News : DFB-Elf: Powerful and unsustainable in the World Cup quarter-finals – sports

Even before any result was determined, it was clear that it would be a special day for at least one player. Alexandra Popp, captain of the German national football team, was unsurprisingly on the grid. And so she celebrated a special anniversary in the round of 16 at the World Cup in France: It was her 100th international match. Popp was given a particularly beautiful backdrop with the Stade des Alpes in Grenoble in front of the Alpine panorama in a wonderful summer weather - and then she made sure that everything was really right on this day.

When 20 minutes had passed, the ball headed for a corner of Lina Magull like a string pulled up directly to the head of Popp. She stood free in the penalty area, got down to her knees and then, zack, a jubilee goal, her 48th overall. It was the prelude to the unbearable 3-0 (2-0) victory, the prelude to the quarter-finals.

Matching to this World Cup, the video assistant reported, it took until the Japanese referee Yoshimi Yamashita kick-off, but then could national team coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg still clenched his fist. Later she explained with satisfaction: "It is nice that we have reached our goal, we are totally happy, it is not self-evident that we are always against resistance."

Popp also stated on ZDF: "I'm happy, we were so confident, that's how I want to see my team." In the quarterfinals, either the strong Swedes or Canadians are waiting.

Twice the video assistants report

The national coach stayed true to her line and changed, as in all three group matches against China (1-0), Spain (1-0) and South Africa (4-0) their formation - but this time only in one position. Instead of Klara Bühl this time Lea Schüller was allowed to start offensive. At break she moved for Verena Schweers in the back four Carolin Simon, for Melanie Leupolz came Buhl; in the 69th minute went out Lina Magull and Lena Oberdorf in. The positions were exchanged flexibly, as in the preliminary round.

That did not lead to the second hit, as Germany benefited from the video assistant, who looked at a scene in the 24th minute: Magull was in the penalty area, the ball in front of a pass better than they lay by the approaching Evelyn Nwabuoko full was hit at the knee. The penalty converted Sara Däbritz into the right corner (27.). Nigeria had come to the German goal at the beginning of the match, but the team of the Swedish coach Thomas Dennerby was not really dangerous. Which was also because Nigeria's most famous player Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona) had to suspend with muscular problems.