Breathe a sigh of relief at the DFB: The German footballers have qualified for the Olympic Games. Participation is very important, says ARD expert Almuth Schult. But there is also a lot of work waiting for interim coach Horst Hrubesch and the team.
“That was a significant improvement in performance compared to the game in France,” analyzed Schult after the 2-0 win over the Netherlands. “The team was in the game right from the start and was much more aggressive in the duels, was more compact defensively and put more speed on the pitch offensively.”
DFB women withstood the great pressure
The pressure on the team on Wednesday was huge – after the early exit from the World Cup last year, after the atmospheric disturbances surrounding the departure of coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, after successfully surviving the group phase in the Nations League and especially after last Friday’s semi-final defeat against France.
But the German soccer players withstood the pressure: with the victory over their neighbors, participation in the Olympic Games is certain. For ARD expert Schult, qualifying for Paris is an important sign for German football, but also for international competition.
Variable performance even under Hrubesch
Although she is happy about her successful qualification, the former Wolfsburg player also looks back on the varied performances in the Nations League matches since September: “The players keep showing what they are capable of. Of course, the goal is to keep these performances constant show and perform in every game. If we succeed, the team will be among the world class again.”
Under the direction of HSV idol Hrubesch, there were strong games such as the deserved win in the Netherlands and a convincing performance against Denmark in December, but a few days later a goalless draw against Wales raised questions.
Schult: “It’s very important that the team is there”
The team was also unable to implement the planned pitch against France in the semi-finals. “Before the Olympic Games, the performances have to be more consistent, the team has to become more stable both in defense and in attack,” says Schult.
With qualification, the footballers are still celebrating an important sense of achievement after the DFB women’s and men’s teams had already failed in the preliminary round at the last World Cup. Schult: “After the setbacks in German football, it is very important that the team takes part in the Olympics. The games have enormous significance in women’s football, which can be compared to that of a World Cup. The Olympic football tournament will get a lot of attention, that can give women’s football further impetus and push it.”
Olympic tournament as Development opportunity
Almuth Schult was in Germany’s goal at the Rio Games in 2016 and won gold with the team: “The Olympics are a huge stage and taking part in the games is also an important experience for the players to develop further.”
Twelve nations are taking part in the tournament, which will be held in seven stadiums in France. After the hosts and the world champions from France, Germany is the third European team to qualify. “Being among the top 3 in Europe is an important sign in international competition,” said Schult. Meanwhile, Hrubesch has already formulated his goal for Paris: “Now you have to see that you get to the final.”
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Sports current | 02/29/2024 | 10:17 am
