The Euro Women’s 2013 football champions came to close Sunday in , with Germany winning their sixth straight title. Having beaten the odds to advance to the final, Norway’s women’s football team had a chance to beat an injury-ravaged Germany, but squandered their opportunities and went down 1-0 at the full time whistle.
Despite beating them in the group phases, Norway just couldn’t convert their chances and nearly went 1-0 down in the opening minute. Their goal keeper, Ingrid Hjelmseth, was kept busy but it was the Scandinavians who had the best chance before half an hour was up.
Gifted a penalty from a foul by Celia Da Mbabi, Catherine Dekkerhaus fluffed it for Norway by punching the ball straight at the goal keeper. They had a second chance after half time when Caroline Hansen was tripped up in the goal area by Jennifer Cramer, but this attempted penalty was palmed away.
Meanwhile Germany had taken the lead early in the second half after Anja Mittag put away a cross from Da Mbabi having been on the field just three minutes. The only other time the ball saw the net was in the dying minutes when Ada Hegerberg might have equalized from Norway but was ruled offside.
Norway were the only unbeaten side left in the tournament and Germany’s road to the final was uninspiring with only one goal scored in each game, except their drubbing of Iceland. Norway had scraped past Denmark in the semi-finals on penalties following a full time draw. Germany had dispatched of the hosts.