The Guardian's Women's Football Weekly - Berger’s brilliance denies France and Spain march on – Women’s Football Weekly
Episode Date: July 20, 2025Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzy Wrack, Sophie Downey and Tim Stillman to review two epic quarter-finals and preview the semi-finals....
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This is The Guardian.
Hi Guardian Football Weekly fans, it's Faye here.
Now, after we recorded today's pod reviewing Saturday's quarterfinals and
previewing the two semi-finals this week, some news broke that we have to address.
And so myself and Susie Rack have just jumped on to update
you before you can then listen to the pod that we recorded this morning. So the news concerns
England defender Jess Carter who's posted a message on social media addressing racist abuse she's
suffered throughout the Euro 2025 tournament. You can read Suzy's article on The Guardian which has
just gone up online for a bit more detail on this as well. Before we hear from Suzy, this is
Jess's Instagram post in full. A message to the fans. From the start of the
tournament I've experienced a lot of racial abuse. While I feel every fan is
entitled to their opinion on performance and result, I don't agree or think it's
okay to target
someone's appearance or race. As a result of this I'll be taking a step back from social media and
leaving it to a team to deal with. As ever I'm grateful for all the support from the genuine fans
but I'm taking this measure to protect myself in a bid to keep my focus on helping the team any way
I can. Hopefully speaking out will make the people writing this abuse think twice so others won't have to deal with
it. We've made some historic changes with this Lionesses squad that I'm so proud
to be a part of and my hope is that by speaking out about this it will make
another positive change for all. I'm now looking forward to focusing on putting
all of my energy into helping my team Jess Carter. The Lionesses have also put out a collective statement saying,
representing our country is the greatest honour.
It's not right that while we're doing that,
some of us are treated differently
simply because of the colour of our skin.
Until now, we've chosen to take the knee before matches.
It's clear we and football need to find another way
to tackle racism.
We've agreed as a squad to
remain standing before kickoff on Tuesday. They end it by saying those
behind this online poison must be held accountable. Suzy you're in Zurich at the
Lionesses base camp. Can you bring us up to speed with everything that's been
going on there today? So I'm just out a very powerful and moving press
conference with Lucy Bronze which focused primarily on the situation faced by Jess Carter in recent weeks during the
tournament where she's faced a horrific level of racist abuse. And Lucy was very, very powerful
on it. She explained that they don't want to take the knee anymore in protest of racist abuse suffered by players
because the message isn't as strong as it used to be. It's about putting out another
statement to say that it's something that's still a problem and more needs to be done
in society. What that is right now, I don't exactly know, it's something we want to work
towards and this is a small step to try and make change. She was very emphatic in the
support of the team and the FA towards Jess and any other
players suffering abuse in the tournament, which was incredibly moving.
She also said they're very confident that the individuals involved will be brought to
justice, that they work very closely with the police on incidents of racist abuse online,
and they hope that they'll be targeted and stopped from continuing
in the way that they are. She also spoke generally about the responsibility of social media platforms
and football to A, clamp down on these incidences when they have the power to, and also to step
up and campaign against racism more generally. It's not just a football issue, it's a societal
issue. It's something that everyone needs to be mindful of and we shouldn't forget that
it's there.
Yeah, so it's an incredibly moving press conference, hugely powerful, a lot of solidarity for Jess
Carter from the playing group. They clearly written the statement together last night with a lot of emotion in the camp. And yeah, it's been really, really sort of wonderful
to see that sort of level of solidarity among them and that support for one of their own
as well. And then, you know, kind of taking a stand that will have huge ripples through
hopefully the country and the world when the messages go out there and when people
read the statements and when they see them not take the knee against Italy because of
it, yeah, it's a huge amount of potential for them to push for change in the way that
they have been on so many other issues in recent years.
Thank you, Susie. You're right. What we know about this lionessus squad is they won't stop
until this issue is addressed properly, not just platitudes from social media platforms,
real change. I'm sure we're going to be speaking more on this. What I can tell you is that the
Football Association is working with authorities to track down those responsible speaking to police
and the platform involved. UEFA have condemned the abuse and Carter's club Gotham FC has also
responded in support of Jess saying
we believe in a culture of mutual respect and remain committed to building a game and
a community where everyone feels safe, respected and celebrated. There is no place for racism
in our sport. Look, there's so much more to discuss on this, which we will be doing on
the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. But for now, here is the pod that we recorded early on Sunday morning before this news broke.
Hello, I'm Faker Rothers and welcome to the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. Now that
is how you do a penalty shootout. And Katrin Berger, take a bow. Germany say bon voyage
to France despite being down to 10 for the majority of their quarterfinal.
Hair pulling, a red card, a missed penalty, goals ruled out and then a shootout.
The game had everything.
The hosts are out as well.
Spain saw off Switzerland, another match full of drama.
And so we have our four semi-finalists confirmed.
We'll dissect all that, we'll preview the semis, plus we'll
take your questions. And that's today's Guardian Women's Football Weekly.
What a panel we have today. Sisy Rack, how are you doing?
I'm alive.
Are you all cheesed out yet? You're alive, which is good. Yeah, yeah. I'm cheesed out. I've cut down on the cheese.
Like, you know, you reach cheese saturation point and I think I'm there.
I did buy some cheddar in the supermarket the other day and the guy at the counter went,
oh, English cheese. And I was like, yeah.
And he was like, do you think it's better than Swiss cheese?
And I went, no, but it just melts really well on pasta.
And then hurriedly left embarrassed
and ashamed of my buying imported English cheese.
I don't even want to know how much imported
English cheese was in Switzerland.
Oh God, I didn't look look but we got charged 15 pounds,
that's the rough conversion, for two bottles of tap water for the table in a
Mexican the other day which seems to be pretty standard. That gives you the
context. Oh I bought some gyoza, you know like just five pieces of gyoza, 16 pounds.
Wow. Wow. I did see friend of the pod, Emma Sanders, say that she was charged almost 40 pounds for four small beers the other day.
Interesting. Soph Downey, back from Basel.
What time did you roll in after that epic last night?
