With a win in Serbia, the national team could have qualified for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand – but nothing came of it. The German team deservedly lost when second in the table.
The German women’s national team still has a lot of work to do before the 2022 European Championships in England. This was shown in the World Cup qualifier in Serbia, which Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s team lost 2-3 (0-1).
With a win, the DFB women could have completed their participation in the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, but in the end they had to admit defeat. The Group H leaders suffered their first defeat in the eighth qualifier.
That’s how the game went
Allegra Poljak (36th minute) and Jovana Damnjanovic from Bayern Munich with a brace (49th/69th) scored for the Serbians in front of only about 400 spectators. With her 25th international goal, Lea Schüller from Munich only scored the interim goal (60th). In added time, Tabea Waßmuth (90+2) shortened again.
Despite the setback, the DFB women still have a three-point lead over pursuers Serbia before the final games in September in Turkey and Bulgaria. Only the first in the group qualifies directly, the second has to go to the playoffs.
Germany won the first leg 5-1. The result is also a setback for the record European champions with regard to the preparations for the European Championship. It was the last competitive game before the tournament in England in July. On May 16, Voss-Tecklenburg will announce their extended squad of 28. After a test match on June 24, this should be reduced to 23 players.