Germany and Sweden reach Women’s Euro 2025 quarters

BASEL – Germany and Sweden both reached the quarter-finals of Women’s Euro 2025 on July 8 after respective wins over eliminated Denmark and Poland, which maintained both teams’ perfect starts in Switzerland.

However, two lengthy video assistant referee (VAR) reviews halted the momentum of Germany’s 2-1 victory and had German fans at St Jakob-Park in Basel whistling and jeering the officials over the delays.

There were long stoppages for both first-half VAR decisions against Germany, with seven minutes added on before the half-time break.

Germany had celebrated what they thought was the opening goal by Klara Buhl and players from both teams had lined up to restart the game, when the goal was disallowed after VAR determined after three minutes of deliberation that it was offside.

The Germans were also awarded a first-half penalty by the referee due to a Denmark handball but the decision was overturned after another lengthy VAR review.

Germany were handed another spot kick in the 56th minute for a tackle in the box, but it took almost 2½ minutes for the referee to point to the spot. Sjoeke Nusken slotted her spot kick into the bottom corner to equalise for Germany after Amalie Vangsgaard’s 26th-minute opener.

“I don’t know if the decisions were right or wrong, but the system, football has to think about how they can speed that up,” Germany coach Christian Wuck said.

“The goal wasn’t allowed, and then the penalty wasn’t given. We have to take steps to make those decisions faster.”

During Sweden’s win over Denmark on July 4, there was a review lasting over four minutes to decide whether Denmark should be awarded a penalty.

Following the review, Sweden were given a free kick.

VAR was first introduced into women’s football at World Cup 2019.

The group stage of Euro 2025 has VAR and an assistant, while an extra assistant will be added from the quarter-finals.

Germany and Sweden will face off in Zurich on July 12 to decide who top Group C, with Sweden currently leading Germany on goal difference after beating the Poles 3-0 in Lucerne.

“On a technical level, in terms of play, we struggled a lot. But the other key component that always marks out a German team took over: the fighting spirit, the will to win,” added Wuck, whose team’s other goal was scored by Lea Schuller.

“It was won with our mentality.”

In the other game, Stina Blackstenius, Kosovare Asllani and Lina Hurtig headed in the goals as the Swedes cruised into the last eight with one of the most dominant performances of the tournament so far.

Peter Gerhardsson’s team were barely troubled by Poland, led by Barcelona star Ewa Pajor, and if anything look a stronger team than fancied Germany.

“The plan was to attack through the flanks and the wings, because we knew we would have a lot of space there, so we tried to attack, and got a lot of crosses in,” captain Asllani said of the headed goals.

“The first goal, I waited one second extra, waited for their defenders to move, for me to chip it in to Stina. So it’s three headers, three beautiful goals, the three points.” AFP, REUTERS