News (engl.)

Germany’s women’s national team will go into this summer’s European Championship in Switzerland (2nd to 27th July) full of confidence. Christian Wück’s side won their final UEFA Nations League group game 6-0 away against neighbours Austria, having also beaten the Netherlands 4-0 last Friday.

5,150 fans at the Franz-Horr-Stadion in Vienna saw all six goals scored in the first half. Sydney Lohmann (1’, 39’), Lea Schüller (9’), Selina Cerci (26’), Klara Bühl (31’) and Laura Freigang (43’) all found the back of the net to kill the game off before the break. Germany finished top of Group A1 with five wins and a draw.

Full focus now on the European Championship

The draw for the Final Four of the Nations League will be made on Friday at 13:00 CEST. The two semi-finals are set to be played between 22nd and 28th October, the final and third place play-off between 26th November and 2nd December. Germany have been joined in the Final Four by France, world champions Spain and Sweden.

Wück’s team can now turn their full focus to the European Championship. The coach will name his final squad for the tournament on 12th June. He handed four players a place in the starting XI against Austria to give them a chance to impress: Franziska Kett, Lohmann, Freigang and Cerci replaced Sarai Linder, Sjoeke Nüsken, Linda Dallmann and Jule Brand in the side.

Opening goal within 15 seconds

Germany made the perfect start in Vienna, taking the lead after just 15 seconds. Cerci’s cross from the right wing found its way through to the back post and Lohmann ran onto it before striking it past the goalkeeper to open the scoring (1’). Austria’s Mariella El Sherif was beaten again eight minutes later. This time, Klara Bühl drove past multiple defenders into the box and fired an effort on goal, which El Sherif could only parry to Schüller. The FC Bayern striker made no mistake from six yards out and headed home to make it 2-0 (9’).

Between these two goals, however, coach Wück was extremely vocal on the touchline due to a couple of Austria chances. Julia Hickelsberger had a massive opportunity to equalise in the fourth minute after a misunderstanding between goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger and Rebecca Knaak (4’). Knaak then had to make a vital block to deny Hickelsberger from Austria’s next attack (5’).

The game continued to be played at a high tempo, with Schüller twice seeing shots saved by El Sherif (14’, 16’). At the other end, Viktoria Pinther missed her attempted lob from distance after a misplaced Berger pass (18’). Hickelsberger got on the end of a free-kick at the near post but couldn’t direct her effort on target (23’).

A second for Lohmann

Germany continued to be clinical in the final third to effectively decide the game before the midway mark. Bühl crossed from the left and found Cerci in the middle and she produced a lovely first-time finish to net her fifth goal in just her ninth cap (26’). The impressive Bühl scored herself five minutes later, taking advantage of Austria failing to clear the danger in their own box (31’). Lohmann added her second in the 39th minute, hammering in Germany’s fifth from distance. The first half ended with Freigang getting in on the act, scoring at the second attempt after El Sherif’s initial save (43’).

Coach Wück made several changes at the break, bringing on Carlotta Wamser for Bühl, Sophia Kleinherne for captain Gwinn and Sara Doorsoun for Knaak. He also introduced Nüsken for Senß in the 56th minute and Giovanna Hoffmann for Schüller seven minutes later (63’). Austria were much better in the second half and Germany took their foot off the gas after a dominant first period.

Quiet second half

The first chance of the second half only came in the 55th minute: Marie-Therese Höbinger’s free-kick was well saved by Berger. Wamser had the opportunity for Germany’s seventh in just her second international game, but couldn’t add to the goal tally. Other than these two chances, the second half was an extremely quiet affair.

Germany’s final squad for the European Championship will meet up again on 19th June in Herzogenaurach.