Germany started their bid for a ninth European title in ideal fashion as they stormed to a 4-0 win over Denmark at the Brentford Community Stadium.
Lina Magull, Lea Schuller, Lena Lattwein and Alexandra Popp were on target for Germany as they overcame their old foes having been knocked out of Euro 2017 by the same opponents at the quarter-final stage.
Magull pounced on a poor clearance before firing into the back of the net to open the scoring in the 21st minute, but Germany’s second did not arrive until three minutes short of the hour, when Schuller headed home.
Lattwein capitalised on a knock-down to fire in her side’s third 12 minutes from time, before Popp capped off the night with a fourth in the 86th minute.
Kathrine Kuhl added to Denmark’s misery when she was shown a second yellow card just moments from the full-time whistle, as their bid to go one better than their runner-up finish last time around got off to a losing start.
Despite Denmark having the majority of the early possession and chances, it was Germany who hit the bar inside the first 10 minutes, when Felicitas Rauch tried her luck from outside the area only for her strike to rebound off the woodwork.
The bar and post then denied Germany again – twice in quick succession in the 13th minute. Rauch’s shot from distance bounced back off the bar into the path of Schuller, who headed onto the post but was eventually flagged offside.
Germany’s breakthrough eventually came in the 21st minute when Magull charged down Sofie Junge Pedersen’s attempted clearance to run through and fire past Lene Christensen and give her side a deserved lead.
Denmark had a chance of their own in the 29th minute when Signe Bruun struck from outside the area only for Merle Frohms to make a sprawling save to deny the striker.
Christensen saved from Magull’s low drive in the first real opening of the second half, but the midfielder turned provider for Schulle from the resulting corner, with the German number seven heading into the back of the net to double her side’s advantage.
Substitute Lattwein made it 3-0 in the 78th minute when the ball was headed down for her to apply the finish, and Popp added a fourth with a late diving header before Kuhl saw red.
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