World Cup opener against Philippines
Switzerland finally gives the DFB legend its first victory
7/21/2023 8:57 am
The Swiss footballers start the World Cup with three points. In the end, the team of German coach Inka Grings achieved an unchallenged success against the Philippines. Meanwhile, the World Cup debutants are denied a supposed goal.
The German coach Inka Grings made a successful start to the World Cup for women with Switzerland. In front of 13,711 spectators in Dunedin/New Zealand, the 44-year-old former national player scored a deserved 2-0 (1-0) win against the Philippines.
Ex-Wolfsburg player Ramona Bachmann (45th minute / penalty kick) and Seraina Piubel (64th) scored at the start of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. Switzerland had to survive a moment of shock in the early stages when the Philippines’ supposed 1-0 lead was ruled out due to an offside position (16′).
For the former Duisburg player Grings, it was the first victory as a Swiss coach after a good six months in office. The former German international Grings, who scored 64 goals in 96 appearances for the DFB team, celebrated her first victory as Switzerland coach since taking office in January. Previously, she had been able to show five draws and one defeat in six friendlies. The six-time top scorer in the Bundesliga had previously been the first woman in Germany to coach a men’s regional league team, SV Straelen.
For Switzerland it goes on Tuesday (10 a.m. CEST/ARD and in the live ticker at ntv.de) continued with the second group game against the Norwegians, who surprisingly lost to hosts New Zealand (0-1) at the start.
Previously, Olympic champion Canada had made a false start to the tournament. The favorites were held to a 0-0 draw against eleven-time African champions Nigeria in Melbourne. Canada’s record player Christine Sinclair failed with a penalty kick on goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie (50th). For the 40-year-old offensive player it would have been the 191st goal in her sixth World Cup participation in her 324th international match.