Article Written by Starlight Illustrated Staff & Marcello Cutti II/Starlight Illustrated

BASEL, SWITZERLAND(SMI-GLOBAL-WOMEN-SPORTS-JULY 02-27, 2025)-FIFA-ranked #3, Germany Women's national team defeated #10, France 6-5, in wild penalty shootout in the quarterfinal match, advance to the semifinals of the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 at St. Jakob-Park, in Basel, Switzerland.

With the victory, The Germans advance to the semifinals to face Spain who defeated the host Switzerland 2-0, in the other quarterfinals match.

The French outperformed the Germans in the game-stats with 75% to 25% in possession, 18-7, on shots to goal and 9-2, shots on target but the goals scored is what determine the winner in every game.

Les Bleues (The Blues) on its first major counter-attack through the right-side field, defender Selma Bacha sent a direct-kick into the penalty box, finding forward
Marie-Antoinette Katoto who with a header aiming to goal went out-of-bounce and during the same play, German's defender Kathrin Hendrich pulled the hair of French's defender Griedge Mbock Bathy for a sent-off and penalty call at 11' mark.

The penalty kick was executed by midfielder Grace Geyoro and scored to put France in front 1-0, over Germany at 15' mark. 

Ten-minute later, The Germans struck-back and found the equalizer through striker
Sjoeke Nusken who scored with a header from inside 6-yard box to the top-right corner after forward Clara Buhl centered the ball inside the penalty box from a corner kick to level the game 1-1, at 25' mark.

With 5' remaining in the half, defender Sakina Karchaoui passed the ball to Delphine Cascarino on a fast-break to Grace Geyoro who crossed it inside the penalty box to Cascarino who scored a beautiful goal with a backed-heal in back of the net but it was nulled due to an outside call by the referee and closed-out the half tie 1-1.

In the second half, France counter-attacked twice with Cascarino shooting a right-footed from 20-yards towards goal but it was saved and parried away out bounce for a corner kick by goalkeeper Ann-Katrine Berger. And 3-minute later, defender Sakina Karchaoui centered the ball inside the 6-yard box finding Marie-Antoinette Katoto who almost scored with a header but it was saved by Berger back onto the field and on the re-bound Grace Geyoro scored with a left-footed but it was nulled due to an outside call by the referee at 59' mark.

Germany answered back with a counter-attack through the right-side field when forward Giovanna Hoffman received a long-ball from the back-line and gave it to midfielder Jule Brand who on a fast-break inside the 18' was brought-down by defender Salma Bacha for a penalty call by the referee at 68' mark.

Midfielder Sjoeke Nusken was in charge in executing the penalty kick but her right-footed shot to the opposite goalpost was saved and parried away onto the field for a sensational save by goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin at 69' mark for the game to remain tie 1-1.

The remaining regulation time and Extra-time concluded without any major 
danger at either goal sending both teams to the penalty shoot-out to determine the winner:

Janina Minge (Germany) Scored with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner. 

Amel Majri (France) Missed a left footed shot saved in the bottom right corner by Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany)

Linda Dallmann (Germany) Scored with a right footed shot to top right corner.

Sakina Karchaoui (France) Scored with a left footed shot to bottom right corner.​

Rebecca Knaak (Germany) Scored with a left footed shot to the centre of the goal.

 Melvine Malard (France) Scored with a right footed shot to bottom left corner.

Sara Däbritz (Germany) hits the bar with a left footed shot for missed shot

Sandy Baltimore (France) Scored with a left footed shot to bottom left corner.
 
Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany) Scored with a right footed shot to top right corner.

Oriane Jean-François (France) Scored with right footed-shot bottom left corner.

Klara Bühl (Germany) Scored with a right footed shot to the top right corner.

Melween N'Dongala (France) Scored with a right footed shot to top left corner.

Sjoeke Nüsken (Germany) scored with a right footed shot to bottom right corner.

Alice Sombath (France) right footed shot SAVED @top right corner by Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany).

Germany's goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger played hero after stopping and saving the penalty shot by Alice Sombath and secure the win of 6-5, in penalty shots, sending the Germans to the semifinals rounds to face Spain on Wednesday July 23, at Stadion Letzigrund, in Zurich, Switzerland.