There was no lack of experience in the first six months that Horst Hrubesch was back at work for the German Football Association (DFB). But now that there is only half as much time left to prepare for the conclusion of the cooperation, which offers the chance of winning a medal at the Olympic Games, the national coach is placing more value than ever on ensuring that his team’s results are also correct.
On Tuesday in Aachen, the DFB women’s selection met the requirement he formulated in the European Championship qualifiers 3-1 against Iceland that the weeks until summer must be used to develop as a community not only off the field, but also on the field harmonize.
The success was not a brilliant masterpiece, but a well-deserved result of a committed work ethic. Hrubesch made a change in a position where there is no doubt who is ahead in the internal ranking in order to test under competitive conditions what the current form of number two is like: instead of regular goalkeeper Merle Frohms started deputy Ann-Katrin Berger, who had recently been out for weeks due to a concussion.
Good start, then too imprecise
She had to intervene more often early on than was expected given the opponent, who is not of the highest quality internationally. In addition, as announced, the national coach expressed his confidence in Bibiane Schulze Solano in defense. The 25-year-old had made her international debut just four days earlier in Austria (3-2), where she took advantage of her chance with energetic defensive work and pushed Sara Doorsoun out of the starting line-up.
Things got off to a good start for the Germans with the 1-0 lead in the fourth minute, achieved by Lea Schüller’s header. What they did badly afterwards and immediately caused them problems was the carelessness in their attacking efforts, which became too imprecise in the final meters.
The Icelanders, for their part, were not impressed by the deficit and initially made life difficult for the favorites with a courageous duel. Ann-Katrin Berger first got to the ball in time with her hands against Dilja Zomers (10th) and was able to get in the way of Ingibjörg Johannsdottir so that she shot past her and the post (15th).
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But Hlin Eiriksdottir finally took advantage of a lack of attention in the DFB defense, where Bibiane Schulze Solano also came too late to prevent the equalizer (23′). Lea Schüller got her ensemble back on track before the break with her second header (33′).
Lena Oberdorf increased the score to 3:1 (45th). In front of 16,500 spectators, including Hrubesch’s successor Christian Wück, the Germans’ enthusiasm in the second half resulted in no further goals despite numerous opportunities. From her point of view, a flaw that could be overcome that evening.
