amid the euphoria in England reaching a fourth consecutive semi-final of a major tournament on Wednesday night, it is worth remembering that it was not until 2013 Germany won this match for the sixth time in a row.
That run came to an end five years ago with a surprise quarter-final defeat to Denmark in the Netherlands, but the eight-time champion remains firmly on course for a chance to reclaim their crown at Wembley in ten days’ time after a 2-0 win over Austria.
Either France or the Netherlands will stand in the way of what will be a heavyweight semi-final next week anyway, but Germany will go to Milton Keynes with another box ticked, equaling England in following a reckless group stage with more battle of attrition through the last eight.
Like England, they could count themselves a little lucky when an inspired Austria hit the woodwork three times in an impressive spectacle, although unlike the host nation, Germany never had to chase the equalizer and might have killed the game sooner if they had. hadn’t beaten himself twice.
In the end, it wasn’t until the last minute that Manuela Zinsberger’s hopeless elimination to Alexandra Popp really settled the matter, after Lina Magull gave Germany the lead midway through the first half.
Austria was the surprise pack in the Netherlands in 2017, reaching the semi-finals at the tournament debut, but is now a better side and after threatening to spoil England’s opening party, it had Ada Hegerberg’s Norway stunned to follow the Group A hosts .
Against a side that had only conceded once, Germany expected stronger defensive resistance than Finland, Denmark or even Spain, but within ten minutes were all but wiped out by a moment of attacking magic from Julia Hickelsberger-Fuller, who miraculously crossed her marker before she slammed straight at Merle Frohms from the corner.
Within 60 seconds, Germany had responded with an early chance of his own, Popp – in form and remaining in the lead despite returning to Lea Schuller’s squad due to her Covid absence – floating over the bar.
Austria’s center half, Marina Georgieva, then found the post with a header from a Verena Hanshaw corner, with the two sides literally going toe-to-toe. There was a lot of leeway, a lot of uncompromising challenges, many of them late and some greeted with punches and punches to the chest, the two sides laden with more solid friends and foes as seven of Austria’s starting squad played for clubs in Germany Frauen- Bundesliga last season.
The German opener came with the kind of relentless flourish they had brought Spain to battle here last week, despite only having 30 percent of the ball. The kick from Arsenal goalkeeper Zinsberger was not disastrous, but fell invitingly into midfield and gave Felicitas Rauch a sniff. She attacked it and found the menacing Klara Buhl, whose pull-back was cleverly overboarded by Popp to slide Magull home.
Zinsberger’s opponent, Merle Frohms, would come away shortly after the break with much worse clearance to an identical spot, Barbara Dunst tried a more direct route to goal from 40 yards, only to see her brilliant effort bounce back from the crossbar.
By then, Germany’s excellent right-back Giulia Gwinn had found the post herself with a low attack on the other side, before Frohms’ goal continued its charmed life as Sarah Puntigam heard the sound of a ball on woodwork spinning for the third time. the ground clattered in 13 second half minutes.
It didn’t feel like Austria’s night, but Germany was determined to keep them in with some wasteful finish. Popp headed a header wide before substitute Linda Dallman lifted the roof of the net and swung just past the top corner after a more poor distribution from Zinsberger. Buhl learned a missile from the corner of post and crossbar, then somehow slipped wide off a nearly open goal from Popp’s square pass.
In the end Zinsberger settled the matter for them, this time unreservedly about her guilt when she fired into the closing Popp and saw the ball bounce off her net.
This was the last game played here in Brentford during these Euros, a shame as the West London stadium has proved to be an ideal venue, every game here a good one, providing a strong crowd of rival fans, enthusiastic neutral players and a real summer tournament feel put on .
Then we head north and by the time these championships return to the capital it will be to crown a winner, a feeling Germany knows all too well.