Individual mistakes and bad luck in the end: At the start of the Nations League, Germany lost 0-2 (0-1) against Denmark on Friday (September 22nd, 2023).
Amalie Vangsgaard scored both goals for Denmark. It was the 23rd minute when, after fine preparatory work by Pernille Harder, she hit the bottom left into the corner to give Denmark the lead. In the 64th minute, Vangsgaard was successful again, this time from close range and less spectacularly. She initially benefited from a bad pass from Giulia Gwinn and then from a misunderstanding between Marina Hegering and goalkeeper Merle Frohms.
Both goals came in phases of the game in which Germany’s footballers were actually at least equal. But they didn’t score any goals. Only Denmark’s Vangsgaard scored goals.
To the live ticker: Denmark – Germany arrow right 1st matchday arrow right
It was the first defeat for the DFB women in the first Nations League game, but it was nothing to make up for their disappointing performance at the World Cup. Britta Carlson represented Martina Voss-Tecklenburg on the sidelines in Viborg, Denmark. The national coach was absent for health reasons. Carlson told ARD radio: “Of course we imagined it differently.”
First Lohmann heads, then Popp – only centimeters are missing
Carlson saw how her players were superior at the start of the game, but hardly ever created any chances to score. Vangsgaard’s first goal was followed by a break in the German game.
Germany’s national team players were also superior at the start of the second half; it was their strongest phase. Once, in the 54th minute, Alexandra Popp moved to the right side. Her cross landed at Sydney Lohmann, whose header flew just over the goal.
Less than 120 seconds later, Popp reappeared in the center. After a cross from Jule Brand, Popp headed half a meter wide to the right. But she didn’t manage to score a goal that afternoon either. “These things,” Popp told ARD radio, referring to her chance and that of Lohmann, “of course have to at least get on goal. That’s just annoying.”
The Nations League is also about an Olympic ticket
51 national teams compete in the women’s Nations League; there are three leagues – A, B and C – with four groups each, with League C also having another group of three. The distribution is based on the UEFA coefficient ranking. Germany plays in Group 3 of League A, the other opponents there are Iceland and Wales.
For the DFB footballers, it may be about making amends for their elimination in the preliminary round of the World Cup, but certainly also about taking part in the Olympics. When the Olympic Games took place in Tokyo in the summer of 2021, Germany’s national players only watched. And this time?
It is clear that the two finalists will qualify directly for the women’s Olympic football tournament. If the host France, which has already automatically qualified, is one of the finalists, the third-placed team will get the place.
2023-09-22 18:59:00
#Nations #League #1st #matchday #Defeat #Denmark #false #start #Germany
