Women’s EURO: Germany move closer to knockouts after win; Sweden book quarterfinal berth

NEW DELHI: Germany’s Sjoeke Nuesken and Lea Schuller struck in the second half to fire the eight-time champion to the verge of the Euro 2025 quarterfinals on Tuesday with a 2-1 victory over Denmark that left the Danes teetering on the brink of an early exit.

Trailing 1-0 on a night that saw two key VAR decisions go against it, Germany finally got on the scoresheet when it was awarded a penalty in the 56th minute. Nuesken stepped up and calmly slotted her penalty into the bottom-left corner.

Schuller put the Germans ahead 10 minutes later after a failed clearance by Denmark landed at the Bayern Munich forward’s feet, and she swept it into the far corner.

Germany had celebrated what they thought was the opening goal by Klara Buehl but boos rang around the packed-to-the-rafters St Jakob-Park when it was ruled offside.

That seemed to steal Germany’s momentum, and Amalie Vangsgaard struck for Denmark in the 26th minute when she took a touch before unleashing a shot from a tight angle to beat Ann-Katrin Berger.

Germany thought it had won a penalty earlier when the referee whistled and pointed to the spot because of a Denmark handball but VAR determined it was outside the box, prompting more boos from the German fans.

Sweden captain Kosovare Asllani scored one goal and made another as her side cruised into the knockout stages of the women’s European Championship with a 3-0 win over Poland on Tuesday that eliminated the Poles.

The Germans and Swedes occupy the top two spots in Group C on six points and meet in Zurich on Saturday to decide who will win the group after Sweden’s aerial bombardment from the wings proved too much for the Polish defence.

Asllani and Madelen Janogy both hit the woodwork with early headers before striker Stina Blackstenius nodded home a cross from her captain in the 28th minute to break the deadlock, and the Swedes continued to send a stream of crosses into the box.

Playing in her 201st senior international, Asllani made no mistake in the 52nd minute as she ghosted through the middle before burying Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s cross, and substitute Lina Hurtig added a third goal with yet another header, this time from a corner, to round out the scoring in the 77th minute. Agencies

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