I got home about three o'clock in the morning and then when you're after a game
I'm like constantly wired so it takes a little bit of time to get to sleep but
yeah living on fumes at the moment but loving loving life and I'm gonna be a
bit controversial here and say that I don't actually like cheese that much I
like cheese on my pasta but I probably don't really belong in Switzerland do I
if that's the case? Maybe not but neither do I because I can't
eat cheese anymore. Goats cheese maybe. Oh god I'm doubting our friendships. I tell
you what it reminds me of actually you coming in remember back in the day
probably more teenage years or early 20s when you'd get in you'd be that person rolling in and you'd see the
milkman. I mean that is showing how old I am to be fair but you'd see the milkman
and you'd get in and then you'd carry on your day as if you'd had eight hours
sleep because you were that young and able to do it. I am not that young or
able to do it anymore. Well you look fresh as a daisy
to me as does Tim Stillman. How are you? Not too bad and I do like cheese of pretty much
all shapes and sizes. Susie was literally just about to log off. Susie has left the
chat. Right listen before we start reviewing the last two quarterfinals, a couple of emails
we've received at womensfootballweekly at theguardian.com. If you want to send one in,
please do. Thanks to Tamara who did. Dear Susie, as an English-born Australian living
in Vienna, I'm very grateful to The Guardian for high-quality international reporting,
especially the coverage of women's football. I've really enjoyed hearing the various iconic Swiss products assigned to each team competing
in the Euros that you keep mentioning on the pod and although I subscribe to the Guardian I can't
seem to pick up the list or the pullout anywhere online can you please help? Thanks Tamara. Tamara
I have sent you the photos because there is no link to the pullout because it is exactly that.
It is a pullout but you can also go and look up all of the profiles of all the players
online that is there as well and thank you for your lovely email. We've got another one
as well. Hi team, just tuned into the podcast at the start of the Euros and want to thank
you all for the great coverage and analysis. Currently listening after England's miraculous recovery
against Sweden, I first watched the ladies game
when the World Cup in Canada was broadcast here in Ireland
and I was hooked immediately.
My predictions have been on point so far all tournament
and it certainly has paid off opposing the club World Cup.
But I believe France go all the way
and lift their maiden title. As cheese
comparisons go, they're a red Leicester, always found when needed most, reliable and consistently
quality throughout. Keep up the good work, makes great listening in the truck week in
week out, new long-term listener secured. Warm regards, Conor McGinty from North West
Ireland. Conor, thank you for that brilliant email. That's it though your predictions you are now officially a
Guardian Women's Football Weekly pod fan because your predictions are as terrible
as ours. France are out. The Red Leicesters gone moldy. They've disappeared
because the quarterfinal stage concluded two fascinating encounters for very
different reasons and listen you know we try to go chronologically sometimes on this during this tournament
But we're not gonna today because the drama that was served up last night was well worth us discussing first and foremost
Two heavyweights of the women's game in France and Germany
They always deliver and I tell you what no different last night Christian Vuk's ten-player side knocking out Libler
tell you what no different last night Christian Vuk's 10-player side knocking out Lib Le from the competition one hairball one red card two disallowed goals
one normal time penalty scored one missed one truly world-class save and a
shootout for the ages it finished one all after 120 minutes Grace Gaiore's
penalty was cancelled out by Schuka Nuschgen and Germany had been reduced to
10 on 13 minutes
after VAR spotted Kathrin Hendrik pulling on Griezmann Bock's hair as she defended
the ball in the box.
A penalty shootout followed.
Germany eventually won it 6-5 thanks in no small part to the heroics of Anne Kathrin
Berger.
I don't even know where we start with this really, Susie, but what did you make of it
as an overall and are you sick of penalties yet or do you love the drama?
Oh it's great when you've got no skin in the game, then I love penalties and it was
nice to see some actually good ones. But yeah, chaos, pure chaos, like brilliant to watch,
brilliant fun. I think you know everyone sort of fought the second that Hendrik was sent
off that you know it was going to be a little bit game over and I think there sort of fought the second that Hendrik was sent off, that it was going
to be a little bit game over and I think there was a little bit of a sigh of disappointment
that the fantastic encounter we were hoping to watch would now be a foregone conclusion.
But the Germany hold on was phenomenal. I mean obviously the red card was just mad. Yeah, coming off the back of of Worms' red card in the previous game,
like just two moments of complete madness, like it just shouldn't be happening
when you've got top athletes who, in theory, know the rules of the game
and and, you know, that VAR is watching as well.
Feels like a really weird thing.
But yeah, absolute thrilling chaos.
But you can never write off Germany, right?
Like, you can just never write them off.
And I think there was a little bit of a, like...
They weren't hard done by.
It was a completely fair red card.
But I feel like they felt like they were being hard done by,
that this is, you know, their backs to the wall tournament.
They've lost their captain to injury.
They've had red cards in two matches, like I think it created a little bit of a siege mentality and
then, you know, that really helped them get through that game. Who knows how they're going to do
against Spain. You would say that that would be a full-conclusion too, but all bets are off at the
moment with this Germany team. Yeah, it feels like that, doesn't it?
What was it like in the press box, Soph?
Because Hendrik's red card did change the game,
and I think we all just immediately thought
it was gonna be France steam-roller-ing
for the rest of the 80 minutes.
Firstly, what was she thinking,
if you can try and get inside the player's mind,
and how did it change everything that kind of came after?
Yeah it was a bit actually a bit weird in the press spots because we don't
have any screens so like there was a long pause before the BAR check was
actually announced on the made the big screen in the stadium and no one had
seen what had happened because we'd all been following the ball and this
actually happened off the ball like they weren't anywhere near the ball had come
into the box but Mbock and Hendrik weren't actually anywhere near getting the ball.
So we all had to like peer over someone's very small iPad
as we watched replay to try and figure out what on earth was going on.
And then, yeah, when we all saw the hair pull, we were like, what on earth?
I mean, Hendrik is 33 years old.
This is her fifth or sixth major tournament.
She's not a naive, you know, youngster who's come into the squad for the first time and been taken away by
the emotions of it all. It just really, really baffled me in terms of the decision making,
especially like you don't do that anyway, but especially when VAR is in play, you just
don't do that at all. And it's really interesting, I think, going down to 10 because I think
everyone assumes is the team that goes down to 10 that's at the disadvantage, and maybe more often than
not it is.
But sometimes something about it happening that early just rips up a game plan for both
sides and suddenly not only are Germany having to completely reconsider what they were doing,
and maybe it suited them, they went back to a four at the back and just really dug in
and sat deep.
But France then had to really deal with the kind of, not just the chasing down of the German team,
but kind of the mental side of it as well, knowing that they should be winning this game.
And I think as soon as Nusken's header went in, you could sort of see all of their shoulders just drop,
they're a little going, oh, God, it's happening again. So yeah, I think it's a very, very interesting example of what can happen when someone is
sent off that early.
A lot of the German press had talked about Germany's defensive issues leading into the
game, Tim, but exactly as Soph said, as soon as they were down to 10, they just didn't
stop. And Christian Wuch, their manager their manager said I can say for certain tonight was
the best and hardest fought performance I've seen from the team since I've known
them. How impressed were you with them bearing in mind all the criticism that
they'd had leading into it particularly because of that game against Sweden?
