Eve Périsset’s extra-time penalty saw France eliminate reigning UEFA Women’s Euro champions, Netherlands to end their Quarter-Final curse.
France enjoyed dominant spells across the ninety minutes at Rotherham’s New York Stadium, as Wendie Renard wasted several headers after she nearly headed into her own net from Kerstin Casparij’s sixth minute cross.
Delphine Cascarino, Grace Geyoro and substitute, Selma Bacha also saw shots denied as Netherlands clung on to force extra-time in a scrappy contest, which hit a peak in the 98th minute as Dominique Janssen fouled Kadidiatou Diani.
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) consequently ruled a penalty in France’s favour as Perisset stepped up to fire in the winner from the spot, which ended a run of five consecutive Quarter-Final exits at major tournaments for Les Bleues.
Defeat meanwhile saw the Netherlands’ reign as UEFA Women’s Euro champions end in a game where they were outclassed throughout, despite gutsy defending to force extra-time amidst wasted chances.
France will now meet Germany at Stadium MK, Milton Keynes in the second semi-final on Wednesday 27 July, with the winner of that tie meeting England or Sweden in the Final at Wembley Stadium, London on Sunday 31 July.
Like in their three Group D matches, France flew out of the traps on the front foot as Geyoro saw a shot saved by Daphne van Domselaar after 42 seconds, after the French midfielder had picked up Diani’s through ball.
France then wasted a fierce spell of pressure up Netherlands’ right flank through poor decision-making, which saw them pass the ball around instead of whipping a cross into the box.
Les Bleues’ sluggish dominance nearly got punished in the sixth minute as Renard headed Casparij’s cross towards her own net, only for Pauline Peyraud-Magnin to react quickly to make a crucial save.
Sherida Spitse then fired wide for the Dutch three minutes later but France soon began to re-establish their dominance, as Charlotte Bilbault saw a 18th minute strike saved by van Domselaar either side of two wide headers from Renard during corner kicks.
Cascarino then went close in the 22nd minute as she cut in from the left and curled a 22nd minute right-footed strike towards top-left corner, only for van Domselaar to save the shot whilst Sandie Toletti one minute later fired over the bar unmarked from Diani’s deflected cross.
Further frustrations continued for France throughout the first-half as Melvine Malard and Geyoro both saw shots denied in 37th and 39th minute respectively, before they combined three minutes later into the box with Geyoro’s pullback pass ultimately blocked.
Netherlands though finished the opening half on the more positive note as Lineth Beerensteyn drew a foul from Geyoro, although Renard headed Sherida Spitse’s free-kick clear to keep the match goalless at the break.
As teams returned to the pitch following the half-time break, Netherlands boss, Mark Parsons opted to make a change as Jill Roord replaced Beerensteyn, whilst France named an unchanged line-up for the second-half.
Netherlands’ gamble quickly paid off as the Dutch showed more attacking intent in their play, which saw Vivianne Miedema flick over the bar from a corner kick in the 56th minute before Stefanie van der Gragt’s header three minutes later was saved by Peyraud-Magnin.
French substitute, Bacha saw a 65th minute shot denied by van Domselaar, from which the Dutch goalkeeper went on to deny Renard’s consequent header from a corner kick with an outstretched punch to concede another corner which was eventually cleared.
Bacha then attempted to curl into the right corner from just outside the box in the 73rd minute but van Domselaar was alert to block her shot.
Renard meanwhile continued to cause issues from set pieces as she headed wide from a 76th minute free-kick, after Bacha had forced a foul from Victoria Pelova just moments earlier.
Geyoro missed a huge chance to win the match for France in the dying minutes of normal time as she headed Cascarino’s right-flank cross wide at the left post, just moments before she was substituted for Clara Mateo.
Mateo who had already provided two assists for teammates during this tournament however couldn’t make an instant impact, as Cascarino fired wide in injury-time via deflection to win a corner which was headed on goal by Renard only for van Domselaar to punch her effort behind.
Referee, Ivana Martincic swiftly blew the whistle moments later to signal the end of the regulatory normal time, which meant that France and Netherlands once again faced extra-time just like in their goalless Quarter-Final at Euro 2009 which the Dutch ultimately won on penalties.
Following a competitive start to extra-time, Esmee Brugts whipped in a 94th minute cross which was nodded down for Miedema, yet she couldn’t get enough composure to have a shot on goal.
Bacha then fired over the bar from just outside of the box two minutes later before Diani drew a 98th minute foul from Janssen, which Martincic initially ruled wasn’t enough to justify a penalty kick until VAR intervened.
Périsset stepped up in the 102nd minute and fired the spot-kick into the bottom-left corner despite van Domselaar diving correctly to her right in a valiant attempt to try and save the penalty which would of kept the reigning champions’ title defence alive.
Janssen meanwhile was shown a yellow card which would of meant she would of missed the semi-final if the Dutch had come from behind to win the match.
France manager, Corinne Diacre however opted to ring the changes at half-time in extra-time as Périsset, Toletti and Diani were all substituted for Marion Torrent, Ella Palis and Ouleymata Sarr respectively.
Diacre’s decision to bring on Sarr almost paid off as the Paris FC forward ignited the French attack, despite having put two shots wide within three minutes of entering the pitch.
France eventually clung on as Peyraud-Magnin made a crucial save in the 118th minute, whilst Renard suffered a knock to her back which could pose an injury concern for the French despite manging to finish the match on the pitch.
Diacre’s Les Bleues will now play in their first semi-final since 2012 Olympics coincidentally on English soil, where they will face Germany in the second semi-final on Wednesday 27 July, for a place in the Final at Wembley next Sunday (31 July).
Teams
France: Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, Eve Périsset (Torrent 105′), Griedge Mbock Bathy, Wendie Renard, Sakina Karchaoui, Grace Geyoro (Mateo 88′), Charlotte Bilbault, Sandie Toletti (Palis 105′), Kadidiatou Diani (Sarr 105′), Melvine Malard (Bacha 62′), Delphine Cascarino
Substitutes: Mylene Chavas, Ella Palis, Marion Torrent, Aissatou Tounkara, Clara Mateo, Selma Bacha, Kenza Dali, Justine Lerond, Sandy Baltimore, Ouleymata Sarr, Hawa Cissoko
Netherlands: Daphne van Domselaar, Lynn Wilms (Egurrola 115′), Stefanie van der Gragt, Dominique Janssen, Kerstin Casparij (Nouwen 105′), Sherida Spitse (Leuchter 105′), Jackie Groenen, Danielle van de Donk (Brugts 72′), Vivianne Miedema, Victoria Pelova, Lineth Beerensteyn (Roord 45′)
Substitutes: Aniek Nouwen, Renate Jansen, Merel van Dongen, Jill Roord, Barbara Lorsheyd, Caitlin Dijkstra, Marisa Olislagers, Romee Leuchter, Esmee Brugts, Damaris Egurrola, Jacintha Weimar
Referee – Ivana Martincic (Croatia)
Attendance – 9,764
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