Germany’s soccer players have won the “final” for participation in the Olympics against the Netherlands and are heading to Paris. The selection of the German Football Association (DFB) won 2-0 against the Netherlands on Wednesday evening (February 28, 2024) in Heerenveen.
Klara Bühl got Horst Hrubesch’s selection on their way to Paris with her goal in the 66th minute. Lea Schüller made everything clear with the goal to make the final score 2-0 (78th).
The game for third place in the Nations League became the final for participation in the Olympics because France was in the final against Spain (0-2), as the host team had already qualified for the games in Paris. This freed up another Olympic ticket for a European team, which the DFB team now secured.
DFB team superior from kick-off
The German team took the initiative right from the start and put the Dutch under pressure. It took until the 25th minute for the first real chance, but Sjoeke Nüsken hit the post with her shot from the edge of the penalty area.
But it remained a game of nerves because the German defense seemed vulnerable to the Dutch advances. There was still a lack of precision at the front: Alexandra Popp had a good chance to head after a cross from Giulia Gwinn, but she aimed it straight at goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.
Bühl calms his nerves after the restart
Immediately after the restart, Schüller, who came on as a half-time substitute, celebrated the supposed opening goal, but the goal was conceded due to a narrow offside position. Van Domselaar destroyed another great chance for the Munich woman with a brilliant performance. Her teammate Bühl did it better by 60 seconds, carefully putting the ball into the net from close range after strong preparatory work from Lena Oberdorf.
The German team now seemed liberated: Schüller failed with the next big chance from van Domselaar, but beat the strong keeper with a header to score the decisive second goal less than 120 seconds later.
“It feels incredibly good to have won here. We were there from minute one today, that must always be our aim“said goal scorer Bühl on the ZDF microphone.”We have to take this momentum, this energy with us to the Olympics.”