Not everything was going well for the German women’s soccer team in the first test international game of the World Cup year. But there was one big winner: goalkeeper Merle Fohms.
Not compelling enough up front, little practiced and very bumpy in the game structure – not much worked out in the German women’s national team against the Swedes on Tuesday (February 21, 2023) in Duisburg.
So, especially after this tired zero number, the realization remained that on the way to the World Cup in the summer in New Zealand and Australia (July 20th to August 20th) there were still a number of construction sites to be worked on.
Spectacular parades
Only one player has already presented herself in world champion form: that was the German goalkeeper Merle Frohms. Not only did she play a flawless game, she also showed with her spectacular saves against Stina Blackstenius and Kosovare Asllani, for example, that the 20,000 spectators in the Duisburg stadium shouldn’t regret coming.
“I tried to prevent goals and of course I’m happy that the zero is at the back. There was also luck, but you have to have that too.”the German number 1 was modest after the game and meant with luck especially the post hit by the Swede Rytting Kaneryd in the 81st minute. “Merle kept us in the game”, national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg also praised the 28-year-old.
Born in Celle, she once again showed in Duisburg that she has developed into a world-class keeper over the past three years.
One of the best goalkeepers of the European Championship tournament
Frohm’s star rose at the European Championships in England last year. At that time, the VfL Wolfsburg goalkeeper took advantage of Almuth Schult’s baby break and replaced the long-time regular goalkeeper as number one in the German goal.
At the time, there was a lot of skepticism about whether Frohms would be able to close the big gap. After the European Championship, which ended with the vice title for the DFB selection, the doubts were gone. Frohms performed well throughout the entire European Championship and justified the trust of the coaching team.
“Almuth Schult was always present during the European Championship tournament. Many were just waiting for Merle to make a mistake. I was deeply impressed by how she withstood this mental pressure,” said the former Wolfsburg coach Karsten Kellermann the NDR.
Merle Frohms spectacularly saves a shot from the Swedes.
Journeyman years in Freiburg and Frankfurt
Last summer, the exceptional keeper moved back to Wolfsburg. She left her parent club four and a half years ago to step out of the shadow of Almuth Schult, who was also big at the club. Frohms completed her journeyman years – two each – at SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, where she was able to gain the necessary match practice to mature into a real top keeper.
She is aiming for the treble this year with VfL Wolfsburg. It doesn’t look bad. The quarter-finals of the DFB Cup at 1. FC Köln are scheduled for next Tuesday, February 28th. On March 22, the Wolves will go to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals, and the lead in the championship is also comfortable at eight points – with one game more than pursuers FC Bayern Munich.
Merle Frohms is convinced that there is still a lot in the way for the German team at the upcoming World Cup: “We have a brutal quality in the squad”, said the number one after the game against Sweden. Now the teammates have to close the construction sites until summer, then nothing will stand in the way of a successful major tournament.