Germany heroically reach Euro 2025 semi-finals | OneFootball

Rebecca Knaak and Sydney Lohmann’s Germany heroically reached the semi-finals of Euro 2025 after beating France on penalties despite playing with 10-players for over 107 minutes.

City’s centre-back played the entirety and our summer signing from Bayern Munich was an unused substitute in the memorable success which saw them secure passage into the last-four.

It was Christian Wuck’s side who started the brighter of the last-eight tie and a slick passing move brought the first chance of the clash when the ball was worked to Jule Brand whose effort from the edge of the area flew wide of the target.

Germany’s momentum was halted moments later though and the pendulum swung into France’s favour when, after a VAR consultation, Kathrin Hendrich was adjudged to have pulled Griedge Mbock’s hair at a set-play.

This saw the Chicago Stars’ defender receive a straight red card and a penalty was awarded to France before Grace Geyoro squeezed the ball past Ann-Katrin Berger, who was able to get a hand to the spot-kick but couldn’t prevent it from finding the net.

The incident threatened to snatch the wind from Germany’s sails, but they rallied to equalise in the 25th minute when a corner was swung to the near post where Sjoke Nusken smartly flicked into the side netting.

Knaak and her national team-mates didn’t allow their numerical disadvantage show as the first half progressed, but they were fortunate not to fall behind on the cusp of the interval when France slid the ball into the box where Delphine Cascarino beautifully backheeled home.

However, her effort was ruled out for a narrow offside, and in stoppage time, Knaak was called into action when diving in front of Marie-Antoinette Katoto to head the ball away with the France forward looking to pounce.

The breathless pace of proceedings continued after the break and Berger had to be at her best to prevent Cascarino’s effort after the forward had weaved to the edge of the area and drilled low towards the corner with Germany’s goalkeeper tipped round the post.

From the resulting corner, France thought they had capitalised when the ball broke to Geyoro who slammed into the net but VAR intervened again which adjudged Maelle Lakrar to have interfered with play from an offside position which saw the referee rule the strike out.

The decision seemed to inject fresh life into Germany who continued to grow into the tie, and they won a penalty with just over 20 minutes remaining when Selma Bacha brought down Brand on the touchline.

Nusken stepped up but saw her powerful effort from 12-yards saved by Pauline Peyraud-Magnin before France cleared their lines.

As the clock ticked past 90 minutes into eight additional at the end of the second-half chances were few and far between which resulted in extra-time being needed to separate the sides.

Germany then had Berger to thank soon after she acrobatically clawed the ball of the line after Janina Minge's header looped towards and looked certain to find her own net.

Melvine Malard then sent a vicious strike dipping off the crossbar which was the last chance of extra-time, meaning a penalty shootout would decide who would advance into the semi-finals.

And it was there where Germany prevailed - scoring six of their seven spot-kicks, including Knaak's effort where she calmly slotted into the bottom left corner.

It means they will now face Leila Ouahabi's Spain on Wednesday 23 July at 20:00 (UK) for a place in the final.