o this is what happens when the coming force again bumps into its own historically immobile object.
Spainthe pre-tournament favorites for these European Championships threaten to take the women’s game to new heights, breaking attendance records in continental and home games, proud owners of a thriving domestic league that has produced a national team of unparalleled technical brilliance, imbued with especially with the genius of the (almost) all-conquering Barcelona†
But never before have they hit Germany and after a great game on the Brentford Community Stadium – by some distance the best of these euros so far – the hoodoos remain very much intact, after goals from Klara Buhl and Alexandra Popp gave the eight-time champion a 2-0 victory.
The immediate result is that Germany will qualify from Group B as winners with one game left, while Spain are on a collision course for a quarter-final meeting with England, provided they can take second place in what is now a winner-takes-all. all is third game against Denmark.
A week ago, that order of placement may have come as a slight surprise, but the balance of power in the so-called Group of Death had already begun to shift with the brutal ACL injury to Alexia Putellaseven before Germany beat alleged dark horses 4-0, this time Denmark had doubts about their credentials.
Spain’s own emphatic victory over Finland ensured that this match was staged as a meeting of two real, in-form contenders, and while last night’s equivalent between Norway and England disappointeddelivering a mismatch so blatant it might have belonged in the Love Island villa, delivered it, producing a game of captivating quality and heatwave-defying intensity.
The exception for both came in the first three minutes, when Sandra Panos dozily went straight to Buhl. The attacker still had work to do but sold Irene Paredes a dummy then fired low into the far corner, the kind of finish Germany must have feared would be missing in the absence of prolific Bayern Munich striker Lea Schuller via Covid.
Spain hadn’t had time to settle in, nor had it been given the chance by a ruthless German midfield press. They moved the ball quickly, but the Germans seemed to move faster, running to faces, closing spaces and defying the age-old claim that no player travels faster than the ball.
But gradually the magical roundabout began to buzz with red and Aitana Bonmati, a player whose gaze never falls below shoulder height, as if restrained by an invisible neck brace, began to take control. The midfielder found Barcelona team-mate Patricia Guijarro with a fine pass between the lines and Lucia Garcia was sent off clean, but wanted too much time, around the keeper and find the sidenet as the corner narrowed.
Lucia Garcia should have done better if she was put on goal clean
† Getty ImagesKiller instincts were the only difference between the two closely watched teams until the 36th minute, when Felicitas Rauch’s corner, won after a clever clutch by impressive right-back Giulia Gwinn, was led too easily home by Popp. Popp, the favored van Schuller’s absence had scored a sentimental fourth off the bench against the Danes, her first European Championship outing in a career spanning more than 100 caps, but this was a goal of real substance.
After the break, the 31-year-old was involved in the incident that should have settled the matter, when he threatened to run on target from halfway through, but was pulled back by Paredes. Referee Stephanie Frappart gave nothing, however, and not for the first time in this tournament, VAR set the threshold for intervention somewhere above the sky. It was a mind-boggling non-decision, but one that perpetuated the Spanish faith.
Garcia broke in from behind again, but Merle Frohms was quick to meet her, before Mariona Caldentey thought she had scored but was denied by the German keeper’s fingertips.
After knocking four past Finland, this was a night when Spanish fears that a lack of incision and clinical edge could cost them at the most crucial moments of this tournament returned. For all their good football, featuring not only Putellas but all-time leading scorer Jennifer Hermoso, there is no obvious quick fix.
As for Germany, each day of this tournament seems to bring a new ‘statement’ rendition of one of its big guns. But that they came out of such a gripping and for the most part even a match with such a convincing win marks this as arguably the best yet.