Striker Birgit Prinz fired defending champions Germany into the World Cup quarter-finals on Monday, scoring one goal and playing a crucial
role in their 2-0 victory over Japan.
Prinz, the triple world player of the year, struck in the 21st
minute to shatter Japan's dreams of appearing in their first finals
in 12 years. Renate Lingor then nailed victory in the 87th minute by coolly
converting a penalty, after teammate Martina Mueller was brought
down inside the area.
The victory launches Germany, ranked two in the world, into the
last eight after finishing top of Group A. Japan were edged out by
England who thumped Argentina 6-1 in the other group game played
Monday.
Prinz all-time leading World Cup scorer
Prinz, playing in her fourth World Cup, now becomes the leading
World Cup scorer of all time with 13 goals. With Prinz leading the charge, European champions Germany took charge of the match in the opening minutes. Forward Petra Wimbersky should have scored in the third minute,
latching onto a lightning quick pass inside the area, but goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto just tipped her thundering shot over the bar.
Highlights Germany - Japan
Kerstin Garefrekes fired off a missile two minutes later that
went high, and came close near half-time when her shot was blocked
by a charging and under pressure Fukumoto.
Germany were unlucky on the 45-minute mark, when Sandra Smisek's
thumping header inside the box hit the bar. But it was Prinz who did the damage, lurking on the edge of the penalty box to meet Lingor's corner which she rifled into the net on her second touch.
German coach Silvia Neid brought on 19-year-old sensation
Fatmire Bajramaj to add penetration in the second half, but the
Germans struggled to break down Japan's defence which became
increasingly dogged.
Even so, Germany came agonisingly close in the 73rd minute when
Smisek cutback to Wimbersky who just launched her shot over the bar. Lingor finally struck by firing her penalty shot into the right hand corner of the net past a diving Fukumoto.
Further information on the Women's National team can be found here.
created by js
[bild1]
Striker Birgit Prinz fired defending champions Germany into the World Cup quarter-finals on Monday, scoring one goal and playing a crucial
role in their 2-0 victory over Japan.
Prinz, the triple world player of the year, struck in the 21st
minute to shatter Japan's dreams of appearing in their first finals
in 12 years. Renate Lingor then nailed victory in the 87th minute by coolly
converting a penalty, after teammate Martina Mueller was brought
down inside the area.
The victory launches Germany, ranked two in the world, into the
last eight after finishing top of Group A. Japan were edged out by
England who thumped Argentina 6-1 in the other group game played
Monday.
Prinz all-time leading World Cup scorer
Prinz, playing in her fourth World Cup, now becomes the leading
World Cup scorer of all time with 13 goals. With Prinz leading the charge, European champions Germany took charge of the match in the opening minutes. Forward Petra Wimbersky should have scored in the third minute,
latching onto a lightning quick pass inside the area, but goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto just tipped her thundering shot over the bar.
Highlights Germany - Japan
Kerstin Garefrekes fired off a missile two minutes later that
went high, and came close near half-time when her shot was blocked
by a charging and under pressure Fukumoto.
Germany were unlucky on the 45-minute mark, when Sandra Smisek's
thumping header inside the box hit the bar. But it was Prinz who did the damage, lurking on the edge of the penalty box to meet Lingor's corner which she rifled into the net on her second touch.
[bild2]
German coach Silvia Neid brought on 19-year-old sensation
Fatmire Bajramaj to add penetration in the second half, but the
Germans struggled to break down Japan's defence which became
increasingly dogged.
Even so, Germany came agonisingly close in the 73rd minute when
Smisek cutback to Wimbersky who just launched her shot over the bar. Lingor finally struck by firing her penalty shot into the right hand corner of the net past a diving Fukumoto.
Further information on the Women's National team can be found here.
