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Start of the World Cup year: Germany has many problems in the 0

2023-02-21T20:13:42.387Z


The DFB-Elf had problems against Sweden. In the game up front, little worked, behind keeper Merle Frohms saved several times. Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a message with him.


Enlarge image

Alexandra Popp was annoyed with herself and her performance during the game

Photo:

IMAGO/LUDVIG THUNMAN / IMAGO/Bildbyran

Top secret:

The DFB team has a lot planned for the start of the World Cup year.

National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg announced that they wanted to play less predictably and tactically more flexibly.

What exactly should that look like?

Stay secret for now.

Neither the result nor the line-up of the unofficial friendly against Ireland was released to the public last Friday.

The coach also made a big secret of the approach to the game against Sweden.

You are not much smarter after the very meager performance on Tuesday evening.

Result:

Germany and Sweden played 0-0 in front of more than 20,000 spectators in Duisburg.

Here is the match report.

First half:

The Swedes kept disrupting the build-up, the German players made simple mistakes.

Passes landed on the opponent or on the side.

The only chance for Martina Voss-Tecklenburg's team was Sara Däbritz, whose shot from around 17 meters just missed the post (25th minute).

The Swedes were more dangerous but didn't use their chances.

Important visitors:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz was also in the stadium for the first international match of the year.

The SPD politician had campaigned for the same tournament bonuses during the EM last year.

And this demand is now reaffirmed.

"I'm staying on the ball and I will continue to do so," he said before the game.

Anniversary:

​​Forward Alexandra Popp was showered with honors before the game.

She received the award for "National Player of the Year" and for "Goal of the Year".

A short time later she kicked off – and celebrated the next anniversary.

The game against Sweden was her 125th cap, so Popp now has as much as Voss-Tecklenburg.

But that's only enough for 14th place in the all-time list of the best.

Birgit Prinz with 214 caps is unlikely to catch up with Popp.

(Not) a cliché:

On Monday, the DFB announced a new sponsor for the women's national team.

One that promptly caused a lot of ridicule on the Internet: the Wuppertal family company Vorwerk, known for vacuum cleaners and the Thermomix.

Some were reminded of times when national players were given a coffee service as a reward for winning the European Championship.

Voss-Tecklenburg saw the whole thing "not at all as a cliché number," as she said before the game.

But there was also a bit of self-mockery: “We women look forward to high-tech devices because men don’t help us around the house that often.

So we fulfilled all the clichés.«

Second half:

Germany tried a little more, including Voss-Tecklenburg switching from a back four to a back three.

However, the Swedes continued to have few problems with the far too harmless Vice European Champions.

Shortly before the end, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd only hit the outside of the post for Sweden (81st).

The new tactical flexibility seemed to confuse their own players more than their opponents.

As usual strong:

The only German player who reached her European Championship form was keeper Merle Frohms.

She kept the German team in the game several times - and caused a moment of shock when she twisted her ankle in the second half and had to be treated.

Apparently, the Wolfsburg player didn't get seriously injured, after a short break she was able to continue playing.

VfL Germany:

Frohms was one of six Wolfsburg women in the German starting XI.

The Wolves are dominating the Bundesliga at will this season – but weren’t able to take the momentum from the club to the national team this time.

World Cup in sight:

The World Cup starts on July 23 in Australia and New Zealand.

Until then, Germany is still playing two friendlies, the opponents have not yet been determined.

So Voss-Tecklenburg doesn't have much time left to push ahead with their secret adjustments.

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2023-02-21

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