On Tuesday, the DFB team will deal with Denmark Sturmikone Pernille Harder.
Photo: Imago/Hendrik Hamelau
Actually everything could be so beautiful with the DFB team. The European Championship start on Friday against Poland was successfully mastered with 2-0. Already in the second group game against Denmark, the German footballers could make the quarter -finals perfect with a win if Sweden did not lose against Poland in the other game of Group C. The start of the tournament could not have run better – if this annoying “actually” would not.
Despite the good starting position, some questions about the team of national coach Christian Wück. This is first of all due to the interior hinge of DFB captain Giulia Gwinn. The 26-year-old right-back from FC Bayern Munich was firmly planned as a leader and stabilizer of the newly formed German defense. After just 36 minutes in the game against Poland, Germany now has to do without one of the most important players for the rest of the European Championship.
Germany is looking for the right balance
“It is not a single sport, but team sport,” said playmaker Linda Dallmann on Sunday in the German team quarters in Zurich. Nevertheless, Gwinn’s failure weighs seriously. Unlike on the offensive, the German squad has significantly fewer alternatives in defense, although Carlotta Wamser did a good job for Giulia Gwinn against Poland after her substitution. The 21-year-old was involved in both German goals with a last and a penultimate pass. However, Wamser is a trained striker. Against Denmark, she will have to prove that she can also fill out the right -back role. Or national coach Wück ordered the interior defender Sophia Kleinhernen to the right and begins with a more defensive starting line-up.
The right balance between attack and defense is the second big topic that the DFB women continued to work. On the one hand, the German team acted very dominant in the first European Championship game and pressed Poland with 70 percent possession and high counterpressing over long distances deep into their own half. On the other hand, it became dangerous if the opponents were able to free themselves from the German pressure. Despite the small part of the game, the Polishes reach ten shots on goal. With long balls, the high -standing German defense chain was repeatedly undermined. Star striker Ewa Pajor appeared several times ahead of Ann-Katrin Berger in the German goal-also in the 36th minute, when Giulia Gwinn had to save with a tackle against Pajor and twisted his knee.
The next striker with world -class format is now waiting against Denmark: Pernille Harder has been two Europe’s footballer of the year. In the past season, the 32-year-old achieved 14 Bundesliga goals for FC Bayern. Stopping them will be one of the core tasks for German defense. But the Danes can also be widespread in width than Poland. “It is important that you look at the entire team and do not stiffen one or two,” emphasized Germany’s left -back Sarai Linder before the duel on Tuesday evening in Basel.
Denmark’s sturm icon and defense bulwark
While the German defensive can show that it has learned from the moments of terror against Poland, the DFB team’s attack gets to do with Denmark’s physical defense series. The decisive duels should occur on the wings. Against Poland, Klara Bühl whirled on the left and Jule Brand on the right. Both kept moving inwards, flanking or looking for the conclusion to Brand’s dream goal to 1-0. “In my opinion, we have the two best outdoor players in the tournament with Jule and Klara,” said Linda Dallmann on Sunday about the good performance of her teammates.
In contrast, as in the first group game against the Swedes, Denmark should try to make the place on the wings tight with a chain of five. The Danish women can only put in at the back. After the 0-1 defeat against Sweden, Pernille Harder and Ko. Against Germany score to continue to have a chance of the quarter -finals. This is also why it should be an exciting game in the St. Jakob Park.
The favorite status is at stake
While Denmark is already concerned with everything, the German footballers can get the certainty that they can be defensively stable even without captain Gwinn and continue to be one of the top favorites on the European Championship title. So that this annoying “actually” can be painted from the good tournament start of the DFB team.