Germany had the better of their home 2025 UEFA Women’s Nations League final first leg against holders Spain but had to settle for a 0-0 draw as both teams hit the post in front of more than 40,000 fans in Kaiserslautern.
The second leg is at 18:30 CET on Tuesday at Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid.
Key moments
28′ Brand effort blocked by Irene Paredes
33′ Cata Coll double save from Anyomi and Knaak
53′ Esther González hits the post
70′ Bühl strikes against woodwork
As it happened: Germany 0-0 Spain
What happened?
Both teams began at Fritz-Walter-Stadion in positive fashion and in the sixth minute Nicole Anyomi put a cross-shot just past the far post for Germany. The home side began to take control and Klara Bühl, winning her 75th cap, tested Cata Coll from a tight angle, and the Spain goalkeeper also used her feet to deny Franziska Kett.
The Germany pressure continued and Irene Paredes cleared Jule Brand’s effort off the line. Cata Coll saved again with her feet from Bühl not long afterwards, and then leapt to swat away headers from Anyomi and, on the rebound, Rebecca Knaak, returning along with goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger after missing the semi-final games against France.
Spain were grateful to get in at half-time level but they began the second half with intent and Alexia Putellas curled the ball wide. UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 top scorer Esther González, starting for Spain after missing the semi-final through injury, then turned a Mariona Caldentey cross on to the post.
Germany responded as Bühl had an effort blocked and Sjoeke Nüsken headed over. As the game reached the 70-minute mark, Bühl worked space and her low shot struck the woodwork. Shekiera Martinez was then introduced for her senior Germany debut, and they kept attacking as a looping Brand cross hit the top of the bar, with ultimately no way past Cata Coll. The world champions brought on a debutant themselves in Edna Imade but Spain were shut out for the first time since February’s 1-0 league stage loss in England.
Player of the Match: Klara Bühl (Germany)
“A very convincing performance. She created goal chances on her own by her fantastic ability to drive the ball with speed and challenge the defenders in 1v1 situations, often beating them. A joy to watch.”
UEFA Technical Observer panel
Reporter’s view: Judith Tuffentsammer from Fritz-Walter-Stadion
It was a different game than most had expected. Aside from a short period after the restart, Germany controlled the game almost from start to finish, keeping the ball and attacking relentlessly, but were ultimately unable to convert any of their plentiful chances.
With the return leg taking place in Madrid on Tuesday, Germany have their work cut out if they want to win the Nations League for the first time, as it seems unlikely Spain will let them have two dominant performances in a row. Spain, on the other hand, will seek a much stronger showing at the Estadio Metropolitano than they had here in Kaiserslautern tonight if they want to retain their title.
See the match stats
Key stats
- Germany led the shot count 19-9, though it was 6-5 for efforts on target.
- This is only the third game Spain have not won in their 16 matches so far in 2025, the other two were against England (the 1-0 Wembley Stadium league stage loss in February and the defeat on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Women’s EURO 2025 final in Basel).
- The 40,159 crowd is a Women’s Nations League finals record, beating the 37,191 that saw Germany beat France 1-0 in the first leg of the 2025 semis in Düsseldorf.
Reaction
Christian Wück, Germany coach: “Of course I’m annoyed because we didn’t reward ourselves, which we should have done, especially because of the first half. But we’re looking forward to the return leg because we’ve shown that we can’t just keep up, but even dominate a team such as Spain. That’s a development which few thought we’re capable of.”
Sonia Bermúdez, Spain coach: “Germany were superior in the first half; we struggled to adjust our pressing. We improved in the second half, but I want to emphasise the team’s defensive work. We know how to defend and how to suffer. Now we focus on the return leg; the Metropolitano will decide.”
Janina Minge, Germany defender: “This is exactly what we set out to do. Particularly in the first half they reached a point where it seemed they were unable to figure out how to defend against us. Everyone who saw today’s match knows that we didn’t just keep up, but played really well. If we can convert our chances and keep defending as we did, we can get the win on Tuesday.”
Klara Bühl, Player of the Match: “We played incredibly bravely today, always looking for the goal. It’s really tough that it didn’t go in, because first of all, we would have deserved it, and secondly we would have had a buffer for the return leg. But this way, we now have a more traditional final ahead of us.”
Cata Coll, Spain goalkeeper: “We are Spain, we want to have the ball and we didn’t have it in the first half. I think we adapted well… [At half-time] Sonia told us to get our act together, to have the ball, which is what we want. I think the second half went much better and I think it’s a positive result and we’ll see you at the Metropolitano.”
Line-ups
Germany: Berger; Gwinn, Minge, Knaak, Kett; Senss (Hendrich 90+2), Nüsken; Cerci (Alara 69), Brand, Bühl; Anyomi (Martinez 73)
Spain: Cata Coll; Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Mapi León (María Méndez 77), Olga Carmona; Aitana Bonmatí (Athenea 77), Laia Aleixandri, Alexia Putellas; Clàudia Pina (Eva Navarro 63), Esther González (Imade Imade 86), Mariona
Third-place play-off first leg: France 2-1 Sweden
Griedge Mbock Bathy scored deep into added time in Reims to give France the edge in the third-place play-off. France took the lead just before half-time through a Sakina Karchaoui penalty after Anna Sandberg fouled Kadidatou Diani.
Sweden drew level in the 67th minute when substitute Stina Blackstenius rose to head in Sandberg’s cross. Six minutes into added time, Player of the Match Karchaoui sent in a corner which was flicked in at the near post by Mbock Bathy to give Les Bleues a lead to take to the Stockholm Arena second leg at 19:00CET on Tuesday.
