France reaches women’s Euro 2022 semi-finals

ROTHERHAM, England – Defender Eve Perisset scored a penalty in extra time to earn France a 1-0 win over holders the Netherlands and a place in the semi-finals at the women’s Euro 2022 for the first time.

France, whose last three appearances at the Euros ended in the quarter-finals, desperately searched for an opening to score as they kept surrounding the Dutch goal but it took Perisset’s spot kick in the 102nd minute to finally break the deadlock.

France was awarded a penalty after Kadidiatou Diani had been brought down by defender Dominique Janssen in the area and Perisset fired her effort into the back of the net.

France completed the line-up of teams in the semi-finals, where eight-time European champions Germany awaits on Wednesday. Host nation England and Sweden will meet on Tuesday.

The French exited at the quarterfinals stage in their last five international tournaments – Euro 2013, the World Cup in 2015, the Olympics in 2016, Euro 2017 and the World Cup in 2019 – but the curse is over.

France has only ever reached the semifinals of a major tournament once before – the World Cup in 2011.

France had netted all their eight group-stage goals before halftime but despite putting the Dutch under relentless pressure, they were unable to score within 90 minutes.

The Dutch attempted only a single shot on target throughout the game, even with their all-time top scorer Vivianne Miedema returning to the line-up after she missed two group-stage games due to COVID-19.

Mark Parsons’ Dutch side was also lucky to have goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, whose incredible saves took the game into extra time.

Van Domselaar blocked a low shot by Diani in the 15th minute, as well as two powerful strikes from Charlotte Bilbault and Delphine Cascarino from outside the box within the next five minutes.

Melvine Malard thought she finally found the opening goal for France in the 37th minute, but Stefanie Van Der Gragt blocked her shot from the goal line.

Jill Roord was sent on after the break to try and enliven the Dutch attack, while Daniëlle van de Donk was pushed forward.

Miedema volleyed a Sherida Spitse corner over the crossbar and Corinne Diacre responded by withdrawing Malard, sending on left-sided Selma Bacha and moving Diani more central.

Bacha soon had a chance, tipped over by Van Domselaar, who then dived to stop Wendie Renard’s header from the resulting corner.

Key stats

• The winning goal was the first France has scored after the opening 45 minutes of a match in this final tournament. It was also Les Bleues’ first ever goal in extra time at a Women’s EURO.
• The final shot count was 33-9 in France’s favour (11-1 on target).
• France are through to the semi-finals for the first time after exiting in the last eight in all six previous tournaments since the group stage was introduced, including every previous quarter-final since the round was introduced in 2009.
• France is only the fourth nation to have reached the semi-finals of the Women’s Euro, FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympics after Germany, Norway and Sweden.
• The Netherlands are the second consecutive holders to be knocked out in the quarter-finals after Germany in 2017.
• The 2009 quarter-final between these nations was also 0-0 after 90 minutes – but remained goalless after extra time, with the Netherlands triumphing on penalties.