Yeah definitely and obviously they got another right back injury in this game
with Linda going off early.
And there were rumours beforehand of whether it would be a back five as well.
I think Soph makes a really good point there about sometimes it can really crystallise things for you going down to 10.
And I think we'd seen Germany taken apart because they commit their full backs too high and they couldn't do that anymore and they really had to kind of just concentrate
on digging in and defending, which probably helped them because they are defensively weak.
I think also though what really helped Germany was that the thing, and I think we saw this
in the other quarterfinal with Switzerland, the thing when you're really bedding in and
trying to defend that you need is an outlet and to get a break and to carry some threat
in the other direction.
And the fact that they kind of dropped Schuller for Hoffman, that really, really helped them,
I think, in this game state, having a hold up player like that. But the threat that Julie Brandt
and Clara Ball carry on the counter as well, really, really helped them. And actually,
someone called Blair Newman, who's a very good women's football analyst, at the time of the
red card, he posted this on his Blue Sky account.
To be fair of all the teams to handle the defender being sent off, Germany are probably the best.
They can keep the back four, Hoffman a great relief valve while Brandon Ball remain as they were,
real threats on the counter. I think that's exactly what happened in this game and I also think
France are not suited to playing against a team like this because they really thrive on running into space.
It does feel a little bit as if somebody's saying to Christian Wuch, no no no no no
we just don't like the tactics of bombing the full backs up every
single time so we're just gonna take them all out of the game, you've got
none of them left to play. Kind of fast-forwarding, Susie, to the shootout a little bit, which is doing a slight disservice,
I think, to the rest of the game in many ways, but we'll get to how bitty it was in the end.
But it was another topsy-turvy one, but all of the credit has to go to Anne Katrin Berger.
We gave a little bit of criticism to Jennifer Falk of Sweden the other day for stepping up to take that fifth penalty but Berger
stepped up for it and you just knew she was going to score it you know she was
brilliant in the penalty shootout even though she didn't actually have that
much to do. Brilliant preparation with the the water bottle you know it used to
just be on the back of somebody's hand, now it's like
fully printed out and in colour wrapped around a water bottle. But she made nine saves before
the penalties, particularly that incredible cat-like one that she scooped off of the line. How
impressed were you with her performance? Yeah, incredible. She loves penalties, she's made no
secret of it through the years.
She absolutely adores penalty shootouts, you know, stepping up to take one and then, you
know, literally walking straight into the goal to go up against one, like takes a huge
amount of confidence. And I must have watched the sort of David Seaman-esque save about
300 times. In fact, I've got it playing on a loop in a separate window
because I just love it so much. And I really enjoyed a tweet that said, I'd say hang it
in the loop, but French people might not might have something to say about that. I thought
that was quite amusing. She's a remarkable goalkeeper with a remarkable amount of confidence,
but also a remarkable human being, right? Like having gone through thyroid cancer twice
to return to the pitch and then, you know,
to kind of be still playing at the top, top level she is
and a very worthy winner.
Like, you know, if you were gonna say there was, you know,
someone more deserving on the pitch,
you'd be hard pressed to find one.
But yeah, I really enjoyed
watching it in my little apartment and I really enjoyed the coverage, literally showing the
water bottle with the different positions of the goal that various penalty takers go
to and then like literally kind of saying, right, this penalty taker, she thinks goes top left and then
goes top left and she saves it. Just that level of detail in the coverage was really,
really satisfying as well and a really interesting way to look at it and to watch that shoot out,
which was really, really enjoyable. On the British coverage Sam Matterface,
as Sombath steps up says oh
on her water bottle it says top left and that's obviously where she tries to go
but what really added to that as well is AKB usually has her hands behind her
back until the run-up but for this penalty she put her hands out which was
a clear indication to me and as Susie said I thought that really added to the
coverage like okay she's got her hands up so she's preparing for a higher dive and yeah it was it was great kind of theatrics as well as great
goalkeeping. Yeah I actually thought that was really impressive from ITV they'd clearly
that the cameraman had honed in on the bottle and then they just freeze framed it and and took all
of the notes from it to give to Sam and Lucy Ward in the commentary box. And you're right, it absolutely added to it. It was,
it was fantastic drama. And I have the hands behind the back.
I always just love, I just think particularly,
and I've avoided any Oasis kind of puns throughout this whole tournament,
by the way, because I just won't go there. But it's so Liam Gallagher,
isn't it? When she's standing there in the goal mouth?
We really need to talk about France though, Soph.
In the last nine major tournaments, they've progressed past the quarterfinal stage just once.
This was their 12th loss in 12 against Germany at a major tournament.
And what do you think that is down to?
Because we were all so convinced, weren't we, that actually this France side could go all the way.
And we heard earlier on from Connor being convinced that that was his prediction. I'd actually said
in the last pod that I thought it could be an England-France bookended final, which I'm now
going back in my predictions hole and never coming out of again. But what is the problem with them?
What do they need to do to break the curse?
To be honest, this is probably not the answer for a podcast, but at this point I have absolutely
no idea because as Suzy wrote in her match report for the Spain-Switzerland game the other
day, Spain-Spain, France definitely franced yesterday. They have this just ability to
absolutely, I don't know, destroy their hopes.
Are they francy?
They're francy. On paper they have a team, a squad, and they always have done
worthy of winning a tournament. You know, when you look at the quarterfinals throughout the years,
you look at the players that they've had in their kind of roster,
and you go, these teams should be winning trophies. And it kind of reminds me,
there was a Dutch team, I think, their men's Dutch team, so of the 1970s they were so so good and they were
brilliant but they never won a single trophy and they on paper they should
have just like walked every single tournament but they just for some
reason the mental side of the game for them just wasn't there and
they just could not find a way through and I think this quarterfinal hex as it
were for France has got really
like quite big at this point, you know, to only go through in one out of your last nine
quarterfinals is absolutely shows a real problem, I think, that when they get to the state of
a major tournament, it probably does weigh you really deep on them, that, you know, this
is actually a real problem for us and it has been a problem throughout history. And I think
it's going to take something considerable to break that.
In terms of what they can do, they've tried different managers, they've tried different
players, they've tried being radical.
They dropped Wendy Renard.
I think there will be an inquest into that after the tournament, the way that was done
just a month before the start of the tournament, getting rid of Lesomé and Dalié and Renaud. Dalié has said that she would speak after France got knocked out of
the tournament on what had happened. So I am kind of anticipating, highly anticipating
what's going to come out of that. There's going to be some tea, I think. But yeah, it's
just a problem that you can't really name, I think, because as I said, they've got the
players, they look brilliant against England at times, but they just fall apart
in these moments, in these knockout stages of tournaments.
