The German soccer players need the second half to achieve their second victory in the World Cup against outsiders Serbia. One player stands out.
Only after a clear announcement from national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg and four goals from Lea Schüller did the German soccer players land their second victory in the World Cup qualification. The DFB selection prevailed on Tuesday in Chemnitz after great difficulties at the start with 5: 1 (0: 1) against Serbia. “Don’t play girls’ soccer!” – Voss-Tecklenburg had said that at halftime according to the four-time goalscorer from FC Bayern in the cabin. Then the Olympic champions from 2016 turned up.
In front of only 1,600 spectators, Schüller (49th, 54th, 71st and 77th minute) and Melanie Leupolz (79th) scored the goals for the team that failed in the quarter-finals of the 2019 World Cup. Nina Matejic had brought the initially strong guests into the lead early (3rd). The hosts showed against the world number 41. a muddled first half. “That was just not our claim,” said Schüller. “We definitely have to play disgusting,” demanded defense chief Lena Oberdorf.
DFB-Elf leads group after two wins
After the 7-0 win against Bulgaria last Saturday, the DFB selection leads Group H with six points. Other opponents are Israel, Portugal and Turkey. The failure of the English assistant referee Helen Edwards, who had to be medically treated and taken to hospital shortly before half-time, caused a stir. The German Football Association later announced that she had complained of being unwell, but was stable and approachable. Edwards was replaced by the fourth official, Helen Conley.
For Voss-Tecklenburg the game was another important test with a view to the EM 2022 in England. After the final whistle, she complained: “We made way too many individual mistakes in the first 20 or 25 minutes.” Leupolz also felt the growing competitive pressure in the younger squad from the Champions League finalist FC Chelsea, who sat on the bench again for the first time, but then scored as Joker from a distance, which was worth seeing. In addition to Schüller, the only 18-year-old Jule Brand from Hoffenheim convinced in the attack.
Martina Voss-Tecklenburg: I was a little angry
“We will be challenged more,” Voss-Tecklenburg had prophesied – and the 53-year-old was right. The Serbians had a lightning start when 16-year-old Matejic moved Lena Lattwein and scored flat to make it 1-0.
The German team didn’t like the offensive pressing of the outsider. The midfield with US professional Dzsenifer Marozsan, captain Sara Däbritz from Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern ace Lina Magull had great difficulty in staging the attackers. “I was a bit bad and went to the players’ emotions,” Voss-Tecklenburg described her role in the dressing room and admitted: “I also learned from this game.”
After the break, Schüller equalized after a misunderstanding between goalkeeper Milica Kostic and Dina Blagojevic. The game of the record European champions was now more aggressive, more precise and clearly superior. Brand crossed a lightning counterattack on Schüller, who headed 2-1. And the 23-year-old made the hat trick with her 18th international goal – and even scored another goal. The next qualifying matches for the German team are on October 21 in Israel and on October 26 in Essen against Israel.
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
