Timely goals help Germany reach last 8

LONDON • Eight-time women's European champions Germany cruised clinically into the Euro 2022 quarter-finals as Group B winners with a game to spare after beating Spain 2-0 at the Brentford Community Stadium on Tuesday.

World No. 7 Spain, who were hoping for a first win over their fifth-ranked rivals, enjoyed far more possession but lacked the final touch.

Germany pressed hard and were quick to seize their chances as they ended Spain's 24-match unbeaten run.

The first goal came after just three minutes. A blunder by Spain goalkeeper Sandra Panos saw her attempted clearance go straight to Klara Buhl, who slotted the ball into the bottom corner.

Lucia Garcia could have levelled seven minutes later, but she fired into the side netting after rounding goalkeeper Merle Frohms.

Germany's Alexandra Popp, making her first start after striker Lea Schuller tested positive for Covid-19 the day before, made it 2-0 in the 37th minute with a flicked header off a corner kick and her team managed to see out the game.

"We scored the two goals at the right moment which really helped us. If the game had been 0-0 for longer, maybe it would have been a different game," said Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. "If you win 2-0 against Spain, you didn't do too much wrong."

Frohms made a great fingertip save in the 71st minute from a Mariona Caldentey volley, her only big moment of the night, and Tabea Wassmuth had the ball in the net in the 81st minute, but was ruled offside.

While Spain had 66 per cent of the ball, they had only two shots on target. Germany had the same number but made theirs count.

"At this level, if you make two errors, then you get punished for it," said Spain coach Jorge Vilda.

Both sides had scored four in their opening group games and drew 1-1 on their last meeting in February in the Arnold Clark Cup.

The defeat in front of a 16,000-strong crowd left Spain level on three points with Denmark, who beat Finland 1-0 earlier, but ahead on goal difference.

Spain and Denmark play each other on Saturday with the former needing a point to set up a quarter-final with hosts England.

REUTERS