Latest news with #Aitana Bonmatí
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Germany exits Euro 2025 after sheer doggedness nearly gets team to the final
German chancellor Friedrich Merz never got to see Germany play at the Women's European Championship. 'If it goes well we'll see each other Sunday evening in Basel for the final,' Merz posted on social media before the German team faced World Cup champion Spain in the semifinal match on Wednesday. It didn't go quite that well. Aitana Bonmatí scored late in extra time for Spain to win 1-0 and avoid a penalty shootout that the Germany team had been holding out for. Germany's Euro 2025 campaign had been full of promise, but not matched in substance. Merz was filmed watching Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger's amazing save in the quarterfinal win over France as if he'd never seen it before. He he was never so excited during a soccer game than he'd been watching Germany win on penalties the previous weekend. A commitment to meet France's president, Emmanuel Macron, meant Merz couldn't attend the semifinals in Zurich. Anyone watching Germany during the tournament was left wondering what the team is really capable of. A highlight reel would feature a string of fine saves from Berger, committed defending from Franziska Kett, Giovanna Hoffmann and Jule Brand – who are all forwards – and only occasional flashes of brilliance in attack, such as Brand's opening strike in the team's first game against Poland . Germany, the eight-time European champion, only nearly reached the final through sheer dogged determination. Captain Giulia Gwinn was injured against Poland and ruled out for the remainder of the tournament . A 2-1 come-from-behind win over Denmark ensured early progress from the group, before a chastening 4-1 loss to Sweden in the last group game. Germany had defender Gwinn's replacement, Carlotta Wamser, sent off early against Sweden for swatting the ball away from goal with her hand, then Kathrin Hendrich sent off early in the quarterfinal match against France for pulling French captain Griedge Mbock back by her hair . It meant Germany reverted to defensive tactics in both games, protecting Berger's goal while hoping the likes of Brand and star forward Klara Bühl might score on counterattacks. Bühl's corner allowed Sjoeke Nüsken to score the equalizer against France and the team held on despite French dominance to win 6-5 on penalties after Berger's heroics. The Germany goalkeeper was feted afterward for her amazing save to stop stand-in captain Janina Minge's backward header from going into her own net when she leaped backwards and somehow clawed the ball away from the line. Berger also saved two penalties and scored her own spot kick in the shootout. The win filled the German players and supporters with confidence ahead of the game against Spain, despite the overall performance against France. 'We dominated them from start to finish. Now they're through. I'm sorry, but they don't deserve it,' France winger Selma Bacha said. Germany was short on defenders against Spain with Sarai Linder joining Gwinn on the injury list and Hendrichs and Nüsken both suspended. But it didn't stop the team defending, with forwards helping out at the back, producing timely blocks and committed challenges to frustrate Spain's star forwards. Berger again made a host of saves until she left space at her near post and Bonmatí squeezed the ball through. It ended Germany's hopes of a rematch with defending champion England in the final, and left Merz with an opening in his schedule. ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Germany exits Euro 2025 after sheer doggedness nearly gets team to the final
German chancellor Friedrich Merz never got to see Germany play at the Women's European Championship. 'If it goes well we'll see each other Sunday evening in Basel for the final,' Merz posted on social media before the German team faced World Cup champion Spain in the semifinal match on Wednesday. It didn't go quite that well. Aitana Bonmatí scored late in extra time for Spain to win 1-0 and avoid a penalty shootout that the Germany team had been holding out for. Germany's Euro 2025 campaign had been full of promise, but not matched in substance. Merz was filmed watching Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger's amazing save in the quarterfinal win over France as if he'd never seen it before. He he was never so excited during a soccer game than he'd been watching Germany win on penalties the previous weekend. A commitment to meet France's president, Emmanuel Macron, meant Merz couldn't attend the semifinals in Zurich. Anyone watching Germany during the tournament was left wondering what the team is really capable of. A highlight reel would feature a string of fine saves from Berger, committed defending from Franziska Kett, Giovanna Hoffmann and Jule Brand – who are all forwards – and only occasional flashes of brilliance in attack, such as Brand's opening strike in the team's first game against Poland. Germany, the eight-time European champion, only nearly reached the final through sheer dogged determination. Captain Giulia Gwinn was injured against Poland and ruled out for the remainder of the tournament. A 2-1 come-from-behind win over Denmark ensured early progress from the group, before a chastening 4-1 loss to Sweden in the