In the 76th minute the time had come. Laura Freigang was finally allowed to enter the square in the jersey. Until then, the 24-year-old had been the only German field player who had not yet been able to show herself at this European Championship. Now she high-fived Linda Dallmann, ran off and almost scored nine minutes later. In the third group game against Finland in front of 20,721 spectators in Milton Keynes it was 3-0 (1-0), but the national team’s self-confidence is strong enough even without a fourth goal – the record anyway. As group winners with nine points and nine goals to zero, the DFB selection has confidently reached the quarter-finals.
“If someone had told us before the tournament that we had two wins after two games without conceding, we would all have pinched ourselves,” said national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg before the game. “We were brilliant and deserved it.” After beating Denmark 4-0 and beating Spain 2-0, it was all about keeping the rhythm against Finland. It was clear early on that it would depend on other players: Lena Oberdorf and Felicitas Rauch were both suspended against Finland. In addition, midfielder Lina Magull complained about thigh problems. And so others got a chance to recommend themselves: Sophia Kleinherne started for Rauch, instead of central defender Kathrin Hendrich Sara Doorsoun came. Oberdorf and Magull were replaced by Lena Lattwein and Linda Dallmann – only the line-up on offense remained unchanged with Klara Bühl, Alexandra Popp and Svenja Huth. The goal with Merle Frohms anyway.
In the first half, however, the ball did not and did not want to cross the line at first, no matter how stubbornly the Germans tried. It took less than 30 seconds for them to appear in the opponent’s penalty area. Captain Popp tried a header from a promising position, but aimed well over the target. In the sixth minute, Sara Däbritz took a shot from the edge of the penalty area, which could have gone well too, and the ball went over the target again. After a quarter of an hour, so many attempts had come together that Voss-Tecklenburg applauded, but puffed out her cheeks when she turned towards the bench.
In the first half hour, the Germans had 35 ball actions in the opposing penalty area – best value
The Finns, who, in addition to captain and goalkeeper Tinja-Riikka Korpela, were missing various players sick or injured, closed in at the back as best they could. “We set ourselves the goal of reaching the quarter-finals and it’s disappointing that we don’t have a chance to play for it,” said national coach Anna Signeul. “We want to finish here with something great.” In the 25th minute she saw something that might have given her some hope of success: Emma Koivisto ran towards goal, Doorsoun was the only one sprinting next to her – and ended up blocking Koivisto’s shot.
Double premiere: Sophia Kleinherne (right) scores with a free header to make it 1-0 for Germany against Finland – for the defender it was the first goal in the national jersey.
(Photo: Colorsport/Imago)
On the other hand, the DFB series of goal attempts continued happily. In the first half hour, the Germans had 35 ball actions in the opposing penalty area, more than any other participant in this tournament. Popp still had two good chances – until the first goal came in the 40th minute: Giulia Gwinn played a precise cross into the penalty area from the right, where Lattwein and Kleinherne were lurking at the back post. Lattwein jumped, but Kleinherne jumped higher, unchallenged and caught the ball just right for her first international goal into the left corner. Voss-Tecklenburg threw his arms up, finally it was there, the 1-0.
The Finns don’t give up, but with their help they score the next goal
Defense chief Marina Hegering, who received a yellow card once, and Giulia Gwinn watched the second half from the bench. They were replaced by Nicole Anyomi and central defender Kathrin Hendrich. And as in the previous games, the great quality of the German squad was evident. Anyomi played the decisive pass to Hendrich, who in turn ideally crossed into the penalty area, where Popp showed her trademark: header, goal, 2:0. In only the 31-year-old’s third European Championship game, it was her third European Championship goal, for the third time with a header. This made the VfL Wolfsburg striker the first German soccer player to score in all three European Championship group games in a final.
Cheers: Alexandra Popp (right) celebrates after her goal to make it 2-0 against Finland. It was the striker’s third goal of the tournament.
(Photo: Damien Meyer/AFP)
The Finns didn’t give up, but it was with their help that the next goal was achieved, where Anyomi again showed her quality. Substituting at right-back, she kept the pressure on as goalkeeper Katriina Talaslahti played the ball forward and captain Emmi Alanen ultimately provided an assist for Anyomi in the penalty area. The 22-year-old from Eintracht Frankfurt took a flat diagonal shot to make it 3-0 (63rd minute). With a view to the next task, Voss-Tecklenburg made another change: Svenja Huth and Klara Bühl left the pitch, Tabea Waßmuth and Jule Brand came in, a few minutes later they were released.
In the first knockout round, Germany is now up against a team that probably has the best atmosphere and that has already achieved something special for itself. For the second time in a row, Austria has reached a European Championship quarter-final. The players celebrated the decisive 1-0 win against Norway as exuberantly as if there were a trophy for it – with a polonaise through the stadium as well as dancing and singing at the press conference. When it comes to football, the Germans are superior to their neighbours, but you shouldn’t underestimate them. In their last eight European Championship games, the Austrians have conceded only two goals. They are well organized defensively. But Germany’s offensive has long since warmed up.
