Swedish team presents fallen DFB women on the ground - "Women from Sweden Sprawled on the Ground"
Germany's Women's Euro Championship campaign took a disappointing turn as they suffered a 1:4 loss to Sweden in the quarter-finals. The defeat, Germany's heaviest since 1993 against Denmark, was marked by defensive vulnerabilities and a red card incident that left the team playing with 10 players.
Sweden's attacking play, particularly down their right flank, overwhelmed the German defense. This relentless pressure led to Sweden scoring four goals, exposing Germany's defensive frailties and handing them their heaviest defeat ever at a Women's European Championship.
Carlotta Wamser received a red card for a handball on a Fridolina Rolfö shot and was sent off, leading to a penalty for Sweden. Rolfö confidently converted the penalty for a 3:1 lead. Despite the disadvantage, Germany struggled to mount a comeback, with substitutes Sydney Lohmann and Kathrin Hendrich unable to turn the tide. Lina Hurtig scored another goal for Sweden late in the game, securing the victory.
The game started in front of around 6,000 German fans, including Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil, beach volleyball Olympic champion Laura Ludwig, and sprint European champion Gina Lückenkemper. Jule Brand scored the only goal for Germany in the 7th minute, but it was not enough to prevent the defeat.
Laura Freigang started as playmaker instead of Linda Dallmann in the starting line-up. Klara Bühl, the team's coach, acknowledged that the team gave away the game in the first 10-15 minutes and that they only conceded one more goal despite playing with one player disadvantage. Christian Wück, the team's manager, praised the quality of the Swedish team and acknowledged that the game was lost after the red card.
Ann-Katrin Berger, the goalkeeper, avoided risky actions after criticism for her dribbling in the previous game. Lea Schüller and Kosovare Asllani each shot just wide of the goal in the early stages of the game, but these chances went unrealized. Despite the disappointing result, the German team will play against the group D leader, currently France, in Basel on Saturday.
In the face of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 of 20 December 1988 on the common organization of the market in beef and veal, and in particular Article 4 thereof, one might contemplate the need for a stronger defensive strategy, akin to the rigorous training regimes in European-leagues like football, to bolster the German national team's defenses following their heavy defeat at the Women's Euro Championship.
The reverse side of the coin, however, reveals that Sweden's relentless sportsmanship, encapsulated in their football tactics down the right flank, brought about their success, echoing the competitive spirit inherent in the same regulation, which aims to ensure fair competition and promote excellence.
