Martina Voss-Tecklenburg prophesied a clash of cultures, and Germany emerged victorious. Spain had more possession of the ball, as she had predicted, but it was her ruthless, disciplined, and resolute team that emerged victorious from a high-stakes battle in Brentford, which became such a classic example of these teams’ personalities that it bordered on the stereotypical. It also served as a warning: Germany must be treated seriously as a rival.
“It was exactly the team spirit that everyone associates with Germany, and it was also a wonderful performance tactically,” the coach remarked. Some players may have cursed because they didn’t have much contact with the ball, but they were rewarded with two goals.
The first, composed by Klara Bühl, was a gift received early on. Alexandra Popp scored the second goal, which sprang from a poorly defended corner.
Together, they accomplished a 2-0 victory that places Germany atop the table and requires Spain to draw with Denmark to face England. “On the one side, there’s the play, and on the other, there’s the consequence,” mused coach Jorge Vilda as he pondered what went wrong.
The simplest explanation may be the error that gave Germany the lead after three minutes, but there was more to the story. Spain’s dominance did not translate into goals or enough shots on target; Merle Frohms made one of only two outstanding saves late in the game. Vilda stated, “We would want to have their competitiveness and ability to use their opportunities.” “Sometimes we have it, but not today.”
For Germany, Marina Hegering, in particular, stood out, as did the remarkable Popp, who scored another goal in her very first Euros appearance. This was the second goal, scored shortly before halftime; the first had been scored half an hour earlier, despite Vilda’s warning not to let Germany score first. Against Finland they trailed after only forty-nine seconds; here it took a further ninety, goalkeeper Sandra Paños passing straight to Bühl, pressing inside the area, and she finished.
Spain had gone almost two years without falling behind. Now they had done so three games running. The good news was that they knew a way back, their identity clear; the bad news that was Germany before them, and their first, swift opportunity to put things right ended with the ball in the side netting. Aitana Bonmat and Patri Guijarro collaborated effectively to push Lucia Garca through, but the angle was too tight when she rounded Frohms.
At the quarter-hour mark, Spain had completed 100 passes compared to Germany’s sixteen. Frohms saved Patri’s shot, and the energetic Mariona Caldentey’s effort dipped just outside the post. A few whiles later, Bonmat attempted a nice clipped shot.
However, Voss-Tecklenberg expected Spain to possess the ball and is unconcerned. In Bonmat, this was expressed as a plea for tranquility. And just as they increased their pressure, Germany scored again on a Popp corner kick.
She nearly did it again at the beginning of the second half, but Spain regained control with Ona Batlle’s deflected shot slipping through three consecutive corners resulting in Hegering clearing Paredes’s header, and Lucia Garca’s well-worked opportunity being denied once more.
Then, Bonmat launched Lucia Garca. Frohms, however, ran as quickly as she did to remove the ball from her toe. Despite its possession and quality, Spain was unable to create clear chances against Germany’s strong, disciplined defense, and the Germans flashed a reminder of their threat when Paredes risked a red card by bringing Popp to the ground after nearly releasing her with a long pass.
Claudia Pina, Marta Cardona, and Athenea del Castillo were all introduced, but there was no natural No. 9, and despite Spain’s insistence, the Germans remained steadfast.
Frohms made an excellent save on Mariona Caldentey’s goal-bound shot after receiving a magnificent assist from Guijarro. Tabea Wassmuth was abruptly put through to score at the other end, a representation of their menace and the entire night. This time, the flag was raised, giving Spain something to chase in the waning minutes, but the damage was done.