I suppose it doesn't really help that Lauren Bonadie had turned around and said, yeah,
we've not practiced penalties because I don't want them to put that pressure on them. No,
why? That's just mad.
What is it with managers? Like honestly, Peter Gohearson did the same.
He didn't have a penalty session.
I mean, the one thing you do when you get to knock out football is you practice your
penalties because there is quite a high likelihood that you might get there.
I just don't understand it.
What's the phrase?
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail, which I think sums up both Sweden and France who had been
fantastic in this tournament and fail at penalties. But you know, Germany and England, thank you.
50 fouls in the game, Tim, five yellow cards, that early red one as well. I have to say,
you know, Sophie was there, the one thing that she says united the crowd
was the disappointment with the referee. How much do you think that that impacted the game?
Yeah, a little bit. It played into Germany's hands, definitely. And I think we're talking
about Julie Brandt and some stats from her performance as well. She made six tackles,
eight ball recoveries, but she won four fouls. And I think Germany were actually very good at doing that.
They were very good at setting up that way, particularly with Hoffman up front.
So I think Germany were quite good.
It was quite a fussy referee.
And I think we saw that as well in the penalties as well, how fussy she was about the spotting
up of the ball.
And I think that played into Germany's hands a little bit. They were able to break the game up quite well and it's true there probably
should have been a few more yellow cards but they were quite kind of bitty fouls. I was
quite amused as well when Anne Katrin Berger went down in the last minute and those of
us that watch women's football a lot will be very very familiar with the emergency goalkeeper timeout which Sam Matterface wasn't
that familiar with and he kind of said oh there's a problem for Anne Katrin Berger and
Lucy Ward on CoCom's was very much like I don't think they're anything.
I think she's okay.
Yes.
Right so Germany progress. Over to Bern on Friday night where a sea of red and white
decked out stadium.
Vanckdorf, the Swiss watching their side take on the world champions.
And despite a courageous effort just wasn't to be for the hosts, it finished Spain to
Switzerland nil thanks to second half goals from Athenia del Castillo and Claudia Pina.
You were at the stadium in Bern,
Suzy, 25,000 fans marching from the city centre to support their team and they
put in a real courageous performance. What did you make of the game? Well first
off, I mean that atmosphere I will say afterwards and maybe I'm just
being coloured by the fact that it's the most recent thing but I think that's the
best stadium atmosphere
I've ever been in.
It was absolutely electric.
Beyond just support for the team,
that was what got me, I wrote in the match report,
there were signs like, this is just the beginning,
and women's football's here to stay, and things like that.
It just felt bigger than support for this Switzerland team.
In a way, you go to Champions League finals
and the Barcelona fans are there to cheer for Barcelona
and the Arsenal fans are there to cheer for Arsenal.
You go to, you know, the Euro final and, you know,
everyone's there to support England in 2022 and that kind of stuff.
But this felt bigger.
It felt like people going, you know, this is this is our moment.
This is it. And like the fact that, you know, they stayed so long afterwards and all that kind of stuff was just brilliant. So that was like
incredible. In terms of the game itself, I thought they matched that energy on the pitch,
like as much as you can against the world champions. The fact that they held on so long
and, you know, had such a battling, like defensive performance was just brilliant to watch.
And it was great because literally every sort of foul, tackle,
even pass was getting like a huge cheer from the crowd.
And the crowd being the 12th man can be like so overrated a phrase,
but it really, really felt like that was having an impact
in this game. I mean, obviously it was inevitable, like given Spain's quality, that they were
going to find a way through at some point and that moment of magic from Bomati, the
little like backwards back heel for the first goal to set up, Del Castillo was like obviously
sublime. It took that level, it took them elevating up
a gear to break through that resilient Swiss back line. So yeah, really enjoyable game
to watch because the Swiss put on a show for their fans. They knew that their expectations
were low and they put on a show for their fans and the atmosphere was just incredible.
Yeah, it really was. How crucial were Pia Sundhaga's tactical changes for Switzerland's
performance, Soph?
Yeah, absolutely crucial. She switched Iman Benita up front. Benita had been playing right
wing back most of the tournament and she is naturally a striker but she's got the pace
to really stretch the back line and you can see that from minute one. And especially when
you've got a back line of Paredes and Alexandre, who aren't
typically the fastest defenders and do struggle when they have direct runners running at them.
They look to exploit that with Schurternleib sitting in behind. I think the problem for
Switzerland was always going to be how much they could keep the game playing up. They
are inexperienced, they've got a young team full of running, but at the end of the day
they haven't been in these situations before. when you are without the ball like you generally are
against Spain it's incredibly, incredibly tiring on the legs. So she got the game plan I think
spot on tactically, she tried to switch it up, there were a few of those notes going around in
the final 15 minutes, I think Lea Valti got two of them. I thought, by the way, I thought Lea Valti was superb as well. She led by example in that midfield. She's like walking
wounded. She didn't came into this tournament, not at her fittest, I think, but she's managed
to plow through. And I think the way that she dictated some of the midfield play when they did
get the opportunity to break forward and also broke up some of the Spanish attacks led by example
and she kind of epitomizes this Switzerland team. So I think, yeah, when they're looking
at the game back, it won't be down to the game plan or anything or the kind of attribution
of it. It will be down to the fact that they just didn't have the legs. And in the end,
and you know, Spain have those quality players who can undo you in a moment and when you're tired especially, those moments of equality really matter.
Switzerland's youngsters gained a lot of attention this tournament but as Sophie said,
Suzie, Lea Volte is the heart of the team really.
Oh yeah and the fact that they sort of had her switching between midfield and defence,
like sitting back between the two centre backs but then shifting forward into, sort of had her switching between midfield and defence, like sitting back between
the two centre backs but then shifting forward into that sort of more familiar defensive
midfield position. Getting forward as well, like she was just everywhere. I think it could
be massively underestimated in a game like that where you have barely any of the ball,
how much running you have to do off the ball and how hard that is, is,
you know, can be a little bit underestimated, but like, yeah, phenomenal. And as I said,
like in and out of the Arsenal team at the, towards sort of the second half of the season,
like niggly problems, but also just, you know, not necessarily always playing the best or preferred to you know some of the other players in that team but really pulled
out the bag and it's really quite moving to see her so emotional at the end of
each game like just looking at the crowds and soaking it all in because
she's been such a like wonderful ambassador for the tournament.
