The German soccer players started the European Championship with a promising encouragement and nurtured hopes for the big coup. Led by whirlwind Lina Magull, the eight-time title holder won his 500th international match 4-0 (1-0) against vice-European champions Denmark.
With the convincing victory behind them, the Germans can calmly go into the next preliminary round game on Tuesday against the highly valued Spaniards.
Magull (21st), Lea Schüller (57th) after preliminary work from Magull, Lena Lattwein (78th) and Alexandra Popp (86th) scored for the team of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. Kathrine Möller Kühl (90+4) saw yellow-red for the Danes. The two-time world champion, who ascended the European Championship throne for the last time nine years ago, is ahead of the next game against Spain on Tuesday (9:00 p.m. / ARD and DAZN) in Group B. The Danes, the German team knocked out of the tournament in the quarter-finals of the EM 2017 have to worry about progressing.
In front of 15,746 spectators at the Brentford Community Stadium in London, Svenja Huth led the DFB selection as captain onto the pitch. The regular captain Popp was initially on the bench as a result of a knee injury and a corona infection.
The Germans, who are not among the top favorites after two disappointing tournaments (quarter-finals at World Cup and European Championship), were close to taking the lead in the 10th minute despite a nervous start. Felicitas Rauch only hit the crossbar from a distance. Just three minutes later, the full-back managed the same feat again.
An early goal would have reassured Bernd Neundorf as well as the players. “It’s a big caliber right from the start,” said the President of the German Football Association (DFB) shortly before kick-off on “ZDF”. The DFB has offered a record bonus of 60,000 euros for the European title.
Germany rewarded for offensive run
The two smoke chances made sure that the Germans acted braver. After Magull missed a good opportunity in the 18th minute, she did better shortly afterwards and gave the 2016 Olympic champion the lead with her 20th international goal.
This also made the highest authorities at home happy. “I wish our DFB women every success for the tournament and keep my fingers crossed for today’s opening game against Denmark,” tweeted Chancellor Olaf Scholz before the game began.
In the middle of the first half nothing changed in the German dominance. The Danes around star player Pernille Harder only posed a threat after almost half an hour through Signe Bruun (29′). On the other side, Klara Bühl could have extended the lead (39′). Schüller missed an even bigger chance in stoppage time in the first half.
At the beginning of the second period, the enthusiastic and committed German team pushed for the second goal. Schüller managed that with a header after a corner from Magull. Shortly thereafter, Popp made her first European Championship appearance at the age of 31 – and 25 minutes after being substituted on, she used a nice combination with her head to make it 4-0.
After the game on Tuesday against the Spaniards (9:00 p.m./ARD and DAZN), who clearly won against Finland on Friday (4-1) even without their injured world footballer Alexia Putellas, the Germans will face the preliminary round on July 16th against the Finns.