Women's Under-17 EURO semi-final highlights, reports: France pip Norway, Spain oust Germany in shoot-outs

Norway pegged back France for a 1-1 draw, but succumbed to the 2023 champions on penalties before Germany won a shoot-out against Spain to reach the final of the UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship.

France 1-1 Norway (3-1 on pens) 

France had the better of a tight first half, Elise Dhalluin - a scorer from distance in the 5-0 win over Poland on Matchday 1 - testing goalkeeper Clélia Ducreux with a long-range free-kick before Léa Motyka charged inside the box on the right three minutes before half-time and found the far corner of the net with a precise low finish.

Norway did not have a first-half attempt at goal but Stine Ariell Solemdal swiftly changed their attacking fortunes, nodding in after Mie Hoem - involved when her nation reached the final last year, and the one newcomer to their line-up for this game - sent the ball looping in front of goal following fine wing play by Maia Melgård.

Franck Plenecassagne named an unchanged line-up from France's 4-1 win over Poland, but the coach may have had an eye on his country avoiding a shoot-out defeat at a second successive edition of the finals when he introduced Maelys Ane early in the second half and Mayra Bento during added time.

The ten-time semi-finalists lost on spot kicks to eventual champions the Netherlands in 2025 and Spain in 2015, but successful conversions by Motyka, Ane and Bento and three Clélia Ducreux saves ensured they avoided a final-four exit at a third successive edition of the tournament.

Erla Braathen stopped France's second attempt from Rachael Adedini and Melgård beat Ducreux, who kept out strikes by Isa Lund, Live Balmforth and - decisively - Johanna Fedeler to put her country in their 13th final, in which Adedini needs one goal to break Germany striker Shekiera Martinez's record of nine in the history of the tournament.

Key stat: Since the current finals format began in 2014, all three winners of semi-final shoot-outs have lifted the trophy: Spain in 2015, Germany in 2017 and the Netherlands in 2025.

Clélia Ducreux, France goalkeeper: "I feel really good – I know that I am pretty good at facing penalties. Fortunately, our takers are too, and they scored, but we knew we would win on that front. It was an incredible atmosphere at the end: everyone jumped on me and we can be extremely proud for the match and penalty shoot-out. We'll celebrate that win, as we should – even though there's one match left, we need to enjoy each victory and we'll progress to the final and take the title."

Franck Plenecassagne, France coach: "We're happy because it was a very tough game. We lost our way a little in the second half and dropped the intensity. It turned out well, though, thanks to a lot of penalty practice. We know the final will be tough and we'll stick together as a team and work hard, resting and recovering first and foremost and preparing in the best way possible."

Elise Brotangen, Norway coach: "I'm very proud – the girls did amazingly. We had to defend in the first half and we spoke about going back out to be brave on the ball. We had a great second half and the girls are a fantastic team. We're the only team at the tournament to have held France to a draw, but when it comes to penalties it can be like this. I'm also proud of the girls for stepping forward and taking those penalties. We're very happy to be at the World Cup but, of course, disappointed right now, having been so close to the EURO final."

Germany 0-0 Spain (4-3 on pens) 

Germany's eight trophies and Spain's five make the serial rivals the only teams to have triumphed more than once at the finals, so it was little surprise that the first half between the nations became a tactical stand-off, with neither goalkeeper unduly tested and Sabine Loderer's players defending impressively to prevent their opponents' possession from telling.

The Group A winners sent on Lynn Feiertag for Mia Giesen at the interval after the influential creative presence appeared to suffer a knock, and two players who were prolific in qualifying - Rocío Elaine for Spain, Marie Kleemann for Germany - made way later in the half in changes indicative of an encounter largely played in midfield.

Loderer sent on Dana Kessler and Lena Joy Martens as late substitutes and the pair contributed coolly to a perfect shoot-out for their side, with Johanna Putzer and Laura Dafinger also scoring and Laia Cabetas sending the decisive kick over the bar to ensure Germany moved one behind Spain's record of 11 appearances in the final.

Mirja Kropp was one of six newcomers from the 2022 champions' 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland on Matchday 3 and the goalkeeper, who now has successive clean sheets at the finals, made the first save from captain Carlota Chacón with Spain's third attempt of the shoot-out.

Key stat: Germany have won all four shoot-outs between the teams at the tournament, prevailing in the finals in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2022.

Sabine Loderer, Germany coach: "We wanted to press high whenever we could, because we know Spain don't like being man-marked and pressed high. In the first half, we very often had to be in a low block and the girls worked really hard to close down the spaces. Our back four and midfield had to run a lot but they did so well and I'm just really, really proud of the girls. I was surprised that I was really calm during the penalties, but I was just confident because I really feel the great team spirit. It's our superpower and the win was well deserved."

Mirja Kropp, Germany goalkeeper: "The whole team did well and I'm so happy to be with them right now. I'm more proud of the team than myself. It's just the taker and you at penalties and, if you don't have the confidence, it's hard. We were prepared with some tactics, like watching out for where the shots would go. You have to be confident and then, if you're lucky, you save one."

Mila Martínez, Spain coach: "The match was very, very evenly balanced. We probably had more possession without really creating much danger, and not having those clear-cut chances cost us a little. Germany also didn't have many clear chances and it was decided by small details. Maybe it was about the final ball, or we could have finished one of the chances we had in the first half. That's football; they're very young players and I'm sure they'll learn from this."