Sweden handed Germany their biggest-ever defeat at a Girls’s European Championship, with a 4-1 win to safe high spot in Group C.
Germany, who additionally undergo to the quarterfinals as runners-up, had been hampered by a first-half pink card for Carlotta Wamser.
The Swedes completed high of the group with an ideal 9 factors from their three video games and can tackle the runners-up in Group D — which options France, England, Netherlands and Wales — with the Germans taking over the winners of that group.
It was the primary time Sweden beat Germany on the Euros and secured a probably simpler path to the ultimate, avoiding the potential of going through World Cup winners and Euro 2025 favorite Spain within the semifinals.
“It is essential to construct on feeling and achieve confidence, now we will look ahead,” goalscorer Stina Blackstenius mentioned.
It was the primary time Germany had conceded 4 targets at a Girls’s Euro. That they had beforehand solely misplaced one match by a number of targets within the competitors, with a 3-1 defeat to Denmark in 1993’s third-place match.
“We began the sport very properly. We had been totally in it and the higher workforce,” Germany’s Klara Buhl mentioned.
“We then give the sport away in 10 minutes, that is extremely bitter. We now have to place that behind us as rapidly as attainable.”
Harry Langer/DeFodi Pictures/DeFodi by way of Getty Pictures
Germany acquired off to a flying begin, slicing Sweden open by means of the center as Wamser slid the ball into the trail of Jule Model, who managed to slide it previous Jennifer Falk regardless of the Swedish keeper getting a contact.
The Swedes struck again inside 5 minutes, striker Blackstenius expertly timing her run in behind the defence and latching on to Kosovare Asllani’s ball earlier than flashing a shot previous Ann-Katrin Berger to degree.
Although the Germans regarded harmful each time they crossed the midway line, it was the Swedes who took the lead by means of Smilla Holmberg within the twenty fifth minute, the fullback marauding into the field earlier than dropping management after which steering an tried clearance into the online from a good angle.
Germany’s problem fell aside within the thirty second minute when Wamser was proven a straight pink card for a deliberate handball. and Fridolina Rolfö scored from the spot to make it 3-1 in her one hundredth worldwide.
“The pink card was decisive,” Germany coach Christian Wück mentioned. “We could not battle again into the sport with one much less participant on the pitch.”
Whereas Germany made the odd harmful foray within the second half, Sweden exploited their numerical benefit and substitute Lina Hurtig put the sport past attain with a close-range end within the eightieth minute.
Sweden play their quarterfinal in Zurich subsequent Thursday, whereas the Germans can have two additional days of relaxation earlier than taking part in their recreation in Basel on Saturday.
Info from ESPN Analysis, Reuters and The Related Press and was used on this report.