The Netherlands and Sweden secured their place in the final four of the Women’s World Cup with victories over Italy and Germany respectively.
Vivianne Miedema and Stefanie Van Der Gragt were on target for the Netherlands as they reached semi-finals for the first time in their history with a 2-0 win over the Italian side.
Sofia Jakobsson and Stina Blackstenius were on target for Sweden in their 2-1 victory against Germany.
Netherlands 2-0 Italy
In the build-up to the match, Holland’s request to push back the afternoon kick-off because of the heatwave in France was turned down by tournament organisers.
The searing temperatures resulted in scheduled drink breaks and contributed to a drab, uneventful opening 45 minutes.
Italy’s Valentina Bergamaschi directed an early volley straight at Dutch goalkeeper Sari Van Veenendaal following Barbara Bonansea’s flick-on, and later scuffed wide when well placed.
At the other end, Miedema’s effort from distance and Spitse’s tame free-kick were both comfortably claimed by Laura Giuliani.
Italy, playing their first World Cup quarter-final since 1991, were the lowest-ranked team left in the tournament and considered by many as this year’s surprise package.
They began to be pressed back in their own half in the second period as the Euro 2017 winners took control of the tie.
Dutch forward Lieke Martens, who scored the last-minute penalty to beat Japan in the last 16 and shrugged off a toe injury to start, twice had sights of goal but lacked the power to beat Giuliani.
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Arsenal’s Danielle Van De Donk was unfortunate not to open the scoring in the 58th minute with a curling effort from the edge of the box which bounced back off the crossbar following a partially-cleared corner.
Italy continued to ride their luck and were once again reliant on the frame of the goal when midfielder Spitse’s powerful free-kick from distance glanced the base of the left post.
However, they could not hold out for much longer and Sarina Wiegman’s side duly went ahead with 70 minutes on the clock.
Spitse delivered an inviting, in-swinging set-piece from wide on the left, allowing Holland’s record scorer Miedema to flick home her 61st goal for her country and third of the competition.
Italy suffered a further blow 10 minutes later when Barcelona player Van Der Gragt climbed high at the back post to power home Spitse’s floated free-kick from the right.
Substitute Daniela Sabatino had a chance to set up a tense finish but her close-range effort was repelled by Van Veenendaal as Italy’s hopes of a comeback ended.
Germany 1-2 Sweden
Sweden pulled off a shock 2-1 victory over Germany in Rennes to reach the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup.
Germany, the Olympic champions, had not conceded a goal in the tournament so far as they coasted into the last eight.
Sweden, though, produced a resolute display at Roazhon Park to come from behind following Lina Magull’s acrobatic goal in the 16th minute.
Sofia Jakobsson equalised after latching onto a long pass up field in the 22nd minute, before Stina Blackstenius’ close-range header put the Scandinavians ahead early in the second half.
Germany pressed for an equaliser and saw a Video Assistant Referee turn down a penalty for a marginal offside, with Lena Oberdorf and Marina Hegering then both heading late chances wide.
Sweden, who have never won the World Cup, will go on to face Holland, who earlier beat Italy 2-0, in Lyon on Wednesday.
Germany had started brightly and broke the deadlock in the 16th minute.
Paris St Germain midfielder Sara Dabritz stole possession just inside the Sweden half and drove forwards, chipping a pass into the penalty area. Bayern Munich’s Magull flicked the ball up before beating goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl with an acrobatic volley.
Sweden, though, produced a swift response after defender Linda Sembrant sent a long clearance up field, which bounced over the German defence and was collected by her Montpellier team-mate Jakobsson.
The forward powered into the penalty area and drilled a low drive past Almuth Schult into the bottom left corner.
Because of the searing temperature at Roazhon Park, the teams were given a cooling break just after the half-hour.
Sweden soon threatened again when Blackstenius made the most of a slip by a German defender to race clear, with her angled drive pushed over the bar by Schult.
At the start of the second half, Germany midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsan came on for her first appearance since suffering a broken toe in the opening group match, replacing Linda Dallmann.
It was Sweden, though, who were in front after 48 minutes. Fridolina Rolfo’s header was saved by Schult but Blackstenius was alert to knock the loose ball in from close range.
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Blackstenius almost added a third when sent clear down the left and cutting inside, only to slip in the penalty area.
With 15 minutes left there was another cooling break, before Germany felt they had a penalty claim after Alexandra Popp collided with the Sweden keeper when jumping for a header.
Following a lengthy VAR review, referee Stephanie Frappart signalled play to continue as Popp was ruled to have been marginally offside in the build-up.
Germany continued to press for an equaliser, with Oberdorf heading wide after the Sweden keeper failed to connect with a cross from the right.
During stoppage time, Hegering sent her header at the back post over as Sweden closed out a famous victory.