Bielefeld (dpa) – With DFB captain Alexandra Popp in the squad, the German soccer players are challenging pursuers Portugal in their seventh World Cup qualifier.
The 31-year-old from Wolfsburg beckons a comeback in the national team after a long injury break on Saturday (4:10 p.m. / ARD) in Bielefeld. National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg has a broad squad available for the first time in Corona times.
However, Linda Dallmann and Maximiliane Rall from FC Bayern Munich, who were recently infected with Corona and have traveled there, are not yet an issue against Portugal. “It did make a difference. As with everyone who had Corona, you need a little time,” said Voss-Tecklenburg about the duo.
The World Cup ticket beckons against Serbia
Their selection boasts six wins in six games en route to Australia/New Zealand 2023. Already on Tuesday (4:00 p.m. / ZDF) it will continue in Belgrade against Serbia. Under certain circumstances, the DFB women, who triumphed at the World Cup in 2003 and 2007, can already buy the World Cup ticket.
“We want to get six points, it’s about qualifying for the World Cup,” said Voss-Tecklenburg. The two encounters are also the last competitive games before the European Championships in England in July. Goalkeeper Almuth Schult (VfL Wolfsburg) should be back in the German selection between the posts for the first time in almost three years against Serbia. Voss-Tecklenburg promised the 31-year-old mother of twins an assignment. However, the Frankfurter Merle Frohms is considered the first goalkeeper.
Olympique Lyonnais playmaker Dzsenifer Marozsan is back after a muscle injury. The 29-year-old was absent from the Arnold Clark Cup in England in February. In the second half of 2021 she was loaned to the US club OL Reign. “I took a lot of positive things with me, it was a very cool and nice experience for me,” said the ex-Frankfurter. “It’s almost a different kind of sport there: very physical, very athletic. I learned a lot there.”