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Women's World Cup: Why Germany failed in the quarterfinals
Realization of the game: Germany retired at the World Cup, as a real strength in the tournament in the quarterfinals against Sweden was a weakness: the defense. Germany misses its sixth appearance in a World Cup semi-final (in eight tournaments) and fails as in the 2011 World Cup in their own country in the quarterfinals (then against the eventual champion Japan). Thus, the DFB-Elf is missing at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 - and the defending champion.
Episodes of the game: For the German women's football, which is on its way to emancipate itself more and more and eventually profit from the incipient boom in other countries, the early World Cup could be a setback. The two-time World and eight-time European champion is no longer among the world's leaders - and no longer the European elite. "We are in a process," said later coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, "but this defeat hurts."
The result: 1: 2 (1: 1). Click here for the message.
First half: Germany began with sophistication. One had the feeling that it would run as always, when it comes in a competitive match against Sweden. For 20 years, the DFB team had lost none more - including the Olympic final of 2016. As Sara Däbritz a pass cleverly pushed through into the penalty area on Lina Magull and then the Munich woman was lying in the air to per Seitenfallzieher for 1: 0 (16 minutes), because everything looked like after the fifth German victory in the tournament.
The break: But suddenly the game tipped, and that was due to a strange German defensive lethargy. For four games, the DFB-Elf had remained in the tournament without a single goal. Only six shots on the gate had allowed it. But against Sweden nothing was left of this stability. Sofia Jakobsson scored from a bad position from center-back Marina Hegering (22 '), who jumped under a long ball from Linda Sembrant. Jakobssons shot also slid under the foot of the German goalkeeper Almuth Schult into the net. "After that, our game was completely lost," Schult later said. By the way, Sembrant had lost an own goal in Sweden's 2-1 defeat in the 2016 Olympics final. This was her revenge.
Second half: Dzsenifer Marozsán, recovering from her toe break, came into the match. But as soon as she was in the field, it was 1: 2. Jakobsson flanked from the right, Schult was able to parry the header of Fridolina Rolfö, but not the defensive by Stina Blackstenius (48.). Again, no DFB defender intervened. The German players had seen a foul on Magull before the hit. But referee Stéphanie Frappart continued to play. Goalkeeper Schult later presented herself as a fair loser when she said, "That's annoying, but not the reason we lost today, we were not compelling enough, and Sweden had more chances to score."
Verified penalty: Germany also had bad luck when Alexandra Popp was pushed by the Swedish goalkeeper in the penalty area (82.), but Frappart decided after checking by the video assistant: no penalty. She was of the opinion that she had previously seen Popp offside and stuck with it - an at least questionable decision. The Germans also missed the game in the hectic final phase: Substitute Lena Oberdorf (88 ') headed after a free-kick by Marozsán in the crowd at the empty goal over. The final point was Hegering, who also failed by the head (90 + 3). It was not the day for a happy ending.
Sad returnee: Dzsenifer Marozsán had missed three games at the World Cup because of a toe break in the opening match against China. The playmaker was to calm down the hectic German game with her ball skill. And Marozsán could have become a hero, had the 17-year-old Oberdorf used their free-kick just before the end to equalize. So she remained a sad returnee.
Player of the game: Sofia Jakobsson. The 29-year-old attacker from Montpellier HSC had witnessed the final defeat at the 2016 Olympics on the pitch. She returned the favor with an outstanding performance. Jakobsson was involved in almost all Swedish attacks. She scored the 1-1, leading 2-1 for Sweden. If Schult had not parried their shot in the 78th minute, the match would probably have gone 3-1. Also thanks to Jakobsson Sweden is in the World Cup semi-final against the Netherlands on Wednesday.
Germany - Sweden 1: 2 (1: 1)
1: 0 Magull (16th)
1: 1 Jakobsson (22)
1: 2 Blackstenius (48th)
Germany: Schult - Gwinn, Doorsoun, Hegering, Simon (43rd Maier) - Huth, Magull, Däbritz, Dallmann (46th Marozsán) - Popp, Schüller (70th Oberdorf) - Coach: Voss-Tecklenburg
Sweden: Lindahl - Glas, Fischer (66th Ilestedt), Sembrant, Eriksson - Rubensson (86th Björn), Seger - Jakobsson, Asllani, Rolfö (90th + 5 Hurtig) - Blackstenius - Coach: Gerhardsson
Referee: Stephanie Frappart (France)
Spectator: 15,000
Yellow cards: Rolfö