by Oliver Trust

BERLIN, July 24 (Xinhua) -- To Aitana Bonmati, her golden goal against Germany felt like a miracle. For Spanish fans, it was the fairy tale ending to a nerve-racking night.

Bonmati's extra-time strike in the 113th minute of the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 semifinal not only sealed a 2-1 victory over Germany, but also secured Spain's first-ever appearance in a Women's Euro final, set for Sunday against England.

The emotional weight of the 27-year-old midfielder's return to the pitch made the moment even more powerful.

Shortly before the tournament began, Bonmati was hospitalized for three days with meningitis, raising fears that the superstar might miss the event entirely. Fortunately, doctors diagnosed a viral form of the illness - less severe than the bacterial variant - allowing for a relatively quick recovery.

Even so, Bonmati missed much of Spain's pre-tournament preparation. Her comeback was carefully managed: 10 minutes against Portugal, then 45 against Belgium. Each step was uncertain.

"It was something I couldn't control," Bonmati said. "At first, the diagnosis shook my world. But I told myself, challenges like this exist to be overcome. I'm proud I managed - with the help of many."

Her decisive shot against German goalkeeper Ann-Kathrin Berger came from meticulous planning. "In our video analysis, we saw she sometimes opens up the short corner," Bonmati said. So instead of crossing, she fired a direct shot - and sent Spain and its fans into celebration.

It marked Spain's first-ever win over Germany in nine tries.

Spanish coach Montse Tome called Bonmati the team's "inspirational source." With her help, Spain now has a shot at its first Euro title.

Sunday's final against England will be a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final, when Spain shocked the favorite with a 1-0 victory.

England reached this year's final after defeating tournament surprise Italy, with Arsenal star Chloe Kelly scoring the winner.

"Today we celebrate and enjoy the win," Bonmati said. "Tomorrow, we focus on England."

Reaching the final, she said, fulfills a long-held dream.

"We've written history and want to add the final chapter this Sunday," Bonmati said. "I could write a book about the past few weeks." ■