Popp breaks goalscoring record as Germany beat Austria in quarter-finals

Germany advanced to the semi-finals of the Women's Euros with a 2-0 win over Austria, as Alexandra Popp became the first woman to score in four successive games at one tournament at the climax of an end-to-end affair. Lina Magull's tidy 25th-minute finish and Popp's late second kept Germany's bid for a ninth European title alive, though Martina Voss-Tecklenburg's team were pushed all the way by a lively Austria side.

Germany began nervously at the Brentford Community Stadium, and survived a significant early scare when Marina Georgieva headed a 13th-minute corner against Merle Frohms' right-hand post. After withstanding a period of Austrian pressure, Germany hit the front when Magull diverted Klara Buhl's neat left-wing cut-back into the bottom-right corner, netting her second goal of the tournament.

 

July 21, 2022

Germany went close to a second 14 seconds into the second half when Giulia Gwinn side-footed against the upright, before Austria twice hit the woodwork at the other end; Sarah Puntigam striking the foot of the post after Barbara Dunst had clipped the crossbar with a terrific 35-yard lob. The eight-time European champions almost killed the tie when Buhl rattled the bar with a tremendous long-range strike 12 minutes from time, before the winger fluffed her lines from just eight yards five minutes later.

But Austria were ultimately masters of their own downfall as Die Nationalelf added a 90th-minute second, goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger smashing a clearance against Popp and in as Germany set up a clash with the Netherlands or France.

 

July 21, 2022