With the victory in the top game against co-favorite England, the German hockey women are heading towards the semi-finals at the European Championships in Mönchengladbach. Coach Valentin Altenburg’s team won 5-0 (0-0) in the packed hockey park on Sunday and, after two wins, is comfortably leading the Group B table with six points ahead of England and Ireland (three each).
With a draw in the final game against Ireland (Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.), the DHB selection would qualify as group winners for the semi-finals, even a narrow defeat would be enough to advance to the next round.
In the duel between the two-time European Championship winners, the hosts were the superior team, as they were in the first game, and created a number of chances to score. Altenburg had demanded more speed and better chances from his team. But the English, who had won their opening game against Ireland 3-0, were good on the defensive for half-time and were lucky with a few penalty corners of the DHB selection.
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With the opening goal by Hamburg’s Micheel after a penalty corner, the ban was broken in the 38th minute. Within eight minutes, the hosts made it 4-0 with Sonja Zimmermann (41st), Jette Fleschütz (46th) and Pauline Heinz (49th). Another goal by Fleschütz made it 5-0. In the parallel group, record holders of the European Championship, the Netherlands, are almost certain to be in first place after beating Belgium 2-0. Belgium is currently in second place. Germany, as group winners, would then meet Belgium in the semi-finals.