Her face is absolutely everywhere and she's really, really taken on really humbly and it's
been really, really nice. Yeah. We need to talk about Spain, Tim. We're used to them looking
free flowing, simple, effortless, but they look really infuriated
a lot of this game and probably the most frustrated and gosh that was a Dr. Evil kind of laugh,
that was. They look very frustrated, probably the most so that we've seen them in this tournament.
They had to show so much patience while you know obviously playing as they knew that they
would be with a boisterous partisan crowd surrounding them but eventually the class kind of showed out
and the magic came. It really did and obviously it's quite a unique thing to play the hosts in a
knockout you probably even if Switzerland weren't the best team left in the tournament I think that
is significant playing the host team but I the tournament, I think that is significant
playing the host team.
But I think ultimately, I mean first of all obviously we had Mariana's penalty miss in
the first half where she just kind of drags at it a bit and I think if that had gone in
I think we'd have probably seen quite a different game.
But really with Spain it's a little bit similar to England, like if it's just not going their
way who and what they can bring off the bench. Obviously it's Athenia del Castillo who scores the goal from the bench.
They can bring on Salma as well and it's not just the quality of those players, but those
players are very different. They provide a much more direct threat as well. So Spain
actually have the tools to really switch things up as well, a bit like England do. And I think
that's why Spain and England just look like the best teams in the tournament.
They don't always look like in every phase of the game, the best teams, Spain are probably
closest to that, but the players they can bring off the bench can really kind of demoralise
you.
And for Switzerland, I just think we're talking about Germany having those hold up players.
I think Switzerland done really well this tournament.
I think they've really missed Ramona Backman just as that little bit
of experience in the forward line. They've got some wonderful young players
but they just didn't have an outlet and you did just feel that Spain were
putting the squeeze on them. They are the Swiss Army Knives aren't they? I mean
they're gold and Toblerone, Spain and England, but they're actually the Swiss
Army Knives if we're using our mascot analogy that we've had on the pod during the tournament.
Let's talk about the legacy for Switzerland though, though, Soph. I mean the country really
got behind their team. 25,000 on that walk is incredible. How do they capitalise now
on this moment? It's all well and good. This three weeks has been wonderful and captured the nation,
but now they need to build on it.
How do they do that?
It's going to be a tricky question to answer,
but you kind of, when I was in the stadium on Friday,
it was a really emotional occasion, I think,
being there, very, very special.
And the way that you can see the Swiss fans embrace the team,
there's a real bond
now that's being forged between the players on the pitch and players, as we said before,
who are generally quite young. So those players are going to be playing for the next five to
ten years in a red and white shirt. So they've made those links with the fans right for the future.
They've done their bit. It's now up to the Swiss FA to go away and do their bit
and they need to make sure that they don't,
that they're very, very well prepared that this isn't just a moment in time.
They are not going to get this chance again. Switzerland, because they are the manner of a country that they are, they're small,
they are a developing nation in terms of women's football,
they aren't going to get a major tournament, I don't think again, unless they combine with someone else because of where the women's game is going.
So they really do have to use this moment. They have to have the infrastructure in place to allow young girls to play all over the country, to play football from a young age,
to give them access to facilities and give them investment. And I really hope they are prepared. We've seen, I know it's a very, very different circumstance
with England because England, the investment
the FAA have put into women's football
is like vastly incomparable.
But I do think they proved that you can have a legacy
from hosting a major tournament
in terms of what happened in England.
And I really, really hope that the Swiss FA
are alive to that fact that they need to really,
and then in terms of like the fans and supporters, you know,
when the Swiss team next play at home, make sure you put them in a place that's accessible,
that is big, that you could get, you know, 30,000 people, put them in Basel, where there's, you know,
there's a big stadia. You just need to make it keep onto those hooks that really brought people
into this tournament, because otherwise it's just going to be a wasted opportunity.
It reminds me a little bit of Euro 2017 in Netherlands but something Netherlands did really well was
started hosting open training sessions every time they played in the country and I'd love to see
Switzerland even do something like that just to keep the kind of links between the fans and the team.
Yeah, it'd be really important, won't it? We'll keep an eye on that for sure. That's it for part one. In part two, with the last four now decided,
we're going to look ahead to the two semi-finals coming up this week.
Welcome back to part two of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. So the quarterfinals complete,
we have two massive semi-finals to look forward to this week. We're left with the gold, the
Toblerone, the railway clock and aluminium foil. It is not a game of Monopoly, a very
interesting Swiss version of Monopoly. These are the mascots assigned to the last four. First up, let's look
at the Lionesses who take on Italy in Geneva on Tuesday. Eight o'clock British summertime
that game starts. The Dark Horses against the reigning European champions. How do you see this
one going, Susie? Who knows? Does anyone have an answer this pot?
No one can predict anything.
Everything's out the window.
I'm quite worried for England, to be honest.
In theory, on paper, they should beat Italy comfortably,
but they've played 120 minutes in penalties and picked up a lot of knocks in the Sweden game.
You know, like if Leah's not back, which as my Morgan said yesterday,
she's hopeful, they're sort of hopeful and confident that she will be.
I'm not sure how true that is.
I don't think England are going to give anything away
before that game on her fitness, to be honest.
And, yeah, I fear for the extra day that Italy have had as well
to rest and recover.
So whilst, you know, on paper, it should be a straightforward win for England.
I'm just not confident of anything or anyone anymore.
I've forgotten all rules of football and yeah, who knows?
Well, the rules of football are that we get our predictions wrong.
So you need to vote tactically when we get to our predictions.
Italy will win.
Well done.
Well, Tom Garry on the pod the other day thinks that they left so much out there in their
quarterfinal Italy in the celebrations and everything that that was their race run.
It felt like they were celebrating winning the final. At least they've had longer to adjust, but that could, you
know, come into it. It's the best showing that they've had since 1997. But actually,
the last time these two sides met, Soph, was in February 2024. So 18 months ago, it was
a friendly and England won it 5-1 but it feels like very, very different
times.
How different are both these teams to them?
I mean I think they are very different in terms of both have gone on journeys.
I think Italy's journey since the 2023 World Cup has been quite remarkable in terms of
the way they've rebuilt and regenerated a side that was arguably looking like it was
going a bit backwards after the positivity of 2019 and that.
So I think it's, Andrea Swanson's done really well for me and he's really instilled a style
of playing that really works with the kind of players that he has.
And for England, I mean, my thing with England is that I am always very well aware that out
of tournaments,
they are an up and down team and they always have been.
They've never really performed consistently bar Serena Viefen's 33 game unbeaten streak,
which is, I mean, should be unheard of these days, but is generally unheard of.
England have been always been up and down.
