Germany women lost their final friendly 3-2 to Zambia in Fürth ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand (20th July to 20th August 2023). Barbra Banda (47’) and Racheal Kundananji put the visitors 2-0 up in the second half, but Lea Schüller (90+1’) and Alexandra Popp (90+10’) looked to have rescued a draw, before Banda won it in the twelfth minute of injury time. Germany’s first game at the World Cup is against Morocco in Melbourne on 24th July (10:30 CEST).
Martina Voss-Tecklenburg made nine changes to the team that beat Vietnam two weeks ago. The only players still in the starting XI were Merle Frohms and Sara Däbritz. Svenja Huth started at right-back in her 80th international.
Goalless first half
Germany started well in front of 11,404 supporters in Fürth. Klara Bühl had the first chance, but could only head straight at the goalkeeper from a Jule Brand cross (2’). Barbra Banda came close to opening the scoring at the other end, curling one past Merle Frohms’ far post (7’).
As the home team increased the pressure, the chances also started to come. Felicitas Rauch, however, couldn’t direct her shot on target from a dangerous ball in by Svenja Huth (20’). Two efforts from Bühl were caught by Zambia goalkeeper Catherine Musonda (25’, 26’) and a Rauch long-range strike missed the target (36’). Popp (42’) and Däbritz (44) also failed to score in the final notable moments of the first period.
Germany comeback after two Zambia goals
Zambia started the second half brilliantly by taking the lead. Kundananji won the ball back in midfield and played it through to Banda behind the Germany defence. She left Frohms with no chance and made it 1-0 (48’). Six minutes later, the provider turned goalscorer. The ball fell to Kundananji in the box after Oseke Lubanji’s shot was blocked and she made no mistake (54’).
Germany didn’t give up after conceding twice and fought their way back into the game, albeit after some more missed chances. Sjoke Nüsken headed a Carolin Simon free-kick against the post and then Sydney Lohmann flung herself towards a Simon cross at the back post, only to stab it over the bar from a few yards out (68’).
Dramatic ending
Popp teed up Simon from an indirect free-kick and she struck the crossbar (75’). In the first minute of injury time, Germany finally pulled one back thanks to Lea Schüller’s powerful header from a Simon corner.
It then looked as if the home side had rescued a draw when Popp nodded in Huth’s delivery in the tenth minute of added time. However, two minutes later, Banda burst in behind and lobbed Frohms from 20 yards out to win it for Zambia.