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The Independent
17 minutes ago
- The Independent
Sweden claim narrow victory over Denmark to open Euro 2025
Filippa Angeldahl scored for Sweden in a third straight game as her second-half strike secured a 1-0 win over neighbours Denmark in the opening game of Group C at Euro 2025. Real Madrid's Angeldahl, who scored in friendlies against Denmark and Norway last month, played a one-two with Kosovare Asllani as she entered the box from the right and netted a right-footed shot near the far post in the 55th minute after a tight first half. "There's so much nerves when you start a tournament so it was a wonderful feeling to score that first goal," player of the match Angeldahl said. "It's really important to win the first match and give you a platform for the rest of the finals." Denmark had fought hard to stay in the game as Sweden dominated possession, with Katrine Veje's tackle denying Stina Blackstenius in the 17th minute and keeper Maja Bay Ostergaard tipping over Angeldahl's free kick near the top corner just before the break. Blackstenius almost scored Sweden's second goal shortly after the hour mark but her shot from close range was saved on the line by Frederikke Thogersen, leading to a groan from the more than 17,000 spectators in attendance. Denmark, who had only 10 attempts in the game, almost half of Sweden's, came dramatically close to equalising in the 81st minute when Thogersen found Pernille Harder with a quick pass on the right, but the Danish captain's thundering drive hit the crossbar. "It's hard that we didn't get a point from here today but we can take how we played today, how good we were, how good (we defended)... into the next game against Germany," Denmark defender Stine Ballisager said. Denmark face eight-time champions Germany on Tuesday, while Sweden play Poland.
The Guardian
26 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Jule Brand's stunner gets Germany off to perfect start against stubborn Poland
As Jule Brand collected the ball on the turn on the corner of the box with her back to goal, she knew the assignment. Germany needed something special to break through Poland's stubborn resistance. Within a blink of an eye, the net was bulging and Germany were making a winning start to their campaign. A well-coached Poland side can be proud of their performance but, once Brand opened the scoring in the 52nd minute, the result looked inevitable and Lea Schüller headed in Germany's second to give them a perfect springboard to the tournament. The record eight-time European champions have failed to reach the final only twice since the first time they qualified in 1989, but it was not until the second half when they were able to demonstrate why so many pundits are tipping them to go deep into the competition yet again. With St Gallen lying less than 15 miles from the German border, this was almost a home fixture for the 2022 runners-up and their supporters brought energy and passion to the streets of the seventh-century city, surrounded by rolling green hills on another picture-perfect, warm evening in Switzerland. After the hosts, German citizens have purchased more tickets for this tournament than any other nation, and it showed, as they paraded in vast numbers through the streets towards the stadium before kick-off, eager to see if their team could continue their formidable run of five straight victories in which they had scored 24 times. The debutants Poland, however, had nothing to lose and executed their gameplan impressively in the first half. Without the ball, they often appeared to be playing with a back six, such was their defensive mindset, but they proved tricky for the Germans to break down and then, in the transitional moments, they had the pace of the Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor in attack to worry the Germany back four, so much so that it was Poland who created the more dangerous early chances. Emilia Szymczak volleyed wide of the far post when unmarked at a deep free-kick, before Ann-Katrin Berger tipped a Pajor shot over the crossbar, although the offside flag was raised regardless, while at the other end, the West Ham keeper Kinga Szemik did well to keep out Brand's powerful, low strike. Christian Wück's side were dealt a major blow when their right-back Giulia Gwinn was forced off with a worrying injury – she looked devastated – before Schüller spurned the best chance of the opening 45 minutes, failing to connect with the ball as it rolled to her in front of goal. Such was Wück's frustration, he sent his team out for the second half more than three minutes early. Brand responded with the moment of individual quality that was needed, cutting in on to her left foot and driving her strike past Szemik. The sea of white shirts behind the goal erupted. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion Sjoeke Nüsken inexplicably headed wide when a goal seemed certain, before Schüller headed narrowly over the bar, either side of Pajor firing straight at Berger. Schüller breathed a sigh of relief when she did eventually convert her next headed chance, moments later. Poland did not give up and Pajor was thwarted by a fine reaction save from Berger. Nina Patalon's side will take heart from this game and believe they can cause Denmark and Sweden concern later in the group. As for Germany, they did not quite send out the same statement that Spain stamped across the competition on Thursday, but make no mistake, they are strong.
Reuters
26 minutes ago
- Reuters
Brand on target as Germany battle to 2-0 win over Poland at Women's Euros
July 4 (Reuters) - Germany forward Jule Brand scored one goal and made another as her side battled to a 2-0 win over tournament debutantes Poland in their Group C opener at the Women's Euros in St. Gallen on Friday, but the Germans suffered a blow when captain Giulia Gwinn left the field injured. Gwinn, who has suffered two anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries previously in her career, was helped from the field in tears in the 40th minute after twisting her knee while making a last-ditch tackle to prevent Poland captain Ewa Pajor from scoring. After dominating much of the scoreless first half against a spirited Poland side, the Germans finally made the breakthrough seven minutes into the second when Brand cut inside before firing a soaring, curling shot into the top-left corner of the Polish goal past the despairing dive of Kinga Szemik. Sjoeke Nuesken and Klara Buehl both should have scored with headers before Lea Schueller finally got the second in the 66th minute, expertly exploiting a sliver of space in Poland's offside line to steal in behind and score with a header from Brand's cross. The lively Pajor represented Poland's best chance of scoring on the night and she had a number of good chances, but Ann- Katrin Berger pulled off a string of fine saves in the German goal to keep her clean sheet intact. With Sweden having beaten Denmark 1-0 earlier, the Germans go into their game against the Danes in Basel on Tuesday on top of Group C ahead of the second-placed Swedes, who face Poland in Lucerne later the same evening.
