Germany beat Austria 2-0 in the quarterfinals. 0:47 There was only one way for those who followed Austria and Germany through the group stage to get to the quarterfinals. Analysts agreed about how the teams would line up and how Germany would dominate the ball, leaving Austria to try and hit on the break. It was supposed to be that way. Austria had the better of the chances in the first half and it was Austria who caused the opposition to panic in their defense. News and features for women's Euros. Austria showed their attacking football at the tournament and was dubbed the "best of the rest" outside of the top five ranked teams. The trailing team only increased their attacks after Germany took the lead. Germany was one of the best teams in the group stages, adapting their style for their opponent and looking as comfortable with the ball as without it. The assumption was that if any team was going to breeze through the knock-out rounds, it would be the Germans. The weaker Germany appeared when Austria pushed. For all Austria's attacking intent the nation who were playing in just their second European quarterfinals couldn't find a route through to goal, the team with the unhappy distinction of being the second at this tournament to hit the woodwork. Germany had struck the frame of the goal three times in their first game at this same stadium. Austria's efforts were low-valued but close to the goal. It is said that to win titles, you need luck as well as skill and talent, in their group games, Germany had displayed plenty of skill and talent. The team's poor finishing kept the game in the balance, even though they were uncomfortable in defence. That's sports. I can't blame my team for anything. "They tried everything, we had periods where we really challenged Germany and this is something that we have to build on and now we have to bring in new players and the veterans have to stay on the ball." Both teams had good chances, but neither could relax as the clock wound down. The team in red breathed a sigh of relief as the ball trickled wide after Klara Bhl missed her chance to put the match to bed. Alex Popp made it four goals in as many matches this summer when she blocked a clearance and the ball went in the back of the net. There's a beautiful game here. You can watch tournaments and teams.
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"Hitting the cross bar was annoying but I think we played well in the first 15-20 minutes and if we scored the first goal it would have been better for us," said Austria's Laura Feiersinger. Germany scored the first goal and it was very difficult for us. Germany is a good team so they make it very hard for you to get back in the game. I don't think we were lucky.
It was an ugly goal but oddly fitting of the match as both teams had chances to score and neither could. The pressure of knockout football on show from a Germany team that have fallen off of the pace at tournaments in recent times. The match from Austria was one of defiance and joy, another outing at the Euros when there was little weight of expectation from outside sources, the freedom to get out and play without fear brought out their best football.
They weren't brave enough to do what we wanted to do. We had to play more balls behind their backline. It was good that we got a goal as it gave us a bit more security for the rest of the game.
The width of a bar was the biggest difference between the two nations. It was a lesson that the Germans will have to learn from during the little time they have left before their semifinal against either France or the Netherlands.
Steffi Jones, a World Cup winner with Germany, said that they were not always the best team, but they always found a way to survive.
With the balance of power in the former champion's favor, there will be a lot of analysis to be done by the team. They won't find the best ways to exploit whoever their next opponent will be, instead they will have to focus on their own mistakes.
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