Female footballers in Germany Celebrate Goal Celebration Festival
The German women's football squad has been showing off their skills with a 6-0 thrashing of Austria in a friendly match ahead of the European Championship. Led by coach Christian Wück, the squad left no doubt in Vienna, securing their spot as a formidable contender for the title.
A Galvanizing Victory
The team delivered an electrifying attack from the get-go, scoring just 14 seconds into the game, courtesy of Sydney Lohmann. Her impressive performance in the match solidified her spot in the squad for the European Championship taking place in Switzerland from July 2nd to 27th. The onslaught continued as Lea Schüller, Selina Cerci, Klara Bühl, and Laura Freigang also found the back of the net, leaving the Austrian team floundering.
Experimenting with Personnel
Since the DFB team had already qualified for the Final Four in the Nations League in the fall, Wück seized the opportunity to test new players. "It's essential that everyone has a chance to show their worth," he emphasized on ARD. As predicted, he made significant adjustments to his starting eleven: Frankfurt's Freigang took over playmaking duties from Linda Dallmann, Lohmann replaced Sjoeke Nüsken in midfield, and Hoffenheim's Cerci took on the right wing, standing out with her enthusiasm.
Schüller's Jubilee Goal
The Austrian team, captained by Sarah Zadrazil from Bayern, had missed out on qualifying for the European Championship and struggled to keep up with the German onslaught. After Lohmann's opening goal, Schüller scored from close range off a rebound, extending the lead to 2-0 and bringing her total goal count to 52 in 75 international matches.
The Coach's Final Moves
Though the pressure eased a bit in the second half, the 2022 EM runners-up continued to pepper the Austrian goal. Wück made three additional changes in the second half, but the swift attacks rarely faltered. Austria retreated to avoid an embarrassing double-digit defeat.
Looking Ahead
Wück is set to announce his official 23-player squad on June 12, following which the team will depart for preparation in Herzogenaurach on June 19. The team's roster will likely include star player Lena Oberdorf, who has been sidelined since a cruciate ligament injury nearly a year ago. Striker Cora Zicai, who was forced to withdraw due to muscle problems, is also questionable for the European Championship.
The opening match of the tournament is scheduled against Poland on July 4, with Denmark and Sweden as the other group opponents for the eight-time European champions.
[1] Enrichment data - Changes made in starting positions by coach Wück included Frankfurt players as playmakers, Sjoeke Nüsken in midfield, and the introduction of Franziska Kett and Selina Cerci.
The German women's football team will likely be a force to reckon with in European leagues, especially the premier league, with their dominating performance against Austria. As the coach experiments with new personnel, Frankfurt's Laura Freigang has been tasked with playmaking duties, pushing Linda Dallmann to the bench. Selina Cerci, on the other hand, has seized the right wing position, showcasing her enthusiasm in the game.