I've been into some pre-tournament friendlies that have been truly dire and then they go and reach the semi-finals
and this is England's sixth semi-final on the trot. So I do think both
teams, well I think it's not a new experience for England so that will help
them and so they will build on that friendly performance I think and know
how they broke Italy down and use that as an experience in the further
experience of being in a semi-final.
Fortunately it's totally new and you do sometimes wonder whether the emotion of an occasion will
get the better of them but there's no doubting there's two very different sides from that moment
in February 2024. Italy have impressed at times in this tournament though Tim, where do you see
their biggest threats and their weaknesses?
Their biggest threat I think they were really good at exposing Norway out wide, they really
saw that that was a weakness in Norway, that does make me worry from an England perspective,
particularly Cantore, if she plays on the right for Italy I think if anyone watching
England at the moment you'd have to say defensively they look a lot weaker down their left side
as well, so Cantore I think very very kind of direct player. I expect her to attack that space a lot.
The other thing I think Italy might do as well, because they can be quite a direct team.
I don't think anyone's challenged England in the air yet without Millie Bright, because it's not
Leo Williamson's biggest strength. It's certainly not Jess Carter's biggest strength. I don't think anyone's really put that to the test yet and really put England under pressure
aerially. So I do wonder if Italy will play Piemonte, who played for Everton up front,
as just that big kind of target player, really kind of put herself about. And particularly with
Cantori on the right hand side putting crosses in. That's kind of how Italy
scored both their goals against Norway as well. So I'd be aware of those wide areas and I'd be
interested to see if Italy really just try and challenge England there by being quite direct.
Well it did feel as if Sweden were trying to have the height advantage in that quarterfinal and
that's why we saw Esme Morgan come on because you know it did make a
difference having a little bit more height in the back line but it's going to be really fascinating
Suzy to see what Serena Wiegman does because she's stuck with the same starting 11 for the
last three matches and they were very poor for 60 minutes against Sweden before they mounted that
comeback. A lot of focus has been on Jess Carter, obviously exposed down the left-hand
side in the France match in the opening game, switched into centre-back. We know what a
brilliant player she is, but the pace perhaps against some of the younger players just isn't
quite there. Do you see Serena Vigman making any changes tactically, either to personnel
or to both both swapping
players out or just changing formation again?
I think she should but I don't think she will because once she's picked a starting 11 she
very much sticks her through a tournament sort of regardless of what's going on. I thought
that Jess Carter would be dropped for the Sweden game, I thought she'd be dropped for
the Netherlands game and she wasn't.
And they've shifted her across the back line
pretty much entirely through the tournament bar right back
to try and make sure it works.
In the middle of the Sweden game, her and Leah switched
so that Leah could start pinging some of the diagonals out
to Lucy Bronze on the right, which Jess Carter just doesn't.
That's not really her skill set.
So yeah, personally
I would, but I don't think she will. But I think we might see some enforce changes maybe
if Leah's not back then that's a huge, huge, huge, huge problem. LJ was limping at the
end, you know, could we see her perhaps drop down to the bench and maybe like Chloe Kelly
start or someone like that or Beth Meade and then
and then she maybe comes on in the game. I think if there are going to be any changes it will be
purely from a fitness and availability point of view over like any like sort of tactical changes
because she sticks. A back three would make sense as well, you know, to help deal with that
threat. Yeah, when they switched it, it worked and yes, she does
need to twist I feel sometimes, Serena, but you know, she knows the team better
than anybody. And then again, I was clamouring for
changes to come earlier in that Sweden game, going what the hell are they doing?
Why have they waited? Like usually should they make changes at 60 minutes they
made the first change at 70 minutes but England were playing terribly like but
what do I know they go on to win that match so you know like and listen all
all the plaudits for the resilience that they showed I mean it would be a
fantastic final of Germany England just in terms of resilience and backs against
the wall kind of tournament however would we be having this conversation and of course
this is football, this is, you know, it's happened so I'm making this up but if Sweden
hadn't been so terrible at penalties we'd be having a very, very different conversation,
wouldn't we? Because I think all of us agree that England didn't necessarily
deserve to go through. I mean, obviously they did deserve to go through because they went
through but on the performance, it wasn't very good.
Sweden bottled it about 50 times in one game.
Exactly. I mean, it's like, no, no, no, we don't want it. You have it. No, go on, you
go. It was just like nobody wanted it, it felt. But ultimately England got it and that
is the mark of champions and why you know they're looking to go and defend their title and get to
the final yet again. By the way I was about to mention that I thought Kiera Walsh potentially
she looked like she was getting treatment towards the end as well. Of course Alex Greenwood
had that nasty fall,
we saw her then step up to take her penalty, did that affect her? The strapping that Lucy Bronz had? I mean they are the walking wounded it feels. We use the word bruising encounter on
multiple occasions when we did the pod a couple of days ago. But I want to ask you about Cristiana
Giarelli, Sophie, because I know you're a massive fan of hers and I can see the smile on your face the minute I say her name. The Italian captain is going
to make her 123rd appearance on Tuesday. I mean, she just is a leader, isn't she?
Yeah, she is. She epitomises this Italian team and this is why I may be disagree a little
bit with Tim because I don't think they're benching Cristiana Giarelli for this game.
I don't think they'll be worn on Andrea Sonsen's hands if that happens. She is going to
be playing that semi-final and you could just see it in her face after the court final. The emotion
that it meant, it should provide a real intelligence I think to this team that while they have
individual players maybe isn't cohesive throughout the setup where they have weaknesses, but I think
the fact that a lot of them played together, I think the fact that Barbara Bonazio and
her have been on this journey together for 12 years, they've literally lived in each
other's pockets in the national team and now Juventus. And the same with Sofia Cantoria,
I know she's just moved to America, but she's been at Juventus. Those relationships are
built up at club level and they then replicate themselves on the national stage and I think that's why they are being
successful at the moment.
