Germany got rid of the awkward Austriato which the wood denied him three goals, and qualified for the semifinals of the European Championship for the tenth time in its history (2-0).
The Germans, who hit the woodwork twice more, have only failed to get into the top four of the continental tournament in the 2017 edition. The eight-time champions return to a round in which they only lost in 1993 and are two wins away from his ninth title.
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a goal of Sara Dabritz at 25 minutess chose a match that had five shots to the woodwork, three for Austria, with luck denied in front of goal, and two for Germany, which did not sentence the game until the last minute, when Alexandra Popp, when blocking a ball from the goalkeeper Marina Zinsberger scored the second and final goal.
Germany took advantage of their rival’s defensive errors to placate a team that started well and without the tension of favoritism, applied to a Germany that had just signed a perfect group stage. Irene Fuhrmann’s pupils were uncovered with a hopeful start, in which they had two great chances to get ahead. Hickelsberger-Fuller, in a pass over the defense, went into the area alone, but could only take a shot to the center, hasty because the Germans were already squeezing her from behind.
But the best was for the central Marina Georgieva, with a header from a corner that crashed into the post.
The only German warning had come through Popp, with a shot from the penalty spot high above, and they needed a little push from Austria to prevail. The Austrian goalkeeper messed up at the ball exit, gave away a ball in the middle and the German offensive began. Bühl went by strength and speed on par with him, won baseline and sought support on a low pass behind. Popp, the scorer, knew how to let the ball pass and Magull, from the second row, scored with the inside.
Germany already had the prize and it was a matter of time before more goals fell, because the Austrian defense was conspicuous by its absence. Bühl had the second, disrupted at the near post by a save from Zinsberger, and also Giulia Gwinn, who as soon as she left the locker room crashed a low shot into the wood.
But Germany, instead of sentencing, invited Austria to come up and Fuhrmann’s had two other stumbles with the wood; a shot by Barbara Dunst to the crossbar and a shot by Sara Puntingam that grazed Frohms and hit the post.
The match was a festival of precision with the posts and the fifth fell on Germany’s account, with a beautiful shot from outside the area by Bühl directly to the crossbar.
It was Zinsberger who completed her black night with one of the most surreal goals of the tournament. Trying to clear a ball, she ran into Popp, who blocked the shot with such good luck for Germany that it ended up in the Austrian goal.
The 2-0 draws Germany back to the semi-finals for the first time since 2013, preventing Austria from repeating the exceptional Euro 2017 in which they finished third.
The rival of Germany will leave the duel that France and the Netherlands will play this Saturday in Rotherham.
– Datasheet:
2 – Germany: Frohms; Gwinn, Hendrich, Hegering, Rauch (Kleinherne, m.95); Magull (Dallmann, m.63), Oberdorf, Dabritz (Lattwein, m.64); Huth (Lohmann, m.95), Popp y Bühl (Brand, m.83).
0 – Austria: Zinsberger; Wienroither, Wenninger, Georgieva, Hanshaw; Puntigam (Hobinger, m.81), Hickelsberger-Fuller (Naschenweng, m.72), Zadrazil, Feiersinger, Dunst; Billa (Makas, m.86).
Goals: 1-0. Magull, m.25 and 2-0. Popp, m.90.
Referee: Rebecca Welch (ENG) admonished Dabritz (m.59) for Germany already Hanshaw (m.45), Dunst (m.85) and Naschenweng (m.94) for Austria.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the quarterfinals of Euro 2022 played at the Brentford Community Stadium (London) before 16,025 spectators. A minute’s silence was observed for the passing of Uwe Seller, legend of Hamburg and the German national team.