2022 Women's Under-17 EURO semi-final report: Germany 1-0 France, Spain 3-0 Netherlands

Germany and Spain are through to Sunday's UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship final in Sarajevo.

Holders Germany beat France 1-0 in Zenica then Spain overcame the Netherlands 3-0 in Sarajevo. Germany and Spain are also into the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in India from 11 to 30 October, with a third spot on offer when France and the Netherlands play off in Zenica ahead of the final.

Germany 1-0 France

Holders Germany are one step away from an eighth title after a clinical defeat of France. In hot conditions in Zenica, the game took time to get going but there was almost a goal for France when a free-kick was half-cleared and Charline Coutel sent in a lobbed half-volley which Eve Boettcher fumbled but recovered before it crossed the line.

Late in the first half, Mara Alber won the ball and fed Mathilde Janzen but France keeper Feerine Belhadj advanced well to block. Soon after though, Germany took the lead as Alara Sehitler beat Belhadj with a lob from distance.

It was nearly 2-0 just after the break as Sehitler fed Marie Steiner, who hit the outside of the post. Belhadj denied Alber from close range, and crucially at the other end there were few clear chances for France as Germany made it four clean sheets from as many games (all of them wins) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Friederike Kromp, Germany coach: "It was a great win for us. We are so happy we are now in the final. The conditions were very, very tough. On the pitch, it must have been unbelievable. I was in the shade and still sweating. In the end, the girls performed very well and [a] 2-0 [win] was very possible for us, but France are a very good team and they challenged us. But [the victory] was very well deserved for us."

Germany goalkeeper Eve Boettcher celebrates with Loreen BenderUEFA via Sportsfile

Eve Boettcher, Germany goalkeeper: "We are really happy to be in the final. It was a tough game against France, and we are happy that we kept another clean sheet. Our defenders are machines!"

Cécile Locatelli, France coach: “It was a very tough game. In the first 30 minutes we should have taken the lead. After that we conceded and it was really difficult to recover in these hot conditions.”

• Key stat: Germany (like Spain) have now reached nine of the 13 Women's U17 EURO finals; they have so far won seven (to Spain's four).

Spain 3-0 Netherlands

Nina Pou scored the first two goals as Spain, like Germany, reached the final with a fourth win and a fourth clean sheet in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Spain scored with their first attack, in the fourth minute, as Lucía Corrales broke free down the left, cut inside the arena and played back for on-rushing Barcelona club-mate Pou to roll the ball in.

The Netherlands, who had hoped for a repeat of their 3-1 win against Spain in the last semi-final of 2019, were allowed few openings as Kenio Gonzalo's side dominated possession and territory, as they have done throughout this competition.

Not long before the hour mark Victoria López broke through with a solo run but could not keep her shot down. López then made the second with just over 20 minutes left, slaloming around several defenders and cutting back for Pou to turn in. Spain kept pressing for a third, and it came with the final kick as López set up substitute Olaya Enrique to strike from a tight angle.

Spain celebrateUEFA/Sportsfile

Kenio Gonzalo, Spain coach: "I am very happy, it’s a fantastic moment for Spain. This match, qualifying for the World Cup, it’s amazing. It’s very important for me team to have scored 14 goals, without conceding, it’s incredible. Different matches, different moments, my players have a fantastic mentality. Germany are a very tough team, it’s a very difficult final, but Spain are in a good moment."

Nina Pou, Spain double goalscorer: "I can’t put into words what it means to score two semi-final goals in a tournament like the EURO, it’s fantastic. We are very happy to have got our place in the World Cup, it’s a great opportunity. Now we are going to work to win the final."

Thomas Oostendorp, Netherlands coach: “I think that we played a really good first half, but if you let in a goal in the first minutes you know it’s going to be tough especially against Spain, who I think are the best team we have played so far, as we knew that before the game. We knew it would be tough and I think we played really well in the first half. The second half was less good but Spain are an excellent team so we cannot be ashamed that we lost against them.”

• Key stat: Pau and Enrique's goals mean ten of the 18-strong Spain squad have scored in these finals, two more than the old competition record.