Durelli has an instinctive eye for goal. Her movement is so clever. The way that she just
lost – I know girl writing isn't a natural left back – but the way that she just lost
her for that winner, that just little movement away from her, just shows exactly what a kind
of striker she is and then she can go with the spectacular as well as we saw against Portugal. So she's
got it all. I think she will be very up for this. She's had a long career with this national
team. She's 35. It isn't given that she's going to make another major tournament at
this stage. So if this is going to be her final hurrah, as it were, I mean,
she's already achieved so much by getting to the semifinals, but I think she will be absolutely
pumped up to get them one step further and go to a final. But I think, you know, I am such a big
fan of hers. I think she's such a natural striker. And while on Tuesday, I won't be her biggest fan,
that's for sure. I think we can all appreciate what she's done for this sport and what she's done for Italian sport as well because, you know, we're in
a press box in the game in Geneva for the quarter-final. There's barely any Italian
press there by the ball-crossers. There's so much to do in Italy and what this team
have achieved on this stage at this point hopefully is going to start that change because
they are so far behind in terms of the support
and infrastructure of the nation behind them. So I think it's going to be a real, really impactful
moment. I'm wondering what the fan base will be like actually, bearing in mind, you know,
we're in Switzerland and the crowd inside the Stade de Geneve is going to be heavily Italian,
you would hope, Tim. Could that potentially play a part? Yeah, it could very well, particularly if Italy do kind of bunker in a little bit like
we saw Switzerland do. I'm not sure they'll go to that extent. They'll probably will have
like a little bit of home advantage there. And obviously this is just such a massive
game for them as well. And on the point of Girelli and Bonanzaia as well, I don't want to say feel
sorry for them, but Italy just haven't been cohesive for so many years and now they are,
and they feel like they're more than the sum of their parts. But perhaps at a point where
Giarelli and Bonanzaia are exiting their prime years, I almost feel sorry that this didn't
happen sooner when they were much more towards their prime. But they can definitely give England problems. We know that. But again, with England,
I just think the amount of depth they have on the bench and even being able to bring
on someone like Michel Ajamang, you know, and that's part of that's part of what makes
England's mentality. I think I don't think it's just mentality. It's being able to bring on massive players with 20 minutes to go.
Yeah. It's going to be a fascinating game, Tuesday night for that one. And Germany, Spain
is going to follow in Zurich the following day as the two top FIFA ranked European teams
come face to face. Spain probably have been licking their lips watching Germany's quarter
final go to extra time. Susie, they're're gonna feel it's there for the taking for them.
Oh yeah, both Italy and Spain will be very very delighted that the other teams
played a day later than them and you know played 120 minutes plus penalties.
I mean in theory foregone conclusion but who knows I'm fully expecting a Germany red card of
some kind of escalating nature as well. Like we've had handball, we've had a
hair pull, I think it's got to be a leg breaker or punch in the face is like the
next step. I hope not! And then anything is possible. But I think Germany have a lot to take from that
quarterfinal against France in this respect in that you know they, when they were down to ten players, you know and basically had to relinquish a lot to take from that quarterfinal against France in this respect in that, you know, they, when they were down to 10 players, you know, and basically had to relinquish
a lot of control of the ball and, you know, play on the counter, that's the type of game
you need to play against Spain. So you need to have perfect defensive performance, but,
you know, you can score against them and catch them on the break. So I think there's, there's
lessons to be taken from that France game that actually could really aid them in their task against Spain.
So, you know, I'm not, I mean, you know, obviously they've got suspensions and things and injuries,
but I just I'm not betting against them anymore at any point.
Well, Christian Voet's got some massive decisions to make. I mean his
squad is absolutely decimated so Katrin Hendrik and Schukka Nuschen unavailable
through suspension so Eilinda his left back turn right back was forced off in
the first half. Her replacement Sophia Kleinholm pulled up at the end of the
match. What does he do against a team like Spain who tend to control the ball
and the tempo. So is it
all about playing on the on the counter?
Yeah I think it would have been great practice what they did against France
because it isn't in Brooks nature to set up a team like that and the fact that
they did and managed to kind of rely on that kind of defensive solidity for
so long will serve them well. I do want to go on a little rant
here. I don't understand how, I understand it's a short tournament, but I don't understand
how getting an accumulation of yellow cards gets you the same suspension as getting a
red card. It just boggles my mind. I really, really feel for Nysken. She had a really,
really brilliant game apart from the penalty miss and that yellow card. And she put everything into it. She scored the equaliser. She was everywhere.
She was running her socks off.
And then that yellow card destroys her appearance in the semi-final
and could be her last appearance in the tournament.
And then you have someone like either Karl Otto Vamse or, you know, Hendrik,
who gets straight red cards and they get the same punishment
because it's just a one-game suspension. It just boggles my mind.
So I just thought I'd mention that.
No, I think that is a justified rant.
But Christian Wirtke has problems on his hands that's for sure.
You know, with the injuries, Bamser is back.
So that's a positive I guess at right back.
You have a bit more cover and I thought Francesca Kett really performed admirably.
She's 20 years old.
She had like seven Bundesliga appearances this season so she's really inexperienced. A phenomenal talent, but pretty inexperienced. And she came in against
France and performed admirably, especially when the game plan changed so quickly. You know, she
started with a wingback and then she had to push forward. So she had to adapt in that game a little
bit. So I think it will, yeah, I think she will come, she will probably stay at the left back if
Linda is not fit.
I think Linda's foot had more taping on it than I've ever seen in my entire life watching
football.
So that didn't look particularly positive.
But I think that game against France will give her the world of confidence if she is
to come in against Spain and start again.
But yeah, he has definitely got a depth problem, I think.
He's going to have to rely on some of his older players.
You know, Dalmen only came on for the penalty shootout.
The Brits came on for the penalty shootout,
missed a penalty, which is slightly awkward.
But they're two experienced players that he can call in
if he really needs to kind of cover
that lack of depth at the moment.
I need to express some pure anger as well
at the lack of 26-player squads for this tournament.
Like, they increased it from
23 to 26 for the men's. Look at England's game against Sweden the other night, 17 players
were involved in that. When we look at the state of Germany's squad at the moment, their
lack of right back cover now, all of those various issues. Why? Why is it different?
It makes the tournament worse, it makes
watching it worse because you're not getting the level of quality you would necessarily
want on the pitch in each game. You're impacting player welfare because players are having
to play when they're not necessarily 100%. And we know why, right? We know it's most
likely about the cost of maybe the extra accommodation and the extra travel for players and the
You know all those various
Things that extra money that goes to clubs afterwards for their players having compete in the tournament like the budget for the women's euros is
Smaller, but I'm not being funny put player welfare first like they increased it to 26 for the men for a reason and they've not done
It for the women
So this is a very, very rare occurrence for me.
I will slightly defend you, Afe, only in terms of
there are more teams in the men's game.
They have a last 16, they play another game.
Listen, I agree with you, but for balance,
I think it's important to say that
it might not just all be down to cost.
That might be part of it
Additionally, so I would agree with Susie. I think it's a financial decision about trying to host a tournament and
Keep the budget budget as tight as they possibly can and what you ever have asked of these players, you know over the last
Years, you know, this is the last of a back-to-back major tournament of five years since the pandemic or something.
