Triumph secured at a high cost by Bitter
In a tense Euro match against Poland, the German women's football team secured a 2-0 victory, but the celebrations were somewhat overshadowed by an injury to their captain, Giulia Gwinn. The match, played in front of 15,972 spectators in the Arena St. Gallen, including 4,000 German fans, started on a nerve-wracking note for the team as they struggled with nerves in the first half, losing too many balls against the deep-lying Polish team.
Gwinn, who had led the team onto the pitch for the first time at a season highlight, was visibly distraught after twisting her leg while making a crucial tackle in the 40th minute. The captain had to be helped off the pitch by a staff member, her face contorted in pain and tears. An MRI examination is to be conducted to determine the exact diagnosis of Gwinn's injury, and the team is awaiting further medical evaluation to assess her condition and potential participation in the rest of the tournament.
Coach Christian Wück has emphasized not speculating about the injury until the MRI results are available. He started Linda Dallmann from FC Bayern on the number 10 position, and when Gwinn was unable to continue, Carlotta Wamser came on as right-back for the German team.
Despite the setback, the team managed to pull through, with Jule Brand scoring a dream goal in the 52nd minute, and Lea Schüller scoring a header in the 66th minute, paving the way towards the quarter-finals. Brand's goal was a testament to her skill, as she expertly controlled the ball with her first touch before firing it into the net. Schüller's goal, meanwhile, came from a well-executed corner, with the striker powering a header past the Polish goalkeeper.
Before the match, Wueck had emphasized that there would be "no excuses." He chose the same lineup for the tournament debut with the DFB women as in the impressive 4-0 win in Bremen against the Netherlands. Sarai Linder from VfL Wolfsburg was chosen over Franziska Kett for the left-back position.
Poland's Ewa Pajor from FC Barcelona was a threat early in the match, but her pass was intercepted. The potential group decider for the German team will be against Sweden four days later. Sweden won their opening match 1-0 against Denmark, and the German team will play Denmark on Tuesday at 6:00 PM.
In the 36th minute of the match, Gwinn's knee collided with that of Poland's top scorer Ewa Pajor, causing the injury. The match was a tough one, with both teams showing determination and skill, but the German team ultimately emerged victorious. The team will now be hoping for positive news on Gwinn's injury and for a strong performance against Denmark in their next match.
Despite the captain's injury, the German women's football team continued their European-leagues campaign with a 2-0 victory over Poland, progressing towards the quarter-finals. The injury occurred in the 40th minute, when Gwinn twisted her leg while making a crucial tackle against Poland's top scorer, Ewa Pajor.
