They fought each other intensively, are well known from day-to-day business as teammates or Bundesliga rivals and therefore had to discuss a few things after the final whistle of an eventful quarter-finals of the European Championship.

Consolation and congratulations alternated around the center circle at Brentford Community Stadium.

The Austrians were fair losers who knew how to behave among sports women, and the Germans rounded off the picture of the happy winner with sympathetic words and gestures for their sad competitors.

Marc Heinrich

sports editor.

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Laura Freigang, who storms for Eintracht Frankfurt in everyday life and has so far been particularly in demand as a mood cannon in the selection of the German Football Association (DFB), took Barbara Dunst, who otherwise works together with her at Hesse, in her arms for a long time and tried to build her up - she managed tolerably, and then they both exchanged their jerseys.

The Austria team had hit the crossbar or post three times, and the aluminum rods prevented the Germans from scoring twice. Giulia Gwinn (46th minute) and Klara Bühl (78th) were also unlucky in the end.

But they could more easily ignore the missing centimeters in these scenes than the Austrians, who were left empty-handed, when the balance was drawn after a varied encounter that was always attractive for the 16,000 spectators in the arena.

Munich's Lina Magull (27th) and Wolfsburg's Alexandra Popp (89th) scored the German victory, which the national coaches seemed relieved about: Sporting happiness sometimes feels particularly enjoyable when it is preceded by hard work.

Now the Germans will meet the winner of the game France against the Netherlands in the semi-finals this Wednesday in Milton Keynes, who only play against each other this Saturday (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the European Football Championship and on ZDF).

"The opponent challenged us today and hurt us, but thank God they didn't score a goal," summed up Martina Voss-Tecklenburg.

The audience saw a "great game". The 54-year-old gave the Austrians a "great compliment" for their performance.

Only after tactical changes at the break and later bringing in of Lena Lattwein (Wolfsburg) and Linda Dallmann (Munich), who did their job as a midfield duo to ensure peace and order, did the Germans organize the exchange of blows much more evenly and ultimately sit down due to their greater efficiency through.

Irene Fuhrmann, the Austrians' coach, said her people lost to an "absolutely world-class team".

At times it was possible to "dominate" the Germans, but "one or the other mistake too many" is "punished with cold blood" in such a tournament.

"The Germans had to give everything to beat us," emphasized the Viennese.

Looking at things that are now going on in the British Isles without any action on her part, she named Germany and England, who had progressed the day before by beating Spain 2-1, as two title aspirants who should be classified "on an equal footing".

Their paths can cross at the earliest in the final at Wembley.

Voss-Tecklenburg didn't want to think that far on Friday night.

Instead, she allowed herself an emotional look back at the hours before kick-off, when the news of Uwe Seeler's death made the rounds in the DFB camp.

According to Voss-Tecklenburg, they heard the sad news when the discussion about the game against Austria had just ended and everyone was about to go out to eat.

Everyone would have reacted concerned.

She herself met the HSV idol several times, said the national coach, and that she was "very moved" by his death.

In the past few days, Seeler's state of health had been an issue in DFB circles, "we knew," said Voss-Tecklenburg, "that not everything was top-notch with him."

She expressed her condolences to the family.

During the minute's silence for the deceased honorary captain of the national team, Voss-Tecklenburg stood with his eyes closed on the substitutes' bench.

When a picture of Seeler in a jubilant pose appeared on the scoreboard in those seconds, there was absolute silence in the audience.

“I have great respect for Uwe Seeler.

He was a great footballer and a great person.

Whenever we met him, he always said something nice," said the national coaches.

She therefore dedicated the success over Austria to the deceased and thanked her players for a result