Saturday afternoon saw a very entertaining affair between former World champions Germany and surprise of the tournament England in the 3rd place match in Edmonton.

The first half began with Germany coming out of the gates quickly as they have through the tournament and within the first minute they had their first shot of the game as Petermann headed toward goal but the shot was beaten away by the English keeper Bardsley for a corner. 

The Germans continued to dominate in the first ten minutes with the English unable to get past the physical German midfield.

Then in the 8th minute, panic nearly set in for England when Schmidt nearly put the ball in the net for Germany but England captain Steph Houghton would clear the ball off the line in dramatic fashion for possibly Germany's best opportunity of the match. 

However, Germany would break again just seconds later as Sasic found her way past the English defence but only managed to hit her shot straight at the goalkeeper. 

The match would however begin to balance out as England had their first opportunity in the 10th minute through Farah Williams' right foot but her shot would fly just wide of goal. The end to end action continued as the English earned a corner off the foot of German defender Kemme but goalkeeper Angerer would come to the rescue as she punched away the subsequent shot and caught the follow up shot from distance. 

Germany would continuously cause problems on the counter attack as Sasic broke with speed and ran at the English defense in the 17th minute but her pass into the box was cleared by England's Bassett who was dominate on the day. Germany would continue their pressure moments later when Peterman dispossessed an English defender but only managed to hit her shot wide right of goal.

Despite the German technical prowess, the English dominated the air in the first half, a fact most apparent in the 25th when Chapman far outjumped her marker only to head it wide of goal. 

Germany responded by continuing the high tempo action on the counter as Goessling found the head of Behringer but England goalkeeper Bardsley caught it with one hand spectacularly in the 31st minute.  

Neither team seemed to be able to find the back of the net in the first half but not for lack of effort. 

The Germans however had the better of the opportunities, including when German right winger Schmidt hit the 12th shot of the half with a chipped ball in the 38th minute in cheeky fashion.

But the chip gave Bardsley no trouble followed by German right back Kemma flying forward down the wing to find the head of Sasic with a weighted cross in the 44th but she couldn't put enough power into it and an entertaining, end to end first half would end 0-0. 

The 2nd half began in similarly frenetic fashion to the first with both sides splitting possession evenly. However it would take until the 53rd minute for either side to manage a shot on target as sasic' volley was parried expertly by Bardsley. 

Both teams would continue to push for the opener throughout the second half but Germany began to control the match and poured on the pressure. However, it was England who had the best opportunity of the second half in the 76th minute when a frenzy of shots in the box nearly led to an England goal but some last ditch defending from Bartusiak finally cleared the danger.

Despite the German dominance, neither side created many clear cut opportunities until late on, England substitute Aluko blasted past the German defense but would be outmuscled by Bartusiak for an England corner in the 84th minute. 

Again Aluko would cause havoc among the German defense as she blasted past them in the 86th minute but Angerer slid in, in the last minute to retrieve the ball and hurt herself in the process.

England continued to push Germany to the brink, desperate for a goal as Sanderson would play it out to Houghton but the England captain only managed to sky her shot in the 89th minute.  

Neither team could find in the back of the net in the 2nd half as the match went to extra time.

The English pressed with vigour from the first whistle and were rewarded with the first opportunity of the first half of extra time but it was the keepers who were the stars of the half as Angerer had to rise to claim Sanderson header in the 91st minute.

Germany would return the favor in the 94th minute when Bardsley was forced to punch away a German corner and Angerer would make a similar save just a minute later, but neither team looked any closer to breaking the deadlock as the first half of extra time wore on.

Again it was the Germans with an opportunity as Goessling's corner was headed toward the English goal in the 98th minute but Houghton cleared it with confidence. 

The second half of extra time started with a bang that proved to be the deciding moment as Kemme dragged Sanderson down in the box to earn England a penalty in the 107th minute. 

Farah Williams would step up to convert the penalty as she slammed the ball left of goal while Angerer to give England the previously elusive opening goal in the 108th minute which would prove to be the decisive goal.

Germany would earn a freekick in the 114th minute which Mittag smashed toward goal but which was saved by Bardsley after initially dropping it to keep England in the lead. The Germans would again come close in the 116th minute but Peter could only manage to head it just wide of goal for an increasingly frantic German side. 

Finally, Germany would get the last opportunity of the game after earning a corner in the 119th minute but the corner found an English defender who cleared it out to the dismay of the Germans as the final whistle blew to confirm England's best ever finish at a Women's World Cup.