Women's European Football Championship | The DFB women as setback experts

Match plans have become an integral part of modern football. Every game requires one. Tactical guidelines, developed specifically for a particular match and opponent, are designed to neutralize their strengths and exploit their weaknesses. For the European Championship quarterfinals, national coach Christian Wück and his players had a whole week to work on every detail of their plan. That's how much time there was between the final group match against Sweden and the clash with France on Saturday evening at St. Jakob-Park in Basel.

Germany's match plan was visible for about three minutes. Then the right-back curse, which has relentlessly dogged the German national team at this European Championship, struck again. After captain Giulia Gwinn suffered a serious knee injury in the first European Championship match, and Gwinn's replacement Carlotta Wamser was sent off against Sweden, the third right-back option also suffered a knee injury in the quarterfinals. Sarai Linder, who had started all previous European Championship matches at left-back, switched to right-back against France, twisted her ankle in a challenge after three minutes, and had to be substituted after a long break for treatment.

The next early red card

In the twelfth minute, it seemed as if everything the German women's team had planned had finally gone wrong. After a free kick, Kathi Hendrich, who had been moved to central defense by the national coach, pulled her opponent's hair in the German penalty area. The logical consequence was a red card and a penalty for the French. The 33-year-old Hendrich had been brought into the team specifically to use her 85 international matches to give the shaky German defense more security and stability against the attacking French . Instead, Germany found themselves 1-0 down early in the first half after Grace Geyoro successfully converted the penalty and were down to ten men from then on.

"There were quite a few setbacks right at the beginning, with the red card and Sarai's injury," admitted Christian Wück after the match. The way his team responded to these setbacks was all the more remarkable. Immediately after the penalty, the German players formed a circle to discuss things again. "We wanted to keep a clear head, especially because we had shown uncertainty in recent games when we fell behind," revealed Sjoeke Nüsken. In the group stage, the goals conceded against Denmark and Sweden had led to noticeable disruptions in the Germans' game. In the quarterfinals, things turned out very differently.

The DFB team discovers the love of defending

The German women's soccer team embraced their role as underdogs with great conviction and even greater fighting spirit. Stand-in captain Janina Minge moved from defensive midfield back into the center of defense. Germany's attacking stars on the wings, Klara Bühl and Jule Brand, worked selflessly back, and Giovanna Hoffmann, a surprise replacement for Lea Schüller in the center of attack, tirelessly chased down every long ball from the German half. A follow-up from the RB Leipzig striker then forced the corner that would give the German team a 1-1 draw just ten minutes after falling behind. Hoffmann sprinted after a pass from Bühl, France made an unfortunate clearance wide, and shortly afterwards Sjoeke Nüsken headed in the equalizer.

After that, the German national team increasingly discovered a love of defending – even though defense is actually considered Germany's weak point . With a significantly deeper defensive line, the lack of speed and coordination in the German back line was not as noticeable against France. Sophia Kleinherne, who came on as a substitute for the injured Linder, and the 20-year-old Franziska Kett, who was only 20 years old in her European Championship debut, really rose to the occasion on the defensive flanks against the dangerous French wingers. It is true that France had two goals disallowed for narrow offsides, but even that did not deter the Germans. Even when Nüsken missed a somewhat fortunately won penalty in the 69th minute, the team did not falter, but continued to defend together and with concentration until extra time.

"We wouldn't have been able to do it if just one player had dropped out. Thank God they didn't, and that's why I'm so proud of this team," said national coach Wück after the match. Even in the extra 30 minutes, his team largely kept the French away from their own goal. Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was nevertheless tested. In the 103rd minute, the otherwise outstanding defensive leader Minge failed to clear the ball. An errant header arced over Berger. But the German goalkeeper pulled off a world-class diving save to clear the ball off the line at the last moment.

Ann-Katrin Berger silences all critics

"I don't know how I got there, to be honest," said the 34-year-old about her brilliant save, which was only the beginning of the Berger show shortly before midnight. When the game went to penalties with the score at 1-1 after 120 minutes, Berger saved the first penalty, later converted herself, and finally also saved Alice Sombath's decisive effort that sealed the 6-5 victory. After the second group match against Denmark, the German number one had been criticized in the press and by the national coach for her risky play and had appeared noticeably unsettled in the following duel against Sweden . Berger came back even more impressively against France.

"I simply did my part, but the team did all the work. That's why I always find it a shame that only I, the goalkeeper, get applauded," said the heroine of the evening, her usual modest and unemotional demeanor after her magnificent performance at St. Jakob-Park. A little fire also flashed from Berger afterward: "Every team should be afraid of us now," predicted the goalkeeper, looking ahead to the semifinal, where world champions Spain await on Wednesday. No matter how long the match plan works, this German team now seems well prepared for any kind of setback.