National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg has to do without the injured left-back Felicitas Rauch in the second group game at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand on Sunday (07/30/2023) against Colombia. Jule Brand and Sjoeke Nüsken, on the other hand, have returned to training for the German team.
According to the DFB team from the World Cup base in Wyong, the 27-year-old VfL Wolfsburg defender was injured in training on Friday (07/28/2023). Rauch suffered a sprained right knee joint and “is out for an indefinite period of time”.
An MRI examination has already been carried out on Rauch, as the DFB of the sports show confirmed. Sophia Kleinherne (Eintracht Frankfurt) or Chantal Hagel (VfL Wolfsburg) could be used in her position as a left-back. Rauch has long been considered a part of the DFB team, and she played all games from the start at last year’s European Championship.
More bad news for national coach Voss-Tecklenburg
For national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, the defense of the German team is developing into a kind of permanent construction site. In the last test before the World Cup against Zambia (2: 3), Carolin Simon from FC Bayern Munich, the Rauch alternative for the back left, suffered a cruciate ligament rupture.
Svenja Huth, a trained offensive player, is currently playing the right-back position, as Giulia Gwinn from FC Bayern Munich will also miss the World Cup due to a cruciate ligament rupture. In central defence, Sara Doorsoun also replaces VfL Wolfsburg regular Marina Hegering, who is still suffering.
Brand has apparently overcome back problems
The German team, on the other hand, is relieved that Jule Brand’s back problems have apparently not turned out to be that serious. The Wolfsburg player suspended team training on Thursday (July 27th, 2023), but was back on the pitch on Friday – two days before the game. The 20-year-old was one of the guarantors of success in the 6-0 win against Morocco. Klara Bühl called her teammate “carefree”, “unpredictable” and “very lively” on Thursday, with whom she had formed a strong wing tongs in the German World Cup opening game.
On Saturday, the team travels to Sydney, where the second group game against Colombia takes place on Sunday (11.30 a.m. CEST, live on Erste and on sportschau.de).
Hegering still questionable – Nüsken fit again
Lena Oberdorf has been back for a long time after her thigh problems and should be placed in defensive midfield. Sjoeke Nüsken is also fit again: “I’m ready for action. I’m still taped, but it’s holding up and I don’t have any pain,” said the central defender after Friday’s training session and after recovering from the lateral ligament stretch in her knee. There is still a question mark over a possible use of Marina Hegering. The regular defense chief did a lot of the team training, but still not all because of her bruised heel.
If I’m needed, I’m there and I want to give back the trust.
National player Sara Doorsoun
“If I’m needed, I’ll be there and I want to give back the confidence,” announced Sara Doorsoun, who represented Hegering against Morocco, on Thursday. The time until the game is likely to be too short for Sydney Lohmann. After her adductor injury, the Munich native continues to be “burdened” bit by bit.