Prepare for a thrilling semifinal stage in the Women’s Euro 2025! In the first throws of the competition, England will go up against Italy and Spain will play Germany. This exciting finale comes on the heels of a tremendous quarterfinal round, where teams battled furiously to win their way through. Next up is England vs Italy, with the latter upsetting Norway with an incredible late comeback. On the other side, Spain will face Germany following their destruction of Switzerland in the quarterfinals.
For the quarterfinals, England proved their tenacity once again after teaming up to defeat Sweden in a heart-pounding penalty shootout. After both teams fought tooth and nail for the entire match, the final score ended 3-2. England’s keeper, Hannah Hampton, especially made her presence known, saving two critical attempts in the shootout to keep the evening alive. It was the experienced Lucy Bronze who did so in the end slam for her spot kick into the roof of the net as the seventh kicker.
Italy’s path to the semifinals was just as theatrical. Cristiana Girelli became the heroine by scoring both goals against Norway, securing a 2-1 win. Her header deep into stoppage time sealed the victory. It was the first time in 28 years that Italy reached the Women’s European Championships semifinals.
England’s Penalty Drama
England’s road to the semifinals was anything but easy. Following an incredibly close game against Sweden, both teams were tied and forced the finals game to penalty kicks.
Hannah Hampton’s performance was instrumental. She scored the second goal for England and denied two USA shots, putting England in the lead in the shootout. Lucy Bronze’s 6th minute penalty underlined the Lionesses’ resolve to finish strong and sent England sailing into the last 16.
“It was hard. One of the hardest games I’ve ever watched. Very emotional. We could’ve been out four or five times during the game,” – Wiegman
England’s historically dominant record against Italy will once again be put to the test. They have not lost in their last five meetings with them, winning four of those all-time meetings in friendlies. With their spirits soaring, they hope to ride this momentum through a pressure-packed semifinal.
Italy’s Stunning Comeback
Italy’s surprise victory over Norway has brought new hope to their fans. Cristiana Girelli, who scored both goals for her side, captured the post-game feelings perfectly.
“I felt something different, something special. I have seen in the eyes of my teammates a special light,” – Cristiana Girelli
Girelli’s contributions were crucial throughout, most notably her diving header late in the second half to secure Italy’s spot in the semifinals. This victory means more than just moving forward. It is a historic achievement for Italian women’s football.
For Italy it is now on to an even more daunting task – a likely quarter-final against holders England. Their play over the last month sure looks like they’re equipped to handle anyone — even the most daunting of tasks.
Spain and Germany: A Battle of Titans
In the other quarterfinal matchup, Spain continued their Euro 2025 perfection by shutting out hosts Switzerland 2-0. This win continues their dreams of a maiden title as they advance to the semifinals against Germany.
Germany faced their own challenges against France. Especially not after Kathrin Hendrich was shown a straight red card early in the match, forcing them to scrap tooth and nail. Ann-Katrin Berger was the hero, saving one before scoring the decisive spot kick. Even better, she stopped a penalty kick of her own, leading Germany to a dramatic 6-5 shootout win.
“There is a very hard and tough opponent [Spain] we have to face [in the final]. Everybody really gave their ultimate effort here, and we need to regenerate. We have to make sure we recover,” – Ann-Katrin Berger
Germany has had a dominant, historic edge over Spain. Since then they are still unbeaten in their last eight meetings, with five wins and three draws. This shared history adds a layer of juicy storytelling to their much-feared match-up – a semifinal no less.
