Key occasions
17 min: Minge practically splits the Polish defence with a intelligent ball down the inside-right channel. However it's deflected away from Model on the final second by Wiankowska's prolonged leg. With out Wiankowska's intervention, Model would have discovered herself in a really promising scenario.
15 min: Gwinn finds house on the appropriate and flashes a cross by way of the Polish field. No person in white connects, which is simply as effectively for Szemik, who wasn't greatest positioned.
14 min: Achcińska is clipped out on the appropriate wing, and right here's an opportunity for Poland to load the German field. Achcińska takes it herself, and sends an extended diagonal in the direction of Szymczak, dashing in down the left channel. Szymczak meets the dropping ball on the left-hand nook of the six-yard field, and flashes a volley extensive. That was an opportunity, albeit a tough one. It will have been a hell of a objective.
12 min: Linder seems to be for Model within the center with a cross from a deep place on the left. The ball sails over everybody's head and out for a objective kick. Poland might be fairly pleased with proceedings thus far, given Szemik hasn't had something to do but. In the meantime Charles Antaki has been squinting on the Group C desk because it stands. Maybe too onerous, and for too lengthy. “Germany W0 D0 L0 F0, which might be Germany WOmen DOn't LOse Soccer, although that actually hasn't been uniformly true for the reason that days of the fearsomely nice Birgit Prinz. In actual fact they've had a few lean years and a garbage 2023 World Cup. If Prinz is within the stands maybe she will be able to come all the way down to the touchline and glower at them.”
10 min: A ball thrown into the Polish field from the left. Szemik is bundled over softly, and goalkeepers all the time get these type of choices, so the whistle goes to launch the stress. It's an particularly beneficiant resolution on condition that it was her personal participant, Wiankowska, who did the deed.
9 min: Bühl pops up but once more, sashaying down the inside-left channel earlier than dragging a shot throughout the face of objective and extensive proper. Poland have to get a deal with on her and fast.
7 min: More room for Bühl down the left. Her cross is just too heavy and flies out of play on the opposite facet. “I predict that the Poland keeper might be even busier than the letters z, y, and ok in your keyboard,” writes our outdated pal Peter Oh-nomastics (seeing we're doing surname gags proper now).
5 min: Some neat talent from Nüsken out on the left, as she practically wriggles away from three challengers. Ultimately she's knocked off the ball however for a nanosecond there, issues threatened to open up for Germany down the left flank.
3 min: Germany get their foot on the ball and ping it round. Dallmann scuffs a shot from the sting of the Polish field, however it takes a deflection and flies out for a nook. Nonetheless the flag then goes up for offside earlier within the transfer.
2 min: … and it's a quick begin by each groups, as a result of right here's Bühl bowling down the left. She crosses excessive and Szemik punches clear.
Poland get the ball rolling. Pajor instantly dribbles into the field down the appropriate however can't discover anybody within the center. Then they arrive once more, Achcińska's low cross smothered by Berger within the Germany objective. Poland have arrived at a serious championship!
… however earlier than kick-off, there's a minute of silence to be completely noticed. Each groups huddle. Then the warmest spherical of applause. Oh Diogo. Oh André. Our hearts break for you. xx
The groups are out. Germany in white shirts and black shorts, Poland decked out from head to toe in crimson. We'll be off as soon as cash have been tossed, fists bumped, and pennants exchanged.
Our man in St Gallen, Tom Garry, units the scene with a pre-match snippet. His verdict from Enviornment St Gallen might be touchdown after the sport, so make certain to hold round for that.
It's one other stunning night in Switzerland and the historic metropolis of St Gallen, surrounded by luscious inexperienced, rolling hills. It's a metropolis the place outdated meets new; historic abbeys meet fashionable infrastructure, maybe the proper setting for this contest between the grand outdated power of European girls's soccer – Germany – and one in every of this summer time's newcomers to girls's main tournaments in Poland. The debutants don't have anything to lose tonight, in opposition to the event's most profitable nation. Germany, alternatively, will wish to make a powerful begin akin to the efficiency Spain delivered final night time.
