The China Mail - Spain beat Germany with Bonmati extra-time goal to reach Euro 2025 final

A tense game in Zurich was ticking down towards penalties when reigning Ballon d'Or Bonmati struck in the 113th minute, surprising the usually reliable German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger at her near post.

It was not one of Barcelona star Bonmati's most influential performances, yet she still delivered when it mattered to keep Spain on course to win their first European Championship crown.

They were also grateful to goalkeeper Cata Coll for some vital interventions, including a spectacular double save to deny Klara Buehl and Carlotta Wamser right at the end of normal time, as Germany were agonisingly eliminated.

Spain will now face reigning European champions England on Sunday in Basel in what will be a repeat of the 2023 World Cup decider, when La Roja triumphed 1-0 in Sydney.

If Montse Tome's side come out on top again, they will become the first nation to hold both the world and European titles at the same time since Germany almost 15 years ago.

Spain had never beaten Germany before, and now they advance to their first ever Euro final, with the chance to cement their status as the leading force in international women's football.

They should have been the fresher of the two sides here, having played their quarter-final against hosts Switzerland a day before Germany got the better of France on penalties after playing almost the whole game with 10 players.

- Tale of two goalkeepers -

Germany were also missing three of their starters from that match, with Kathrin Hendrich and Sjoeke Nuesken suspended while right-back Sarai Linder was injured.

Christian Wueck's team did unsurprisingly have the majority of the 22,432 crowd behind them at Zurich's Letzigrund Stadium, and they also had Berger in goal.

A star of the win over France, she made a fine save to keep out a shot from Spain's Esther Gonzalez -- her teammate at Gotham FC in the United States -- just before the midway point in the first half, tipping the ball over for a corner.

Spain captain Irene Paredes headed against the post from a Claudia Pina corner and Gonzalez was again denied by Berger before half-time.

It was then Germany's turn to have the best chances in the second half, but Coll made a crucial block from Buehl just after the hour mark, and the Bayern Munich star also curled a free-kick just wide late on.

Then came the stunning double save from Coll right at the end of the allotted four minutes of injury time, as the Barcelona goalkeeper kept out a deflected Buehl shot that was looping in and quickly got up to stop Wamser's follow-up.

That was perhaps a sign that it would not be Germany's night, and they then saw defender Sophia Kleinherne come off in tears early in extra time after overstretching while trying to stop Salma Paralluelo going clean through on goal.

Spain's winner then arrived in the 113th minute, as Bonmati let a ball from Athenea del Castillo run past her in the area before beating Berger at the goalkeeper's near post with a shot from a tight angle.

There was still time for Coll to excel again, flying to her left to save from Lea Schueller as Spain held on.

X.So--ThChM