Women’s national soccer team
Germany gets a mandatory win against Iceland
As of: 8:27 p.m. | Reading time: 3 minutes
Germany also wins the second game in the European Championship qualification
Source: dpa/Sebastian Gollnow
The German soccer players celebrate their second victory in the second game of the European Championship qualification. They took an early lead in the 3-1 win against Iceland. After the equalizer, the further goals were scored before the break. The game is also a bid for the Olympics.
On the way to the 2025 European Championship in Switzerland, the German footballers also fulfilled their second mandatory task. Interim national coach Horst Hrubesch’s team won 3-1 (3-1) against Iceland in Aachen. Bayern striker Lea Schüller was particularly in a good mood, scoring twice with her head (4th and 34th minute). Lena Oberdorf scored the third German goal (45th + 3).
Hlin Eiriksdottir (23rd) had meanwhile managed to equalize 1-1. At the start of the European Championship qualification, Hrubesch’s team won 3-2 in Austria on Friday. The third group opponent is Poland.
Lena Oberdorf (l) scores to make it 3:1
Source: dpa/Sebastian Gollnow
The almost 73-year-old coach also wants to use the European Championship qualification as a test phase for the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. “It will hurt for some,” said Hrubesch, announcing tough competition for the only 18 Olympic squad spots. He wanted to go to France to win every game, said the veteran coach, who will be replaced by Christian Wück (50) after the games.
Designated national coach Wück sits in the stands
Ex-striker Wück closely watched his upcoming selection at the Aachen Tivoli together with his future assistant Maren Meinert. The world champion coach of the U17 juniors must have particularly enjoyed the initial phase. The Germans pushed towards the Icelandic goal with a lot of speed, and Schüller rewarded the effort early on after a cross from left-back Sarai Linder.
also read
The Munich player’s second goal was almost a copy of the first, this time the agile Klara Bühl assisted her club colleague. Oberdorf increased the score before the break following a Bühl corner from the crowd. After the break, only the vice-European champions played, but missed a number of chances. Including the best one from Jule Brand, who headed it onto the post (62′).
also read
Overall, it was a dominant performance, but marred by a period of weakness shortly before and after the 1-1 draw in the 23rd minute. The transition behavior when Eiriksdottir conceded a goal was far too sluggish. In the end, captain Giulia Gwinn was unable to prevent Dilja Zomers’ cross; Bibiane Schulze Solano had to defend against two players at the second post – but that failed.
International match as a bid for the Olympics
As announced, the 25-year-old from Athletic Bilbao called Hrubesch into the starting line-up for the first time. With the exception of the equalizer, she made a good impression again in her second international match. In the search for candidates for the Olympics, Chelsea’s Ann-Katrin Berger was also allowed to play in goal instead of regular goalkeeper Merle Frohms from VfL Wolfsburg.
In the second round, Hrubesch brought in Janina Minge, Felicitas Rauch, Lina Magull, Vivien Endemann and Pia-Sophia Wolter who can apply for the Olympics. Despite great efforts, the hoped-for goals failed to materialize.
In Iceland, the substitution of Wolfsburg’s Sveindis Jonsdottir due to injury had a negative impact. When her club colleague Kathrin Hendrich fouled, the striker suffered an unfortunate fall on her left shoulder in the middle of the first half. Shortly afterwards she had to leave the place in tears.
