News : Germany loses against Sweden – Off in the heat of Rennes – Sport

Before this quarter-final, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg had remembered a winged word. That every series comes to an end someday. And when this game between Germany and Sweden on Saturday evening in Roazhon Park of Rennes was over, it turned out that proverbs have their justification. The national coach would have been so much happier if she had received no confirmation. But the performance of their players was not enough. The German national football team is eliminated in front of 25 301 spectators at the World Cup after a 1: 2 (1: 1) defeat against Sweden. And missed the qualification for the Olympic Games 2020 in Tokyo. Only the best three European teams of this tournament are allowed to pack their bags for Tokyo. Sweden will face European champions Netherlands on Wednesday in the second semi-final, and the day before, defending champions USA will face England.

"We have better defend it," said Voss-Tecklenburg after game. "We had a lot to invest after the backlog, Sweden have a good chance to defend, we also missed some luck in the game, it hurts, we did not have the punch to the front, in some stages we did not have the consistency and the courage to do so . "

It had been a special game in many ways. It was also about breaking a 24-year-old series. Sweden and Germany's women footballers had met in 28 matches before that day, with Germany winning 20 of them. These numbers hovered over the whole week about this game. Even though the players often said that they did not want to value it. "I want to make history with this team," said central defender Sara Doorsoun. She did not succeed, the Scandinavians, who had previously been verbally very offensive, did it on the court.

The start was nervous, Sara Däbritz played a ball without any problem, captain Alexandra Popp with too much energy forward, where none of her teammates waited. But the team started playing with more clarity. Especially Lina Magull was involved in good combinations, employed the Swedes with their fine ball treatment - and finally brought Germany into the lead. Däbritz caught a pass, caught the passing of the ball just the right moment and Magull drew with a kind of Seitfallzieher in the 16th minute to 1: 0 from.

But only seven minutes later came in, which should not have occurred from the German point of view: Linda Sembrandt played a long ball, Marina Hegering was too far forward and missed him with her jump. So the ball slipped to Sofia Jakobsson, one of Sweden's dangerous offensive players who ran away Sara Doorsoun and Carolin Simon and finally also defeated Almuth Schult to 1-1 equalizer. Now it was the Germans who looked confused and often did not choose the ideal from various possibilities in the game structure. Especially the repeatedly scattered long balls of the Swedes caused them problems.

"After a ball that leads to the goal, our game is completely lost," goalkeeper Schult confirmed this impression. It was not enough, we also had scoring chances, but we were not consistent enough, you learn from every defeat, but that's not it Sorry, that's just bitter. "

Voss-Tecklenburg, 51, also changed on this day. None of the previous four games had started the national coach with the same starting eleven. Against Sweden, there were two changes compared to the round of 16 against Nigeria: Carolin Simon played left in the defense in front of Verena Schweers, Linda Dallmann came for Melanie Leupolz. And the moment the line-up was known, the Swedes were worried that Dzsenifer Marozsán would not only be in the squad, but would also start from the start. Three weeks ago, the 27-year-old Champions League champion broke the middle toe in the left foot at the opening match against China. Only against Nigeria, the playmaker sat back on the bench, but had not been used in a safe 3-0 victory. Sweden's respect for Marozsán's World Cup comeback was fed not only by her very fundamental strength. But also from their gates in two important games of recent history against Sweden. She decided with her precise shots the Olympic final 2016 (2: 1) and the European Championship semi-final 2013 (1: 0).

While their teammates came to the sideline after 32 minutes in the high heat for a drinking break, Marozsán ran a few meters further warm. And at half-time Voss-Tecklenburg felt that he could no longer do without Marozsán and changed them for Dallmann. But the Swedes did not really seem intimidated. In the 48th minute the ball played by Jakobsson landed only with Fridolina Rolfö, whose header Schult could still distract from the goal. Just not far enough away. Stina Blackstenius was just right to shoot from close range to a 2-1 lead.

Schult roared and stirred, for it was known that it would depend on exactly that: To be present in the switching game, to prevail in duels. But the German defense, which was the only player in the tournament without a clean sheet until Saturday, was not as wide awake as she should have been. Again and again offered the Swedes gaps and also through ball losses opportunities that were thwarted not least by Schult's parades. Substitute Lena Oberdorf could have brought Germany back into the game when she put in a header on the left after 86 minutes. Hegering also had the chance in injury time. But the German rider will return home on Sunday - not to Lyon.

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