last group game. Germany had defender Gwinn's replacement, Carlotta Wamser, sent off early against Sweden for swatting the ball away from goal with her hand, then Kathrin Hendrich sent off early in the quarterfinal match against France for pulling French captain Griedge Mbock back by her hair. It meant Germany reverted to defensive tactics in both games, protecting Berger's goal while hoping the likes of Brand and star forward Klara Bühl might score on counterattacks. Bühl's corner allowed Sjoeke Nüsken to score the equalizer against France and the team held on despite French dominance to win 6-5 on penalties after Berger's heroics. The Germany goalkeeper was feted afterward for her amazing save to stop stand-in captain Janina Minge's backward header from going into her own net when she leaped backwards and somehow clawed the ball away from the line. Berger also saved two penalties and scored her own spot kick in the shootout. The win filled the German players and supporters with confidence ahead of the game against Spain, despite the overall performance against France. 'We dominated them from start to finish. Now they're through. I'm sorry, but they don't deserve it,' France winger Selma Bacha said. Germany was short on defenders against Spain with Sarai Linder joining Gwinn on the injury list and Hendrichs and Nüsken both suspended. But it didn't stop the team defending, with forwards helping out at the back, producing timely blocks and committed challenges to frustrate Spain's star forwards. Berger again made a host of saves until she left space at her near post and Bonmatí squeezed the ball through. It ended Germany's hopes of a rematch with defending champion England in the final, and left Merz with an opening in his schedule. ___ AP soccer:
Associated Press
6 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Germany exits Euro 2025 after sheer doggedness nearly gets team to the final
German chancellor Friedrich Merz never got to see Germany play at the Women's European Championship. 'If it goes well we'll see each other Sunday evening in Basel for the final,' Merz posted on social media before the German team faced World Cup champion Spain in the semifinal match on Wednesday. It didn't go quite that well. Aitana Bonmatí scored late in extra time for Spain to win 1-0 and avoid a penalty shootout that the Germany team had been holding out for. Germany's Euro 2025 campaign had been full of promise, but not matched in substance. Merz was filmed watching Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger's amazing save in the quarterfinal win over France as if he'd never seen it before. He he was never so excited during a soccer game than he'd been watching Germany win on penalties the previous weekend. A commitment to meet France's president, Emmanuel Macron, meant Merz couldn't attend the semifinals in Zurich. Anyone watching Germany during the tournament was left wondering what the team is really capable of. A highlight reel would feature a string of fine saves from Berger, committed defending from Franziska Kett, Giovanna Hoffmann and Jule Brand – who are all forwards – and only occasional flashes of brilliance in attack, such as Brand's opening strike in the team's first game against Poland. Germany, the eight-time European champion, only nearly reached the final through sheer dogged determination. Captain Giulia Gwinn was injured against Poland and ruled out for the remainder of the tournament. A 2-1 come-from-behind win over Denmark ensured early progress from the group, before a chastening 4-1 loss to Sweden in the last group game. Germany had defender Gwinn's replacement, Carlotta Wamser, sent off early against Sweden for swatting the ball away from goal with her hand, then Kathrin Hendrich sent off early in the quarterfinal match against France for pulling French captain Griedge Mbock back by her hair. It meant Germany reverted to defensive tactics in both games, protecting Berger's goal while hoping the likes of Brand and star forward Klara Bühl might score on counterattacks. Bühl's corner allowed Sjoeke Nüsken to score the equalizer against France and the team held on despite French dominance to win 6-5 on penalties after Berger's heroics. The Germany goalkeeper was feted afterward for her amazing save to stop stand-in captain Janina Minge's backward header from going into her own net when she leaped backwards and somehow clawed the ball away from the line. Berger also saved two penalties and scored her own spot kick in the shootout. The win filled the German players and supporters with confidence ahead of the game against Spain, despite the overall performance against France. 'We dominated them from start to finish. Now they're through. I'm sorry, but they don't deserve it,' France winger Selma Bacha said. Germany was short on defenders against Spain with Sarai Linder joining Gwinn on the injury list and Hendrichs and Nüsken both suspended. But it didn't stop the team defending, with forwards helping out at the back, producing timely blocks and committed challenges to frustrate Spain's star forwards. Berger again made a host of saves until she left space at her near post and Bonmatí squeezed the ball through. It ended Germany's hopes of a rematch with defending champion England in the final, and left Merz with an opening in his schedule. ___ AP soccer:
