Quarter final round up: Exhilarating final eight keeps fans guessing

Tom Maher
4–7 minutes

The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 semi finals are set after some of the most exciting quarter final action you are likely to witness.

After five penalties, two red cards, two penalty shoot outs and 11 goals, The Halfway Line has a quarter final round up to keep you in the loop.

Norway 1-2 Italy

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With neither side ranked in the top 10 of the FIFA World Rankings, this was seen as the weakest tie of the round. However both played their part in a raucously entertaining curtain raiser for the quarter finals. Eyebrows were raised pre-match when Chelsea winger Guro Reiten was selected to start at left back. It was a decision that ended up being Norway’s undoing. Sofia Cantore found space vacated by Reiten for the opening goal before crossing for Cristiana Girelli to find the net.

Norway improved in the second half and won a penalty after a moment of madness from Le Azzure captain Elena Linari. Captain Ada Hegerberg stood over the penalty before putting it wide. Once jaws had been picked up off the floor, normal service resumed as Hegerberg equalised from open play shortly after. However Italy would have the last laugh and a final minute goal from Girelli, once again assisted by Cantore meant Italy were in the EUROs semi finals again for the first time since 1997.

Sweden 2-2 England aet (England win 3-2 on penalties)

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Perhaps the most topsy-turvy of all the quarter final ties, England secured a place in the last four in dramatic fashion. The Lionesses would have been having flashbacks to their opening day defeat to France early on. Sweden pressed high and caused all manner of issues for the English backline. Stina Blackstenius was at her brilliant best, assisting and scoring as Sweden raced into a two goal lead. However Sarina Wiegman would roll the dice and find the perfect combination with just over ten minutes remaining in the match.

Off the subs bench came, Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang. Both would play vital roles in getting England onto level terms. Chloe Kelly’s perfect whipped ball into the box found the head of the inspirational Lucy Bronze who pulled one back. Moments later another Kelly ball into the box once again caused chaos and Agyemang found the vital leveller. The match would go to penalties where the goalkeepers were the stars. Jennifer Falk saved an astonishing four penalties but skied her own effort from the spot. It was her opposite number who was the real star however. Hannah Hampton, who had taken a blow to the nose earlier in the game stood tall. Her intervention ensured England had a place in the next round.

Spain 2-0 Switzerland

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Overwhelmingly touted as a gimmie for Spain, Switzerland proved quite the opposite for the world champions. Pia Sundhage’s team fought exceptionally bravely, they provided the type of performance their wonderful legion of loyal home fans deserved. It had looked bleak after seven minutes when Nadine Riesen blatantly fouled Mariona Caldentey in the box. Caldentey stepped up and much to the surprise of the world watching on, fired wide.

Switzerland kept Spain at bay for the entire first 45 minutes. After half time they continued to defend for their lives, and when Spain hit both posts in the same move it looked like it just might be their day. However Aitana Bonmatí was not done, and her sumptuous backheel set up Athenea Del Castillo who found the back of the net. Spain doubled their lead shortly after when Clàudia Pina curled a sensational effort into the top corner. Spain continued to probe and missed another penalty this time through Alexia Putellas. Noelle Maritz was sent off in the final seconds of the match. A valiant performance was not enough for Switzerland. However it will be more than enough to inspire a generation in Switzerland to take up the beautiful game.

Germany 1-1 France aet (Germany win 6-5 on penalties)

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The blockbuster tie of the quarter finals was left till last and on Saturday night it lived up to the billing. France, favourites in a major tournament tie against Germany for the first time started on the front foot. Grace Geyoro gave Les Bleues the lead from the spot after a moment of madness from Kathrin Hendrich who pulled back Greidge Mbock’s hair in the box. The action was picked up by VAR and Hendrich received a deserved red card. Germany reacted with spirit however and Sjoeke Nüsken turned in a Klara Bühl cross at the near post to level proceedings.

France had two goals chalked off in the ensuing minutes as it began to feel like it would not be their night. Germany won a penalty of their own in the second half but Nüsken missed the target. As the match continued, it toppled into extra time. There were two moments where France thought they might have stolen victory. One was an astounding save from Ann Katrin Berger, from a deflected header Berger stretched to claw the ball off the line. The other was the last kick of the match, a wonder strike from Melvine Malard that rattled the crossbar.

So to penalties it went, and Berger was once again the hero. She saved, she scored and she sent her nation to the semi final of EURO 2025.

The Halfway OnLine

The twitter verse really treated us with these semi final ties, so sit back and enjoy enjoyable side of the internet…

 

You can read all of the latest news, analysis and opinion at Euro 2025 on The Halfway Line.

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