Thompson restores German pride

Germany entered their game against England in Torgau with something to prove after losses in their first two matches saw them eliminated from the competition. They answered their critics in superb style, defeating the Group A winners 6-0 largely thanks to Shelley Thompson who scored twice in each half.

Goal difference
The hosts knew that they would finish at the foot of their section irrespective of their result today. However, the size of a victory in which Lena Goessling and Simone Laudehr also scored means that Silvia Neid's side were the only team in Group A to finish with a positive goal difference, plus three. Despite having one of minus three, it is England who will face France in the second of Friday's semi-finals.

On a mission
Germany lost their first game 2-0 to Italy before going down 2-1 against Sweden on Sunday. They had a chance to win that game in added time, only for Thompson to scoop an excellent chance over the bar. The Swedes cleared their lines and eventually won a corner from which Caroline Seger headed the winning goal. Thompson was on a mission to redeem herself in front of a 2,650 crowd and the television cameras today and opened the scoring on 12 minutes after racing clear of the England defence.

Powerful header
Ten minutes later it was 2-0 following an attack down the left. Thompson picked the ball up, cut inside and crossed for Krüger who headed into the path of Goessling, leaving her with a simple chance to score. Thompson then made it 3-0 before Laudehr headed in powerfully from a whipped cross to complete the first-half scoring.

Thompson finishes it
It was a similar story after the break as an England side missing numerous regulars struggled to contain the defending champions. When England did put the ball in the net it was disallowed for a foul on goalkeeper Tessa Rinkes. In the 79th minute Thompson lobbed Carly Telford to make it 5-0, and the speedy forward made it 6-0 in the final minute after dribbling around the England keeper and placing the ball in an empty net.

One for the future
Thompson, unsurprisingly the player of the match, will have a chance to prove herself in the full national team after coach Tina Theune-Meyer called her into the squad for a training camp ahead of a friendly match against Nigeria on 6 August. She, like much of Neid's young squad, is one for the future.