The Germany women’s national team picked up their second win of the tournament in their third game at the Olympic Games. After a 4-1 win in St. Etienne against Zambia, head coach Horst Hrubesch’s side have made it through to the quarterfinals as the second-placed team in the group behind the USA. As a result, they will play Olympic Champions Canada in Marseille on Saturday (19:00 CEST). Lea Schüller scored a brace (10’, 62’), with further goals from Klara Bühl shortly after half time (48’) and Elisa Senß in additional time (90+7’). Barbra Banda had earlier pulled one back from Zambia (50’).
Hrubesch had to change the back-four shortly before kick-off, with Marina Hegering missing out due to muscular problems. Bibiane Schulze Solano replaced her at centre-back, playing alongside Kathrin Hendrich. Full-backs Giulia Gwinn and Felicitas Rauch rounded off the back-four. Popp and Janina Minge once again made up a double pivot in defensive midfield, with Bühl and Jule Brand in attacking midfield playing just behind the striker partnership of Sjoeke Nüsken and Schüller. Ann-Katrin Berger was once again in goal.
Schüller opens the scoring
The first real attack of the game brought about the first goal, with Bühl setting Schüller through after Germany regained possession, and the striker outpaced her opposite number before firing home. After that, Germany controlled the game, but Zambia also posed an attacking threat with two shots from range by Barbra Banda (14’, 17’).
Shortly after that, Hrubesch had to replace a second centre-back, with Hendrich going off injured to be replaced by Sara Doorsoun (22’). Zambia created a lot of pressure in transition and Germany’s attacks were just missing that little bit of precision. Schüller tested Zambia’s goalkeeper Ngambo Musole again from distance in the 28th minute. At the other end, Berger wasn’t truly troubled by Racheal Kundananji’s shot (29’), while Musole easily dealt with a deflected Schüller effort (34’). A few minutes before half time, Schüller found herself free in front of goal after nice interplay with Brand, but Musole made a strong save one-on-one to keep the score at 1-0 (40’).
Vivien Endemann replaced Brand at half time and had the first good opportunity of the second half in the 46th minute. Bühl had more luck sixty seconds later: her placed shot from distanced hit the post and went in to make it 2-0. The joy didn’t last for long though, with a misshit Berger clearance finding Banda who pulled a goal back for Zambia.
Three times against the woodwork
The game opened up after Germany’s goal: Bühl broke through on the left and played it into Schüller in the middle with pinpoint accuracy. Bühl just missed out on making it 4-1 moments later, hitting the crossbar with a well-struck volley (64’). Schüller did the same following a corner and headed against the post (67'). Zambia also remained dangerous on the counter, with Kundananji firing over from the edge of the box (68').
Hrubesch then brought on fresh legs in attack, with Laura Freigang and Sydney Lohmann replacing Schüller and Popp. Germany gained even more control of the game, with Freigang having the next big chance but firing over the bar when well-placed in the box (80’) and Bühl doing the same in the 89th minute.
Senß came on for Nüsken for the last few minutes of the game (89’) and almost witnessed Germany’s fourth goal straightaway, but instead Minge became the third German player to hit the woodwork, this time the crossbar (90’). Senß decided to take it on herself to score the fourth goal and did just that, volleying the ball past the ‘keeper in additional time and scoring her first goal for the national team in the process.
