From Sydney to Basel with two years and, for those who took in both Euro 2025 semi-finals, several lifetimes in between. Spain will be England’s opponents in the decider on Sunday, ensuring a delicious rerun of the World Cup final, but that barely tells the story of a tie with a resolution arriving only seven minutes from the end of extra time.
The scorer simply had to be Aitana Bonmatí, whose meningitis infection last month cast a severe cloud over Spain’s preparations. They will now play to win their first European Championship title but it was impossible not to sympathise with an excellent Germany side and, particularly, their goalkeeper, Ann-Katrin Berger.
She had been immaculate until Bonmatí, slipped in towards the right byline by Athenea del Castillo, let fly from a tight angle and beat her inside the near post. Germany had come agonisingly close to victory themselves and sank to the floor in deflation at the end.
With its oval curves and all-encompassing athletics track this venue lacks the acoustic force that propelled England and Italy on Tuesday night. The stakes here were no lower, though, and the context a novelty. It has taken a colossal stretch, down the years, for Germany to be cast as plucky underdogs but they could make that case here. Christian Wück’s weakened team spluttered through the group stage but located staggering depths of resolve in edging past France despite being a player short for 107 minutes.
They would be required to “suffer” to stand any chance of going one better, according to Wück. That was hardly rocket science: Spain’s football has been several levels above the rest in a tournament high on drama but variable on technical quality. The world champions had barely been scratched in progressing this far, a shade of doubt perhaps offering itself in the time it took to puncture a resilient Switzerland in their quarter‑final on Friday.
The Germany captain, Giulia Gwinn, a high-profile absentee since sustaining a competition‑ending knee injury against Poland, was again named among the substitutes and watched in full kit. She had no chance of taking active part but perhaps a 12th player would do no harm. In the event those on the pitch started brightly and should have been rewarded. The winger Klara Bühl had already caused flutters before, in the eighth minute, running clear down the inside-left channel from a long pass from Berger. Opportunity begged but, with Catalina Coll to beat, Bühl dragged her finish across goal.
On the quarter-hour Bühl had another shot blocked. Germany were putting the yards in for Wück, breaking quickly and denying Spain any semblance of rhythm. When Esther González found a half-space in the box, a heavy touch saw her surrounded and the chance extinguished. She was booked for stopping the resulting counter but soon became involved more constructively. A snap shot from 15 yards forced Berger, hero of the quarter‑final, to tip over acrobatically; Spain, crowded out until then, had finally showed up.
They came again, Berger gobbling up before Clàudia Pina could exploit an inventive free-kick routine. But it was Giovanna Hoffmann, the Germany centre-forward, who had more to rue when air-kicking from a superb position on the half-hour. Jule Brand had forced the opportunity with tricky work on the right; for all their uncertainties, Germany were posing plenty of the questions.
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In outmuscling Olga Carmona before she could enter the Germany box, Carlotta Wamser offered an accurate precis of events. Spain’s threat is never fully dulled, though, and they turned the screw towards half-time.
First Irene Paredes met a Pina corner and only Berger’s right post kept the score level, the keeper rooted as the ball rebounded out. Then Berger was forced to deny González and Pina, both of whom had run in behind, in quick succession and Germany were relieved to cling on.
This had been bright, intelligent fare: a notch superior to almost everything served up the previous night. Germany needed to retain a threat after the interval while bolting the door against opponents who could scent blood. Their support screamed for handball when another Bühl effort struck Paredes; there was no genuine case and they had better cause to be exercised when Berger took a hefty blow after another timely stop at Ona Batlle’s marauding feet.
Berger got up, which felt crucial given Spain had already scored nine second-half goals this summer. In the 58th minute she was thankful to a block from Sophia Kleinherne, who diverted the previously quiet Bonmatí’s shot wide after Spain’s most incisive move of the game.
Nonetheless it was hardly as if Germany found themselves relentlessly pegged back. Bühl threatened yet again, Coll repelling her low drive. “If possible” (“Yes we can”) rang out from the contingent behind Berger’s goal, but as the minutes ticked down it was far from certain that Spain actually would.
Montse Tomé rolled the dice, replacing González and Pina. Germany looked tired but it was only a remarkable double save from Coll, who denied Bühl and Wamser in rapid succession, that thwarted them at the end of normal time. Bonmatí would inflict the cruellest of blows with penalties looming.
