WWC: Nadine Angerer's penalty save sends Germany into last four

German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer was the heroine as two-time champions Germany beat France 5-4 on penalties to become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2015 Women’s World Cup.

France took a second-half lead through Louisa Necib but Celia Sasic’s late spot-kick, forced the game into extra-time. Neither side were able to score in the additional half hour, taking the game into a shootout, where Angerer’s save put the tournament favourites into the last four.

France dominated early proceedings and should have been in front in the first minute of the game. Elodie Thomis burst down the right flank and delivered a pinpoint cross for Louisa Necib who dragged her effort wide with the goal at her mercy.

Germany created an opening after a quarter of an hour but Celia Sasic headed over before Anja Mittag flashed an ambitious 30-yard effort wide.

Thomis was wreaking havoc down the right flank but Marie-Laure Delie was unable to find the target after another delightful ball from the winger.

Necib had another glorious opportunity to give France the lead before the break, but 2013 FIFA World Player of the Year Angerer was equal to the task to save the midfielder’s left-footed shot.

Germany began the second half a lot brighter and Sarah Bouhaddi had to be alert to deny Sasic, who drilled a low effort at goal which the French keeper just about managed to get down to.

Bouhaddi had to be even better to keep the score level after clawing away a stunning curled free-kick from substitute Dzsenifer Marozsán.

But just after the hour mark France got the breakthrough they deserved. Jessica Houara’s long ball was headed half-clear by Babett Peter and Necib’s shot from the edge of the area deflected away from Angerer and into the corner of the net.

Simone Laudehr should have got the reigning European champions back on level terms minutes, but could only drag her shot wide after France failed to clear a Germany corner.

But Germany were awarded a rather fortunate penalty seven minutes from time when Amel Majri saw a handball given against her as she tried to pull her hand away from Leonie Maier's shot. Sasic made no mistake from the spot to score her sixth goal of the tournament to become the outright leading scorer in the 2015 Women’s World Cup and send the match into extra-time.

Chances were few and far between in extra time with Germany’s Sara Dabritz unable to generate enough power to trouble Bouhaddi in the best opportunity of the opening period.

France should have scored a winner three minutes from the end of extra-time after a perfectly weighted cross was turned wide by substitute Gaetane Thiney from three yards out with the goal gaping.

The tie went to penalties and both sides scored each of their first four penalties. Sasic made it 5-4 to Germany, leaving it up to Lavogez to take it to sudden-death. But Angerer sprung to her left to save Lavogez’s spot-kick to send Germany into Tuesday’s semi-final at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium.

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