Germany’s dream of ninth European championship title has burst. The team of national coach Christian Wück lost his semi -finals at the European Championship in Switzerland against world champion Spain on Wednesday evening 0-1 after extra time.
Spain’s exceptional footballer Aitana Bonmati made it to the short corner in the 113rd minute in Zurich with a shot from an acute angle in the highly competitive semi -finals. As with all previous games in the Alpine Republic, the replacement weakened DFB selection left her heart on the square and had the big favorite on the verge of a defeat. Of all things, a mistake by the keeper Ann-Katrin Berger, which has so far been outstanding in Switzerland, now sealed the brave Wück team.
“I also blame myself. The short corner has to be – of course. That’s why I am all the more disappointed with myself. I can still make so many parades that should have just been mine. I am incredibly sorry for the team. She really gave everything”said the 34-year-old in the Sportschau interview.
Berger again offered an outstanding game – at the crucial moment in the 113th minute, it was briefly inattentive.
Wück: “Can be proud”
So on Sunday (6 p.m.) in the St. Jakob Park there is not a new edition of the final of the EM 2022, but a duel between Spain and defending champion England. The “Three Lionesses” had already prevailed 2-1 after extra time against Italy on Tuesday.
Despite the missed final, Wück pulled a positive summary of his first tournament as a national coach in the Sportschau interview: “From my point of view, we played a really good tournament when you look at the results. We failed with a young team shortly before the final. We had a lot of injured, we had blocked players and we still managed to almost get the exceptional team of Spain into the penalty shootout. And I think we can be proud.”
W in with defensive orientation, Däbritz and three changes
As expected in the run-up to the game, the 52-year-old had touched concrete in the Letzigrund Stadium. The national coach sent his team on the lawn in a 4-5-1 formation. Captain Janina Minge was a kind of Libera in front of the chain of four, in which Sophia Kleinhern replaced the blocked Kathrin Hendrich (red card against France). The against “Les Bleues“Because of her dismissal against Sweden, missing Carlotta Wamser took the place of full-back Sarai Linder (ankle injury) and Sara Däbritz replaced the yellow-locked Sjoeke Nüsken in midfield.
Sophia Kleinhernen (left) moved to the German starting eleven – and was eliminated in the extension.
Due to the failures and the new occupation of some neuralgic positions such as that of Nüsken in the headquarters, Germany’s motto against the Spanish artists could only be, the individually superior opponents through closed appearance and huge willingness to use. And that was excellent in the first section.
Germany successfully closes the center
The DFB selection consistently blocked the way through the middle from the start and took the space and the desire to conjure up the room and the desire to conjure up the brilliant playmakers in the center. Because the full -backs Wamser and Franziska Kett also did their tasks well, the Iber women did not get to the pace as usual.
The facial features of trainer Montse Tomé, who always looks so serious as if the pension claims were denied to her, diluted. Especially since the decimated Germans also had to settle offensive needles.
Bühl awards free -standing – Berger prevents deficit twice
That looked pleasant and was playfully ripe. However, it does not lead to success because Germany was the last determination in the last third of the field. Klara Bühl missed the best chance before the break, who suddenly had free rail after an indirect free kick from keeper Berger, but sluggled past the goal (8th).
Speaking of Berger. In the presence of her 92-year-old grandfather Herbert, who actually only wanted to travel to Switzerland for the final, was again relying on her. In the 21st minute, the 34-year-old steered a shot from Esther Gonzalez with a reflex over the score. After that, the Electoral American was no longer seriously checked. It was only in the final phase of the first round that Berger had to access courageously again. A second time she prevented Gonzalez, her teammate at the Gotham FC (45.+1).
Spain had a small increase in opportunities at half -time – Irene Paredes still hit the post (42.) – but was far from being as dominant as it was suspected in many places.
Germany against Spain even after the break well in the game
The big question before the beginning of the second half was whether the Wück-Elf would be able to hold out its very running and therefore exhausting game. The answer was very happy, among others, by DFB boss Bernd Neuendorf and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the stands: Yes!
Germany was still omnipresent in the duels and impressed with great speed of action. The shortcoming remained in the end of the counterattacks. So Bühl also missed her second good chance. This time she failed with her shot on the outstretched leg by keeper Cata Coll (63.).
Bühl’s unsuccessful fight for a goal
Spain still had a lot more possession than the Wück-Equipe, but always missed the right time to play or got bid into duels that cost strength and nerves. The ingenuity of the world champion flashed only in a very occasion. Germany was closer to the leadership.
And who had her on her foot again? Of course, the woman named Klara Gabriele Bühl. After two missed opportunities from the game, the attacker from FC Bayern Munich competed in the 85th minute to the free kick and only missed the goal by hair width. It was even scarce seconds before the end of the stoppage time when keeper Cata Coll was able to scrape a deflected shot from Bühl from the angle and defended the margin from Wamser to the corner (90.+4).
Kleinherne Next injured defender
In the extension, there was the mandatory violation of a German defender at the European Championship in Switzerland. This time it hit Kleinherne, which had to be replaced crying after a rescue operation (96.). A midfield player came on the lawn in Sydney Lohmann for the tournament starting debut, because after all the failures and locks, a defender was no longer available.
Bonmatis shot surprises Berger and decides the game
From then on, small -scale position in the central defense took mint, Lohmann played before the defense – and failed. Her crashed liberation ended up at Athenea del Castillo, which Bonmati sent into the alley. Instead of putting the ball back into the back, the two -time “world footballer” decided to take a shot in the short corner – and surprised Berger. The ball hit the 1-0 in the housing and ultimately decided a game in which Germany was very, very close to the surprise.
Some players shed bitter tears after the final whistle. The sky above the Lastigrund also cried to a match. In the bitter hour, however, Wück reminded that the sun will be seen again on the horizon.
“This is a good start. You shouldn’t forget, we have initiated a development in October, many young players have added. The development really brought us here, even if it is really disappointing now”concluded the national coach.