Germany’s soccer players lived up to their role as favorites in the quarter-finals of the European Championship against Austria. However, the record European champions had to do hard work before the 2-0 (1-0) success was certain.
On the day of the death of football legend Uwe Seeler Lina Magull (25th) and Alexandra Popp (90th) scored the goals in a game that was played very intensively by both sides over the entire distance. Austria demanded everything from the team of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg on Thursday evening (21.07.22) and impressively demonstrated that reaching the semi-finals at the European Championships five years ago was not a product of chance. Speaking of the semifinals: In the semi-finals next Wednesday (07/27/22, 9 p.m.), Germany will meet the winner of the game between France and the Netherlands, who will face each other on Saturday (07/23/22).
Voss-Tecklenburg: “Playing for Uwe Seeler too”
The selection of the German Football Association (DFB) received the news of Seeler’s death after their game day meeting in the team hotel. That caused “dismay”, explained Voss-Tecklenburg a few minutes before kick-off in the first. “I know that he wanted to watch the game today. That’s why we are deeply touched and will also play a bit for Uwe Seeler,” said the 54-year-old.
During the minute’s silence for the deceased honorary captain of the national team, Voss-Tecklenburg stood with his eyes closed on the substitutes’ bench. In the Brentford Community Stadium in London, where a picture of the HSV legend in a winning pose could be seen on the scoreboard, there was absolute silence. Germany wore mourning ribbons.
Austria more dangerous at the beginning
After these equally emotional and sad moments, it was certainly not easy for either team to immediately concentrate on the quarter-final duel. Austria got into the game a little quicker and had two good chances to take the lead through Julia Hickelsberger-Füller, who missed out on Merle Frohms (9th), and Marina Georgieva (hit the post after a corner kick/13th). At the other end, Alexandra Popp was put in a good position directly after Hickelsberger-Füller had a chance, but missed a lot (9′).
Magull takes the lead at half-time
After that, the record European champions found it difficult to get into the dangerous zone against Austria’s Bundesliga selection – eight Germany legionnaires were in the outsider’s starting XI. The surprise semi-finalist of the EM 2017 defended with concentration and was very handy in the duels. Once, however, the eleven of team boss Irene Fuhrmann in the person of captain Carina Wenninger made a momentous loss of the ball.
The 31-year-old let her former Munich teammate Klara Bühl steal the playground equipment and then only saw the heels of the attacker. Bühl cleverly put the ball back to Magull, who scored the 1-0 with a low shot into the far corner. It was the second tournament goal for the recently injured 27-year-old, who was rested in the last group game against Finland (3-0).
But even with the lead behind them, the task for the German team remained highly complicated. Austria continued to put a lot of pressure on the ball carrier, forcing bad passes and remaining very compact on the defensive. The 1:0 of the DFB team at half time was not undeserved. But it was really not a reassuring lead against this very passionate and footballing very appealing opponent.
Aluminum pitch on both sides
With a quick second goal, the record champion might have been able to calm things down a bit. And when Giulia Gwinn shot shortly after the restart, only centimeters were missing to make it 2-0. He landed on the outside of the post (46′). And how did Austria react to the aluminum shock? With an aluminum hit! Barbara Dunst circled the ball from around 35 meters to the crossbar after Frohms had played the ball involuntarily into Nicole Billa’s feet (53′).
Soon after, the German number one was once again in league with the linkage of their case. This time the right post saved Sarah Puntigam’s shot for the already beaten keeper (57′).
Pop with luck to 2:0
In the “Alu” ranking, the Alpine republic was now 2:1 ahead, which the Fuhrmann soccer players would certainly have gladly waived. Bühl would also have preferred an entry in the top scorer list. Instead, the German attacker also took part in the batten contest in the 78th minute and missed the 2-0. If the 21-year-old was unlucky in this situation, her nerves gave out after a precise pass from Alexandra Popp from just a few meters away. She shot the ball free-standing past the goal – surprisingly far.
The DFB-Elf had to continue to tremble until Austria’s keeper Manuela Zinsberger shot in just before Ultimo Popp and the ball bounced off the captain’s leg to make it 2-0.
Germany – Austria 2:0 (1:0)
Goals: 1-0 Magull (25′), 2-0 Popp (90′)
Viewers: 16,025
Referee: Rebecca Welch (England)
Germany: Frohms – Gwinn, Hendrich, Hegering, Rauch (90th + 5 Kleinherne) – Magull (64th Dallmann), Oberdorf, Däbritz (64th Lattwein) – Huth (90th + 5 Lohmann), Popp, Bühl (83rd Fire)
Austria: Zinsberger – Wienroither, Wenninger, Georgieva, Hanshaw – Puntigam (81. Höbinger) – Dunst, Feiersinger, Zadrazil, Hickelsberger-Füller (72. Naschenweg) – Billa (86. Makas)