a match,” said the captain. “It was a hellish battle. I am incredibly proud of the team.”
Coach Wück was also euphoric after the impressive performance. “We couldn’t have done this if someone had fallen through the ice,” said Wück, who did not want to comment on Hendrich’s red card. “I think we are now ready for some rest days. But this gives a significant mental boost towards the semi-finals.”
Germany will play world champion Spain in the semi-finals on Wednesday, who were too strong for host country Switzerland 2-0 on Friday. The other semi-final will be between Italy and Sarina Wiegman’s England on Tuesday.