Germany started the European Championship in England on Friday with a big win over Denmark. The team of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg outclassed the Danish women and won 4-0 at the Brentford Community Stadium.
It was expected that vice-European champion Denmark and eight-time European champion Germany would be evenly matched in the cracker in group B, but that turned out not to be the case. Halfway through, Germany led 1-0 with a goal in the 20th minute from star Lina Magull, but given the odds, the lead could have been much bigger.
After the break, Germany took further distance. Via hits from Lea Schüller (57th minute), Lena Lattwein (78th minute) and Alexandra Popp (86th minute), the team ran out to 4-0. Denmark offered almost nothing in return and ended the game with ten players. Substitute Kathrine Kühl received her second yellow card and red card in the fifth minute of extra time.
Due to the big victory, Germany leads after a round in group B, although Spain also made an impression in Milton Keys earlier in the day by beating Finland 4-1. Germany will face Spain on Tuesday and the winner already seems certain of group victory.
Standings group B
- 1. Germany 1-3 (+4)
- 2. Spain 1-3 (+3)
- 3. Finland 1-0 (-3)
- 4. Denmark 1-0 (-4)
Lena Lattwein makes it 3-0.
Lena Lattwein makes it 3-0.
Photo: Getty Images
Germany already hits the bar twice in the opening phase
Five years ago at the European Championships in the Netherlands, Denmark was responsible for Germany’s elimination from the European Championship, but on Friday evening in Brentford the roles were reversed. In fact, the team of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg was supreme and could have won with much larger numbers.
Germany already hit the aluminum twice in the initial phase. In the tenth minute, a long shot by Flicitas Rauch through the bottom of the crossbar bounced off the goal, after which Sara Däbritz should have scored in the rebound. The midfielder shot wide. Three minutes later it was Rauch again who hit the bar.
We had to wait for the opening goal and after twenty minutes it was hit. Magull intercepted the ball after fumbling in the back of Denmark and hit hard in the short corner (1-0).
Germany cheers after Lina Magul’s 1-0.
Germany cheers after Lina Magul’s 1-0.
Photo: ANP
Magull gives assist at 2-0
More opportunities soon followed, but the 2-0 pass fell in the 57th minute. This time Magull was the declarant from a corner and Schüller headed the ball (2-0).
Germany, with at one point no fewer than nine players of national champion VfL Wolfsburg within the lines, continued to hunt for more after that. A free kick in the 78th minute seemed to be cleared by Denmark, but Germany picked up and substitute Lattwein excelled.
The substitute accepted and shot the ball hard into the short corner (3-0). With Popp, another substitute scored (4-0), making it even more painful for Denmark in the final phase. To make matters worse, substitute Kühl received her second yellow card in extra time and therefore red.
Joy at the end with Germany.
Joy at the end with Germany.
Photo: Getty Images
