Germany celebrate another final appearance after beating Finland 4-1. Photograph: Lars Baron/Getty.
Germany booked their place in the Euro 2005 final with the kind of performance that should worry whoever of Sweden and Norway joins them from tomorrow's semi-final.
They had made their way to this stage of the tournament without having to play anything like their best football, but were quick out of the blocks in Preston tonight, Inka Grings putting them in front with just three minutes on the clock.
The scoreline might suggest that Finland, massive underdogs, simply lay down, but their own game plan was to hit the Germans early and it was their failure to make the most of early pressure that allowed Germany to break, Conny Pohlers and Anja Mittag combining to release Grings, whose shot from distance rolled under keeper Satu Kunnas.
Replays showed Grings was offside but it mattered little - Pohlers made it 2-0 five minutes later after Kunnas fumbled a Kerstin Garefrekes cross into her path, and Grings made it three inside 12 minutes when Finnish captain Sanna Valkonen failed to clear her lines.
Their lead didn't last long, Finland refusing to be beaten so early and pressing at every opportunity. Minna Mustonen put them on the scoresheet – the first time Germany have conceded in this campaign – after 15 minutes, heading in at the near post from a corner.
Birgit Prinz, who has not looked her usual self so far in the competition, thought she had bagged the fourth with only just over 20 minutes gone, tapping home another Mittag cross, but she was flagged offside.
Finland created a couple of half chances in the first half, Mustonen forcing a save from Silke Rottenberg with another header after 18 minutes and Valkonen shooting after the German keeper lost her way in a crowded penalty area – only to see a great recovery from Rottenberg.
It was Germany who just about had the better of a scrappy, open second half, Grings furious to see her free header loop over Kunnas and the goal and Britta Carlsson shooting high from distance.
Prinz only had to wait until the 63rd minute to notch up Germany's fourth, striding past twisting and turning Finnish defenders and placing the ball beyond Kunnas – and might have added a fifth in the dying moments, but blasted over from close range.
Grings too might have beefed up the scoreline as the game finished but couldn't lob Kunnas.
Germany: Rottenberg, Jones, Grings, Prinz, Lingor (Gunther, 75), Mittag (Fuss, 46), Minnert, Carlson, Pohlers, Hingst, Garefrekes.
Finland: Kunnas, Vaelma, Julin, Valkonen, Salmen, Sarapaa (Thorn, 69), Makinen, Mustonen (Uusi-Luomalahti, 46), Kalmari, Rantanen, Kackur.
