Aitana Bonmati on Wednesday netted the only goal of the game late in extra-time as world champions Spain edged Germany 1-0 in their UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 semi-final to set up a title decider this weekend against England.
A tense game in Zurich was ticking down toward penalties when reigning Ballon d’Or Bonmati struck in the 113th minute, surprising the usually reliable German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger at her near post.
It was not one of Barcelona star Bonmati’s most influential performances, yet she still delivered when it mattered to keep Spain on course to win their first European Championship crown.
Photo: AFP
“We knew that the goalkeeper often leaves her near post open in these situations, so I didn’t think twice. I didn’t want the game to go to penalties,” a beaming Bonmati said.
Spain were also grateful to goalkeeper Cata Coll for some vital interventions, including a spectacular double save to deny Klara Buehl and Carlotta Wamser right at the end of normal time, as Germany were agonizingly eliminated.
The Spaniards are to face reigning European champions England on Sunday in Basel in what would be a repeat of the 2023 World Cup decider, when La Roja triumphed 1-0 in Sydney.
If Montse Tome’s side come out on top again, they would become the first nation to hold both the world and European titles at the same time since Germany almost 15 years ago.
Spain had never beaten Germany before, and now they advance to their first ever Euro final, with the chance to cement their status as the leading force in international women’s soccer.
“We have made history again today, getting to a first Euro final and beating Germany for the first time,” Bonmati said. “We are proud to be part of this generation of players, but this is not over yet. We can enjoy this and then tomorrow we need to start thinking about England.”
“They are already tearing things up in the dressing room and there won’t be much silence on the bus journey back to Lausanne,” she said. “We will enjoy this, but tomorrow we need to start thinking about England.”
England would have had an extra 24 hours to prepare for the match after beating Italy in their semi-final on Tuesday, although they needed extra-time to win that match having been taken all the way to penalties against Sweden in the quarter-finals.
“I know they played twice 120 minutes, but we knew today could be a long match and it was,” Bonmati said in English.
She knows that England’s substitutes — notably Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang — have had a major impact in each of their knockout ties en route to the final, but insisted that Spain can trust in their own squad.
“England have a lot of players that we have faced a lot of times — we know them and they know us so we have to prepare the best way we can to win,” she said.
Germany had been hoping to avenge their defeat by England in the last Euro final in 2022, but they would not add to their record tally of eight European Championship victories.
“She doesn’t have to take responsibility. She made so many wonderful saves to get us where we are,” Germany coach Christian Wueck said of goalkeeper Berger. “There is no blame, we are very proud of the team.”
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