Angerer: I honestly don’t know why I did that. It was intuitive, I didn’t do it on purpose. You’re like that in the tunnel, I have no explanation for it. But believe me, I followed it with my eyes alright! (laughs)
DFB.de: You often heard the French fans inside the stadium, did it feel like an away game?
Angerer: Yeah, it really felt that way. But we knew it was going to be like that and were prepared for it.
DFB.de: You play in USA, in Portland. How exciting will it be for you to face the Americans in the semi-finals?
Angerer: Yeah it’s pretty funny. I’ve already played with some of the USA players before. They know me but I also know them (laughs). It will certainly be a tough, tough game.
DFB.de: What will you do now up until the semi-final?
Angerer: We’ll recuperate first of all and we’re of course delighted about making it to the semis. Our physiotherapists have a lot of work to do, especially with the players who played all 120 minutes. We’ll then of course analyse the game and finally prepare for our next opponents. It’s there where out next hard nut to crack awaits us.
Germany Women are into the World Cup semi-finals in Canada after coming out on top on penalties against France – much of that was down to Nadine Angerer. The keeper stopped Claire Lavogez’s fifth penalty for France with her knee, handing DFB-Women a place in the final four. In an interview with DFB.de, the match winner from the enthralling game spoke on recuperation ahead of the semi-final and the clash against her adopted home of USA.
DFB.de: Nadine Angerer, what did you make of the quarterfinal against France?
Nadine Angerer: It was a very intense, physical and also mental game for everyone. I was worried in the first half that we wouldn’t be able to turn the corner. I have to admit that France dominated the game in the first half. But then we gathered together and said that we would throw everything at it and showed our unbelievable character, which we have inside our team. And then we became the team that we actually are, Germany, who play with commitment and passion.
DFB.de: What did your team do better after the break?
Angerer: We only chased after them in the first half and could barely get hold of the ball. If you play like that, then it makes your opponent strong. We did that better in the second half. We stood more compact as a team and brought more passion into our game, before finally breaking the French mentally.
DFB.de: What did Silvia Neid say to the team before penalties?
Angerer: We regularly take penalties in training. Silvia said to me and said: Stop two penalties, like in training.
DFB.de: During the shoot-out, you didn’t look to see if your teammates were on the spot. Why not?
Angerer: I honestly don’t know why I did that. It was intuitive, I didn’t do it on purpose. You’re like that in the tunnel, I have no explanation for it. But believe me, I followed it with my eyes alright! (laughs)
DFB.de: You often heard the French fans inside the stadium, did it feel like an away game?
Angerer: Yeah, it really felt that way. But we knew it was going to be like that and were prepared for it.
DFB.de: You play in USA, in Portland. How exciting will it be for you to face the Americans in the semi-finals?
Angerer: Yeah it’s pretty funny. I’ve already played with some of the USA players before. They know me but I also know them (laughs). It will certainly be a tough, tough game.
DFB.de: What will you do now up until the semi-final?
Angerer: We’ll recuperate first of all and we’re of course delighted about making it to the semis. Our physiotherapists have a lot of work to do, especially with the players who played all 120 minutes. We’ll then of course analyse the game and finally prepare for our next opponents. It’s there where out next hard nut to crack awaits us.
