For captain Alexandra Popp and the DFB women, there was a surprising defeat in the second World Cup group game. Photo: Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa
A goal conceded enormously late tears the German footballers from all dreams. The second group game against Colombia is not going well. A pop hit doesn’t help either.
The German soccer players have to tremble at the World Cup to progress. The DFB selection conceded the decisive second goal by Manuela Vanegas (90 + 7) in the 1-2 (0-0) against Colombia on Sunday shortly before the end of injury time.
In the final group game on Thursday against South Korea, only a win will definitely lead to the round of 16.
Colombia’s super striker Linda Caicedo gave the South American runners-up the lead with a powerful goal in the 52nd minute. Captain Alexandra Popp equalized in the 89th minute with a converted penalty kick. The DFB selection struggled in the game in front of 40,499 spectators and was only able to create a few compelling chances.
Getting ahead in your own hands
After Morocco’s surprising 1-0 win against South Korea a few hours earlier, the German selection in Group H could have made it clear that they had reached the round of 16. After all, the DFB women still have progress in their own hands. They would travel to Melbourne for the round of 16 on August 5 as group winners and Adelaide as runners-up. Possible opponents are France, Brazil or Jamaica.
The day for the DFB selection had started with a walk on the beach. In the stadium, the Vice European Champions got down to business. Especially since the fans from Colombia were clearly in the majority and made a hell of a racket.
In the battered German defense, Chantal Hagel replaced the injured regular Felicitas Rauch (knee sprain) as left-back. The future Wolfsburg player (previously TSG Hoffenheim) did not have to deal with Colombia’s top talent Caicedo as expected on her international tournament debut: The attacker from Real Madrid, who had suffered a faint attack three days ago in training, stormed on the left.
The long-awaited return of Lena Oberdorf showed from the start why she is so important as a midfield clearer and repeatedly disrupted the build-up of the “Caféteras”. The German defensive came too late in the starting phase with a header from Marja Ramirez just past the German goal of Merle Frohms. After that, the back four stood, even if defender Marina Hegering was missing again.
Longer treatment at Popp
After a quarter of an hour, Popp suddenly had to be treated longer: A check from Carolina Arias had hit the EM star in the ribs. Shortly thereafter, Lina Magull was on the ground – so the German women quickly felt the feared harshness of the Colombians. Bayern ace Magull then had the 1-0 on his foot, but did not hit the ball in the penalty area (22nd). After a deflected shot from Oberdorf, Popp could have taken the lead, but the ball flew over the bar when she took it direct.
“It’s an away game, definitely. We were still missing the last pass to get dangerously into the last third,” said Joti Chatzialexiou, head of national teams at the DFB, at half-time on the broadcaster ARD and predicted for the second half: “Alex will definitely score in the second half as well the goal.” She had scored her first two goals of the tournament against Morocco before the break.
With Doorsoun, who had been so convincing up to that point, the next defender dropped out: The Frankfurt player had to be replaced by Sjoeke Nüsken due to a muscle spasm. The German team had to rearrange themselves briefly – and promptly caught the 0:1. Caicedo passed between the experienced Huth and Sara Däbritz and flicked the ball into the acute angle.
Assistants Angelo Marsiglia and Manuel Abadiá leapt into the air in Colombia’s dugout: head coach Nelson Abadía had to serve out the last game of his ban in the stands and continued to watch a thrilling game from above. To his horror, Caicedo was apparently weak on the pitch shortly before the end, but continued.
The German team increased the pressure. As so often in recent months, the last decisive action was missing – until Oberdorf was put down by goalkeeper Catalina Pérez and Popp converted the penalty kick. The goal wasn’t enough to win though: Vanegas headed in from a corner. (dpa)