With Four Goals And Three Points Germany Mean Business

by Johnathan Stack (9/7/22)

Above: Lina Magull celebrates after putting Germany ahead against Denmark last night. Photo: Euro 2022.

Fans at the Brentford Community Stadium were given a show as it was a day for goals and Germany did not disappoint as they stamped their mark on UEFA Women’s Euro 2022.

Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s side put on an awe-inspiring display in West London as they got their bid for a ninth Women’s European Championship title underway and put their name in the hat for contention.

Throughout the game Germany was dominant and Voss-Tecklenburg got her tactics spot on, the relentless pressing game from Germany was immense, forcing Denmark into mistakes and loose passes.

It paid off exceptionally, early on with Germany hitting the woodwork three times in the opening 15 minutes, and the deadlock was broken in the 21^st minute with the player of the match Lina Magull charging down an attempted Denmark pass from defence to latch on and smash the ball home to give the Germans a 1-0 lead.

The midfield three and front three for Germany were causing a lot problems in the final third, we have all heard the phrase ‘attack is the best form of defence’ and Germany showed us how it is done.

Schüller, Bühl, and Huth were all over the Denmark defence harassing them from the get-go, and that is what won Germany the game, being backed up by Oberdorf, Däbritz, and Magull – their determined attitude caused Denmark to finish the game with just 42% possession as well as 68% pass accuracy.

Germany did not let Denmark into the game at all, they put the pressure on time and time again regaining possession in a totally ferocious performance.

Germany came into this match off the back of thrashing Switzerland 7-0 in their only warm-up game to this tournament, there were slight doubts amongst the German media after the World Cup qualifier defeat to Serbia, but I think those doubts can be forgotten about because Germany just swept aside a Denmark team who have won four out of their last six matches.

Second-half goals from Lea Schüller, Lena Lattwein, and Alexandra Popp who got on the scoresheet in her 115th appearance for Germany with her first goal in a European Championship after missing the last two tournaments through injury.

Germany needed this opening win; it will certainly calm a few nerves for sure and bring a lot of confidence into the camp. But also, this victory will put the rest of the teams at this tournament on notice. Germany has arrived at UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 and arrived in stunning style.

Germany is off to the start they would have hoped for and got what they wanted; they go top of Group B ahead of Spain on goal difference heading into matchday two where they will play Spain at the Brentford Community Stadium on Tuesday before finishing Group B in Milton Keynes against Finland next Saturday.

Teams: GERMANY (4-3-3): Frohms, Hendrich, Hegering, Oberdorf, Schüller, Huth, Däbritz, Gwinn, Rauch, Bühl, Magull. Substitutes: Anyomi, Berger, Brand, Dallmann, Doorsoun-Khajeh, Freigang, Kleinherne, Lattwein, Lohmann, Popp, Schult, Wassmuth.

Scorers: Magull 21’, Schüller 57’, Lattwein 78’, Popp 86’.

DENMARK (3-4-3): Christensen, Ballisager, Sevecke, Troelsgaard, Harder, Veje, Junge, Madsen, Thomsen, Bruun, Svava. Substitutes: Bredgaard, Gejl, Gevitz, Holmgaard, Holmgaard, Kühl, Larsen, Nadim, Nielsen, Sørensen, Svane, Thrige.

Referee: Esther Staubli.

Attendance: 15,746.