The nationwide anthems. Solely the third verse of the Deutschlandlied is sung today. That's for one of the best on steadiness, although it's a disgrace the primary two strains of the second stanza are not used, as a result of they'd work fairly effectively on this context, and there's little or no to argue with right here …
♬ German girls, German loyalty,
German wine and German tune ♪♬
In the meantime the primary line of the Polish quantity …
🎼♯ Poland has not but succumbed!!! 🎶🎶
… might be effectively price their belting out in the course of the pre-match niceties, given their odds in opposition to, whereas they nonetheless can.
A significant event merely isn't a serious event and not using a wallchart. Don't fear should you haven't been in a position to supply one, as a result of our resident inventive genius David Squires has been to work and has your again. You realize the pack drill: Print it out! Pin it up! Fill it in! Make a series of primary-school-level errors while filling out at least one of the final tables!
The Guardian Consultants' Community has run the rule over each crew at Euro 2025. Bayern Munich right-back Giulia Gwinn has 60 caps and a number-one bestselling biography to her identify …
… whereas Poland striker Ewa Pajor has scored 43 targets for Barcelona this season, plus eight for her nation. No marvel she's within the operating for the Ballon d'Or.
As we speak's different match in Group C has simply completed. Filippa Angeldahl's low drive was sufficient for Sweden to see off Denmark in Lancy. Barry Glendenning was masking that one, blow for blow; that is how the desk seems to be consequently.
1. Sweden W1 D0 L0 F1 A0 Pts 3
2. Germany W0 D0 L0 F0 A0 Pts 0
3. Poland W0 D0 L0 F0 A0 Pts 0
4. Denmark P1 W0 D0 L1 F0 A1 Pts 0
Germany's beginning XI options a few WSL stars in Manchester Metropolis defender Rebecca Knaak and Chelsea midfielder Sjoeke Nüsken. Bayern Munich's Lea Schüller, who scored thrice in opposition to Poland within the two aforementioned matches final yr, leads the road.
Poland's sole WSL consultant is their goalkeeper Kinga Szemik. 4 of their beginning XI – Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor, PSG defender Paulina Dudek, Cologne defender Sylwia Matysik and Fleury midfielder Ewelina Kamczyk – have been a part of the facet that received the 2013 Ladies's U17 European Championship.
The groups
Germany: Berger, Gwinn, Minge, Knaak, Linder, Senss, Nusken, Model, Dallmann, Buehl, Schuller.
Subs: Johannes, Hendrich, Wamser, Lohmann, Freigang, Dabritz, Zicai, Cerci, Kett, Hoffmann, Kleinherne, Mahmutovic.
Poland: Szemik, Matysik, Szymczak, Dudek, Wiankowska, Achcinska, Pawollek, Kamczyk, Tomasiak, Pajor, Padilla-Bidas.
Subs: Radkiewicz, Zieniewicz, Wos, Mesjasz, Zawistowska, Grabowska, Kokosz, Jedlinska, Slowinska, Krezyman, Adamek, Seweryn.
Referee: Stephanie Frappart (France).
Preamble
Germany are, by an absurd distance, essentially the most profitable crew in Uefa Ladies's Euros historical past. They've received this championship (and its predecessor) eight occasions; Norway are subsequent on the all-time listing with two. Poland by comparability are making their event debut this night. Then take the head-to-head report between these two international locations: Germany 6, Poland 0, to an mixture rating of 28-3. As neighbourly rivalries go, it's a very lop-sided one.
However in soccer there's all the time hope, and right here's Poland's: they're presently on an 11-match unbeaten run, a sequence that includes ten wins. Yay! The one downside is, simply earlier than they started that run final yr, they have been overwhelmed residence and away by … you may inform the place that is heading, can't you … Germany. A 4-1 defeat away, a 3-1 loss at residence. Oh, and Germany are on a five-game profitable run of their very own, having scored 24 targets in these matches. Which can clarify why you will get odds of 33-1 on their profitable this night. So this needs to be a shoo-in for Germany, an opportunity to make a press release like Spain did final night time. We'll discover out whether or not the Frauenteam make good on that promise quickly sufficient. Kick-off is at 8pm UK time. It's on!