These players are non-stop, you know, they had the Olympics last year, the World Cup the year before,
the Euros the year before that. It's been an absolute bonkers schedule for a group of players who, by and large,
have just turned professional full-time in the last six, seven years.
And their bodies are still starting to come back up to the big full time and living that kind of elite professional life and you're asking
you've suddenly put all of this game time and pressure on top of there. So I think there
are big questions to be asked of UEFA around player welfare for sure and certainly they
could easily ease it by just adding three more players to a playing squad. It's really
not that hard.
Yeah, well, balance is important and we don't know for a fact that that is their decision
making. Just as an aside, by the way, we didn't even mention the fact when we were going through
the Germany-France game that Shuka Nishkan not only missed a penalty, she then stepped
up to take a penalty in the shootout and scored it. I mean that is impressive behaviour.
And there's going to be lots of areas this game could be won and lost, Tim.
What do you think we need to be looking out for in this game?
I think Germany have got the tools to hurt Spain, actually. I think Susie and Sophie both said that
probably the France game was good practice for them and they are going to have to bunker in and they're not going to have to kind of bomb their full backs on.
But I just think that kind of Hoffman-Brant ball front three, particularly with how high
Spain have their defensive line, I really can see in my mind's eye a kind of Clara
ball through ball for Jula Brant to run. And I do think Spain lead those gaps.
We perhaps didn't see it against Switzerland,
but we did see them vulnerable in the group stage
to counter attacks because of how much they kind of,
they pincer you and push forward.
So I wouldn't say I fancy Germany.
I do fancy Spain to win this,
but I think Germany will make it really hard for them.
And unlike Switzerland,
they're going to have that threat going
in the other direction. So I think this will be it really hard for them and unlike Switzerland they're going to have that threat going in the other direction.
So I think this will be quite a tight game actually.
Yeah, I agree with you completely.
So Spain are looking for their first European trophy, whereas Germany are obviously season winners of the tournament.
They've won eight European Championship titles.
First time as well for Spain, similar to Italy, Susie, that they've reached the
semi-finals since 1997. Is that going to come into things at all?
No, like for me, I think too much has been made of this. You know, it's been said a lot,
oh, it's their first semi-final since 97, you know, oh, it's a really hard task for
them, blah, blah, blah. It's such a different team and the development of women's football
in Spain and the women's national team has been rapid and so it's not like if they're
they're new kids on the block but they are very very very good nucleus kids on
the block to a certain extent like you know if they were the team they are now
like last time out they were unlucky not to get past England the time before that
they weren't they weren't a big
International net team that's the reality. So it's not like it's been a you know, they've just been really rubbish for years
They've they've not been at that level like they've just not like developmentally have not been at that level
So I don't think it's gonna be a big factor, you know the world champions because they've like, you know
Everything is coming together for them
The talent pool has reached that point of development.
The quality of players at Barcelona in particular are producing is delivering for the national team.
Like, so it's been said a lot and, you know, it's the one they're missing,
but they've not really been in it until fairly recently.
So I think that the that it's not like it's not like a millstone around their neck in the
same way it could be for, say, a France who have sort of perennially underachieved. Spain
haven't. They've achieved relative to where they were sort of at until they suddenly exploded
onto the scene. So yeah, I don't think it will be hugely detrimental to them at all.
It's just one of those weird
quirks of sort of like the uneven development of women's football and, yeah, Spain are,
you know, same in terms of like, say, the Women's Champions League in Barcelona. Like,
they're relatively new kids on the block, but they're very, very, very good now and
that's the difference.
Okay, so it comes to predictions. Who's nailing
their colours to the mast? Who are the two finalists? Tim? I'm gonna say Spain versus
England which is to be fair what I and I think a lot of people probably thought at the outset
of the tournament. I think they'll both be relatively close semi-finals. I don't think
there are any guarantees but I'll say Spain, England final.
Definitely.
So. Spain, England.
Suzy. How tactical do I be?
OK, Italy, Germany.
Italy, Germany. OK, OK.
Do you want it to be England, Spain?
No, I want it to be England, Germanyain? No, I want it to be England-Germany but it would
probably be England-Spain but I actually do think Italy could cause an upset. I really
do like England are tired and I agree with Tim, I think the squad depth is significant
for England and will probably make the difference in that game but England have been really
lucky and I think that luck could run out at some point
before the final which would be this next game. Fascinating, fascinating. Right, the Women's
Afrikaans Nations is also into the semi-final stage. Hosts Morocco booked their place with a
comfortable 3-1 victory over Mali in Rabat with striker Iptasam Jiradi scoring twice meaning they
reached their second consecutive
Wafkon semi-final and will face Ghana who knocked out Algeria on penalties. The game
itself finished goalless after extra time but Cynthia Conlon was the hero for the Black
Queens, saving two penalties. And defending champions South Africa survived a scare against
Senegal who had booked their place in the quarterfinals as one of the two best third
place teams. They took the Banyana Banyana all the way to penalties after another goalless draw
after extra time but they won the shootout 4-1 and will face 11 time champions Nigeria who had a more
comfortable 5-0 demolition of Zambia. Both those semi-finals take place on Tuesday so Nigeria against
South Africa and Morocco against Ghana. Some
domestic news to wrap up for you as well. Newly promoted WSL side London City Lionesses have
signed goalkeeper Sophia Poor on a permanent transfer from Aston Villa. The 19-year-old spent
the second half of last season, you'll remember, on loan, helping them to promotion. Liverpool have
completed the signing of Scotland midfielder Sam Kerr on a reported two year deal. She made 14 appearances for the Reds last season
on loan from Bayern Munich and WSL2 side Newcastle United have signed Aoife Manean on a permanent
deal. The Republic of Ireland defender was a free agent after leaving Manchester United
in June. Right, hopefully you lot have got a little bit of extra rest as we head into the
semi-finals two days before Italy and England kick off. Sophie, look after yourself, please.
Thank you. I will do. I'm going to go and just chill out.
Good idea. Tim Stillman, enjoy your Sunday.
My pleasure as always. Thanks for having me.
Susie, find a different something to eat rather than cheese. What else can you have?
Pretzels. I've eaten a lot of pretzels.
Excellent. Okay, pretzel chat on Wednesday. Fingers crossed for the Lionesses. We'll be
back on Wednesday to review that semi-final against Italy. Keep having a say. Send in
your questions via social media or email us at women'sfootballweeklyattheguardian.com.
And as ever, a reminder to sign up for our bi-weekly
women's football newsletter. All you need to do is search Moving the Goal posts sign
up. The Guardian Women's Football Weekly is produced by Sophie Downey and Silas Gray.
Music composition was by Laura Iredale. Our executive producer is Sal Ahmad.