Women’s football: Germany clearly loses European Championship qualifier in Iceland

Iceland – Germany 3:0 (1:0)

In the penultimate qualifying match for the Women’s European Football Championship, which will take place in Switzerland in 2025, the German national players are clearly in the running Iceland lost. Host Hrubesch’s team disappointed across the board in a 3-0 defeat at the National Stadium in the capital Reykjavik to the clear outsiders. It was also the biggest defeat under the national coach to date.

Two weeks before the start of the Olympic Games in Paris, the German team was without captain Alexandra Popp (foot irritation), Lena Oberdorf (suspended) and Sydney Lohmann (muscle problems). In twelve degrees and a lot of wind, Ingibjörg Sigurðardóttir (14th minute), Alexandra Jóhannsdóttir (52nd) and Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir (83rd) scored for the hosts.

Hrubesch had fielded future Frankfurt player Elisa Senß ahead of midfielder Oberdorf. Next to Lea Schüller, Frankfurt’s Nicole Anyomi stormed forward, who was ahead Olympia is only nominated as a replacement. In defense, Hrubesch also spared Wolfsburg player Marina Hegering, who had a calf injury, and let Sara Doorsoun defend next to Kathrin Hendrich.

Weak start for the DFB team

The many changes made it difficult for the German players to get into the game. Jónsdóttir of VfL Wolfsburg missed the first chance of the Icelanders after 65 seconds. The vice European champions from Germany also did not get going after that. With the help of the German goalkeeper Merle Frohms, Jónsdóttir extended a corner kick to Duisburg player Sigurðardóttir, who headed the empty goal into the net and made it 1-0.

FC Bayern’s Icelandic defence chief Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir, on the other hand, had little trouble organising the Icelandic defence. A goal by German striker Lea Schüller was wrongly disallowed for offside shortly before half-time.

Even after the break, the German team had problems in the match. In addition, the forward movement was too often too slow and there was always a lack of sharpness and precision. Neither Senß nor Sjoeke Nüsken could provide a decisive impulse in the German midfield. The Icelanders took advantage of this: barely seven minutes into the second half, Jónsdóttir laid the ball off to Jóhannsdóttir, who scored from the second row and made it 2-0. This almost made it 3-0 after a restart, but this time the German goalkeeper Frohms was able to save (68′).

Halfway through the second half, the Germans also got into the game a bit better and had chances to score. Icelandic defender Viggósdóttir saved on the goal line from a header by substitute Laura Freigang. The attacker put more pressure on Germany’s attacking game after coming on, but did not score.

Shortly before the end, there was another blackout in the German defence when Frohms played a goal kick to the beleaguered Doorsoun. Her mistimed pass fell at the feet of Jónsdóttir, who scored to make it 0-3.

Last qualifying match against Austria

Despite the defeat, the German team has already qualified for the European Championship final. With the 3-0 victory, the Icelanders also qualified for next year’s tournament. Next Tuesday (7 p.m.) is the last European Championship qualifier against Austria in Hannover. About 40,000 fans are expected there before the German team travels to the Olympic Games.

The German team wants to compete for medals at the Summer Games in France. The DFB women, gold medal winners in Rio in 2016, will meet Australia (25 July) and the USA (28 July) and Zambia (31 July) in Saint-Étienne in the preliminary round in Marseille.