European Championship ticket within reach
DFB women win after lightning deficit against Poland
31.05.2024, 22:50
Third game, third win: Germany’s women’s soccer team has their sights set on a ticket to the European Championships. However, Horst Hrubesch’s team started the match against outsiders Poland with a shock.
The German women’s soccer team is only one step away from qualifying for the 2025 European Championship in Switzerland. Nevertheless, the long, difficult 4:1 (1:1) against outsiders Poland in Rostock was a warning shot for the team of national coach Horst Hrubesch. There are still 55 days until the first game at the Olympic Games in Marseille against Australia. Despite almost 90 minutes of dominance, the Germans only convinced at the end on Friday evening.
Natalia Badilla-Bidas shocked the hosts in front of 18,765 spectators with her opening goal for the visitors after less than half a minute. The German team equalized thanks to an own goal by Wiktoria Zieniewicz (34th minute). Lea Schüller (77th minute) and Giulia Gwinn (84th minute/88th minute, penalty) redeemed their team with a double strike in the closing stages.
After three games, Germany leads the group with nine points, ahead of Austria and Iceland (each with 4 points) and Poland (0). The German players will meet the Poles again in Gdynia on Tuesday (6 p.m.) and can complete their qualification.
Uncertainties behind
Shortly before kick-off in Rostock’s Ostseestadion, Hrubesch once again encouraged the crowd on his way to the coach’s bench. But after just 28 seconds, the guests dampened the mood: Badilla-Bidas, who plays for 1. FC Köln, took advantage of a pass from Wolfsburg’s Bundesliga top scorer Ewa Pajor. The DFB selection acted nervously in the following period, but then increasingly controlled the proceedings. The Germans created shots on goal. But they showed insecurities again at the back. Poland’s Pajor (17th minute) almost used one of these insecurities to make it 2-0 for her team, but her former Wolfsburg club colleague Merle Frohms in goal reacted strongly.
For the German players, the match became more and more a game of patience. In addition, inaccuracies disrupted the flow of the game. Captain Alexandra Popp (30th), who was absent from the last two international matches, missed the best chance with a header. Four minutes later, Zieniewicz helped the hosts to equalize with a header into her own goal following a corner from Klara Bühl.
Hrubesch reacted during the break and made three substitutions. He brought on the regular defensive leader Marina Hegering for Bibiane Schulze Solano. Leverkusen’s Elisa Senßen and Laura Freigang replaced Sjoeke Nüsken and Alexandra Popp in attack. The pressure from the Germans continued to grow, the inaccuracies remained. Nevertheless, they created numerous chances, but the final consequence was lacking. In the 63rd minute they were lucky when the strong Pajot hit the crossbar of the German goal. In the 74th minute the next shock: Marina Hegering had to leave the field after only 29 minutes of play due to calf problems. Schüller and Gwinn then ensured the happy ending.