Sweden laid down a marker as Euro 2025 title contenders as they came from behind to beat Germany and finish above them in Group C.
Both teams had already qualified for the quarter-finals in Switzerland and went into the game with top spot at stake.
But it proved a difficult task for Germany who played two thirds of the chaotic encounter in Zurich with 10 players after Carlotta Wamser was sent off in the 31st minute.
The eight-time champions took a seventh-minute lead when full-back Wamser’s brilliant through-ball found Jule Brand to slot across Jennifer Falk and into the bottom corner – the first goal Sweden conceded at the tournament.
But they responded brilliantly to level just five minutes later as Christian Wuck’s side were dispossessed in their own half, allowing Arsenal’s Stina Blackstenius to burst through and roll the ball past Ann-Katrin Berger.
Germany pushed for a second goal, but they fell apart at the back and conceded again in the 25th minute when Sarai Linder’s sliding tackle deflected back against Smilla Holmberg and into the roof of the net past Berger.
It got worse for Germany when Wamser conceded a penalty, and received a straight red card, for a goalline block with her hand to deny Blackstenius.
Fridolina Rolfo stepped up and sent Berger the wrong way from the penalty spot to score Sweden’s third goal on her 100th international appearance.
After a largely tame second half in comparison, substitute Lina Hurtig tapped home on 80 minutes for the fourth, converting Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s pull-back from close range.
It sealed Sweden’s first win in seven meetings with Germany at a Euros, while handing their opponents their biggest defeat in the tournament.
Sweden and Germany will learn their quarter-final opponents on Sunday, after the conclusion of England’s tie with Wales and Netherlands against France (both 20:00 BST kick-offs).
What was the main talking point?
Wamser was brought in to replace German captain Giulia Gwinn, who was ruled out of Euro 2025 after suffering medial ligament damage in her side’s tournament opener against Poland.
And the 21-year-old started well against Sweden as a fine pass picked out Brand for Germany’s opener – Wamser’s second assist in Switzerland.
But her dismissal meant she went from hero to zero as Gwinn – a surprise name on Germany’s substitutes bench to support her team-mates – consoled the young Bayer Leverkusen defender as she left the field in tears.
Though they were behind when Wamser was dismissed, Germany showed they had the attacking quality to trouble the Swedes, but they were left with a mountain to climb with 10 players.
They will now go into their quarter-final tie without both their first choice and back-up right-back, leaving boss Wuck with a major defensive headache.
