The record European champions defeated France 2-1 in Milton Keynes on Wednesday evening and will now face hosts England on Sunday (6 p.m./live ORF 1) in the fight for the title at a sold-out Wembley Stadium in London. Once again outstanding for the Germans was double goal scorer Alexandra Popp (40th, 76th).
The 31-year-old Wolfsburg striker has scored in all games in her first European Championship tournament and has already saved six goals. After the bitter quarter-final out in 2017, the Germans can continue to hope for their return to the European Championship throne. Previously, they had retracted six of their eight titles in a row. France, on the other hand, left the field in the first European Championship semi-final in the history of the association with a sagging face, so the first European Championship title will have to wait at least three more years.
The Germans, who narrowly defeated the ÖFB squad 2-0 in the quarter-finals, were the better team in front of 27,445 spectators before the break. Pauline Peyraud-Magnin brilliantly parried a Popp free kick (22′). In the 40th minute, however, the striker was unstoppable. When Svenja Huth, who was strong again, took an ideal cross, she took full risk and scored a left volley from seven meters. However, the joy only resisted for a short time, as Kadidiatou Diani only hit the post from almost 20 meters, but the ball found its way into the goal via the back of goalkeeper Merle Frohms.
The DFB goalkeeper conceded the first goal of the tournament herself. At the break, France team boss Corinne Diacre tried to bring a breath of fresh air by substituting Selma Bacha. And it was. Kathrin-Julia Hendrich was able to block a 21-year-old shot in dire straits (63′). Immediately afterwards, Frohms was on the ball with a Renard header (64′). The French were better inside the game, but conceded the crucial goal just then. Again it was a proven combination of Huth and Popp. This time there was a powerful header from six meters at the end of the action.
Bacha almost managed to equalize (79′), on the other hand Linda Dallmann carelessly missed the chance to make it 3-1 (90′). But that didn’t pay off anymore. The two-time world champion and Olympic champion from 2016 also survived the fifth competitive game against France unbeaten, as in 2005 (3:0) and 2009 (5:1/each group phase) there was a win at European Championship level. France suffered a defeat after 18 unbeaten international matches.
England had already secured their ticket to the final on Tuesday with a clear 4-0 win over Sweden. England had been Austria’s opening opponents in the opening game at Old Trafford Stadium, which they won 1-0.
Source: Nachrichten