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Germany offer steely resilience but Bonmatí's moment of magic solves puzzle
It took just one moment. One clever movement into space, one cutting through pass and one brilliant finish for Spain to finally undo a resilient German defence. When Aitana Bonmatí angled home a shot from a tight angle deep into extra time, she not only sent her side through to a final of a women's Euros for the first time but also proved so much about the strength, both physically and mentally, of this dominant Spanish team. It was perhaps inevitable that Bonmatí would be the one to find the answers to the puzzle Germany had placed in front of them for the best part of 112 minutes. For she has done the same so often for this Spanish side. One of the glittering jewels at the heart of their midfield, the 27-year-old more often than not is the one who can find that little bit of extra space to lose a defender with the deftest of touches. Perhaps the biggest lesson for La Roja on this cool summer night in Zurich was one of patience. Whatever their opponents threw at them, the end result for Montse Tomé's side seemed inevitable. They bided their time and pounced at just the right moment. It was hard fought and not particularly pretty but this was their first victory against Germany and one that put them one step away from the only trophy yet to make it to their cabinet. When looking at the numbers, they out-possessed, out-passed and out-created their opponents as they have done to so many others before them. And yet it did not seem like that on the night as Germany defended with a steely resilience that they have seemingly only newly discovered. Christian Wück's team went about the task of defending with bravery, seemingly tireless despite having gone through a gruelling 120-minute quarter-final with France just days earlier, 107 of those with 10 players. It was an experience that turned out to be the perfect preparation against the world champions. An example of the power of the collective rather than the brilliance of the individual. There will be huge disappointment in defeat for Wück's side but there will be a strong feeling that this group of players have discovered a toughness about themselves that they did not previously know they had. This performance, as with the one against France, was a stark contrast from that that had seen them get torn apart by Sweden just 10 days before. The two versions of this team could not be more Jekyll and Hyde. That is not to say that Wück's side does not contain a plethora of characters. They are certainly not lacking in that department but alongside the quality of its individuals, this German side look to be slowly becoming a sum of its parts. Leading from the back is the quietly brilliant Ann-Katrin Berger who possesses an equal penchant for the spectacular as she does the moments of madness. The former trait was on display once again tonight as she produced a world-class stop to deny Esther González a certain opener. Klara Bühl never stopped running, tearing through the Spanish defence with pace but just lacking the crucial end product that could have turned the game in their favour. 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 Wück and his Germany side fought with their backs to the wall, the head coach only able to name two recognised defenders on the bench. Not that he could actually use those two, however, with captain Giulia Gwinn sitting in a knee brace and Sarai Linder next to her out after straining her ankle ligaments. With Sjoeke Nüsken and experienced Kathrin Hendrich suspended, an already light-looking side had to dig in deep against La Roja. This is perhaps why they eventually ran out of steam and failed to keep up with Spain in the final moments. There was just one run, one incisive pass, one clever movement too many for the tiring Germans to handle. It is safe to say, however, that both teams will have learned something significant about their characters over the course of two hours in Zurich. One always had to go home, one always had to progress but there are foundations to be taken for both as they continue their respective journeys.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
😍 Bonmatì magic: Spain reach final in extra time, Germany out
Another endless semifinal, after England-Italy, at the Women's European Championship. A clash of titans between Germany and Spain, and it took extra time to determine a winner. Watch all Napoli friendlies LIVE on OneFootball! Click here from the app to purchase Napoli-Catanzaro. The decisive goal came in the 113th minute from Aitana Bonmatí, who saved the day for La Roja, deciding the most complex match of the entire journey for the reigning world champions, as a world-class player holding two Ballon d'Or awards. The Spanish players always had control of the game, having the most important chances of the match. The absolute protagonist, as mentioned, was Bonmatí, who scored the latest goal in Spain's history in knockout competitions. A total of 20 saves in the tournament for Berger, Germany's number one, a record in the competition as highlighted by Opta. The final, therefore, will be Spain-England: the World Champions against the European titleholders who trembled against our Italy. Who will win? This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here. 📸 SEBASTIEN BOZON - AFP or licensors
