France sink England in penalty shoot-out

France can look forward to a semi-final against either Brazil or the United States on Wednesday after a hard-fought victory against England in Leverkusen, which required a sudden death penalty shoot-out to divide the two sides.

England were within two minutes of victory in normal time after Jill Scott had opened the scores against the run of play in the 59th minute, but a wonderful strike by Élise Bussaglia gave Bruno Bini's side a lifeline. Extra time could not divide the two sides and so the match was decided by penalties, Faye White hitting the bar with the final effort after Camille Abily and Claire Rafferty had both failed from the spot.

Though France dominated the match, they almost fell behind as early as the first minute when Kelly Smith broke into the area and rounded Céline Deville but Laura Georges blocked her goalbound effort. Les Bleues soon settled, however, and looked the likelier scorers in the first half, Gaëtane Thiney forcing a fine save from Karen Bardsley on 25 minutes and Louisa Necib sending a rising shot just over soon afterwards from similar range.

England were struggling and Bardsley was lucky her attempted clearance ricocheted over her net after Marie-Laure Delie charged her down. She was also relieved that Sandrine Soubeyrand's 12-metre effort flew wide. It seemed only a matter of time before France scored, and yet it was Hope Powell's side who took the lead when Scott sent a looping shot from 20 metres over Deville.

France threw everything at their opponents in search of an equaliser, Delie shooting over after 66 minutes, Élodie Thomis denied at the near post by Bardsley with five minutes left, and Ellen White clearing Laure Lepailleur's header off the line seconds later. But England were unable to prevent Bussaglia's curler from flying in off the post.

With Faye White and Kelly Smith struggling with injuries France continued to threaten in the additional half-hour, although Karen Carney and Ellen White both squandered chances. With five minutes to go Eugénie Le Sommer missed with a close-range header but the coup de grace had merely been postponed.