The Olympic gold dream was dramatically shattered after the 0:1 defeat in the semi-final against the USA. Now the DFB women still have a chance to play for the bronze medal in the small final. A year ago, nobody would have believed that the German selection would play a role in the Olympic medal fight. But on Friday there is still a big hurdle to overcome: Spain, the reigning world champions, await the German women’s national team. The match will be Horst Hrubesch’s last game as national coach.
This time, the DFB women did not have to endure any travel stress. Like the semi-final, the match for third place will also be played in Goupama-Stadion in Lyon There the ball rolls on the Friday, August 9th at 3pmOn linear TV, the game can be watched in stages on ZDF and Eurosport, but there are switches between several sports. The entire game is available on joint live stream of ARD and ZDF (access via the media libraries) or on the website of Eurosport to see. The broadcast begins at 2:50 p.m.
Not so long ago, many fans were worried about the DFB women’s vulnerable defense, but now the uncreative offense is causing headaches. National coach Horst Hrubesch has already worked out the simple solution to all problems: “Score goals, you have to score goals.” That is of course fundamentally correct, but you would first have to fight your way into promising positions to do so. The DFB selection has not scored a goal in 240 minutes of play – the absolute best of the remaining four teams. Against Brazil, the Spanish defense was vulnerable, that’s where they are vulnerable.
The premise of La Roja is also likely to be “scoring goals”. The difference to Germany: Spain scores goals far more often. In the semi-final against Brazil alone, the Iberians fired 27 shots. The reigning world champions’ utilization of opportunities is just as catastrophic as that of the Germans – an advantage for Germany?
If the DFB women have shown strength in this tournament, it is in defense. Against Spain, they will not have the ball at their feet very often, but they can still throw their opponents off their game with concentrated defensive work. “With our quality, we can take a lot away from the Spanish women’s game and then we’ll see how they cope with us,” explained Horst Hrubesch. The fact is, however, that the German offense in particular needs to step up its game. The team should say “Au Revoir” to easy ball losses and unsuccessful dribbling and “Bonjour” to calmness in the build-up to play and controlled ball relays.
Another important key factor in this small final will be physical fitness. After six games in 15 days, the players are understandably running out of energy. The German women’s national team has half an hour more in their bones than their opponents. If the DFB women mobilize all their strength and qualities, the bronze medal is definitely within their grasp. For this to happen, the German selection must have a perfect day and the Spanish women must weaken in return.
The Spanish national team travelled to France with clear ambitions: to win the gold medal. In the semi-final against Brazil, they suffered a relatively clear 2:4 defeat, with the Spanish defence in particular revealing weaknesses. In European and international women’s football, La Roja is considered the measure of all things. The typical tiki-taka style of play characterises the performance of the Iberians. Unlike recently with the DFB women, inaccuracies in passing are an absolute rarity. Nevertheless, the Olympic Games are not the tournament of the reigning world champions: they trembled their way into the semi-final against Colombia via a penalty shootout, and the normally dominant performances were lacking at times.
In terms of personnel, coach Montserrat Tomé’s team is hard to beat: Big names like world footballers Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas complement the Spanish ranks. But on paper, they are not winning any games. After the semi-final defeat, La Roja should be motivated not to go away empty-handed and to learn from their mistakes.
The statistics actually speak in Germany’s favor: In seven encounters, the DFB selection won four times, and the nations shared the points three times. There has never been a defeat for Germany – a good omen? The truth is, however, that the last encounter was during the group stage of the 2022 European Championship. In the last two years, the Spanish national team has developed considerably.
As of now, there is still a big question mark over the participation of captain Alexandra Popp and striker Lea Schüller. Popp may have recovered from her infection, but it remains uncertain whether Schüller has overcome her patellar tendonitis in her knee. The replacement Nicole Anyomi also limped through the stadium after the semi-final with a bandage on her thigh. It is difficult to predict exactly how Horst Hrubesch will choose his starting eleven. The defense line is likely to start unchanged, however.
