Spain’s magical footballers mercilessly dashed the DFB women’s dream of their first major title since Olympic gold in 2016. In the clear 0:3 (0:0) in the final second leg of the Nations League in Madrid, the world champions led national coach Christian Wück’s team at times after the break – and thrilled the 55,843 spectators in the Estadio Metropolitano with dream goals.
Clàudia Pina scored twice (61st and 74th minute) and super talent Vicky López (68th) for the old and new Nations League champions. Ann-Katrin Berger didn’t look too good when she conceded the first goal. The fact that the people in front of them collapsed completely as a result was not due to the otherwise attentive goalkeeper.
Gwinn even takes off his shoe
King Felipe VI, who otherwise resides in the royal palace a good eleven kilometers away. saw a high-class game, characterized by high tempo and intense duels. DFB captain Giulia Gwinn even took off her right yellow shoe during a private duel with Pina in the early stages.
“I do believe that the Spaniards have big plans. They want to show that it was a slip-up,” Wück said before the second leg of the final, referring to the 0-0 draw in the first leg, when his team had clearly dominated the world champions.
Artistic side kick by Esther González
The coach speculated that Spain would start “very, very powerfully” – and he was absolutely right. Esther González, who later caught the eye with an artistic side kick, should have given the home team the lead after five minutes, but pushed the ball just past the goal. Immediately afterwards, Alexia Putellas forced DFB goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger to make her first flight with a header.
Spain was without three-time world footballer Aitana Bonmatí from FC Barcelona, who broke her left fibula during training on Sunday. According to the club, the 27-year-old will be out for around five months after the operation on Tuesday. For Bonmatí, head coach Sonia Bermúdez sent her club colleague López into her starting line-up.
This time there is more of a ebb and flow of opportunities for the DFB team
The 19-year-old exceptional player, who advanced on the right offensive side, showed good signs even before the break. “We have to play the way Spain has always played,” captain Irene Paredes had demanded in advance: powerful, fast-paced, as a collective. But the DFB starting eleven, which was unchanged compared to the first leg, held up strongly after the stormy start. But instead of the flood of chances in the first leg, the tide was ebbing. Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll effortlessly saved two half-distance shots from Franziska Kett and Jule Brand.
As the break approached, the Spanish took over again. Caldentey missed a direct shot, Pina hit a free kick just wide and López aimed a little too high with a fine shot. Berger initiated the last Spanish chance before the break with a bad pass. The 35-year-old made up for her mistake by strongly parrying Caldentey’s shot.
Anyomi misses a great opportunity to take the lead
Almost in return, Anyomi missed Germany’s greatest opportunity, her low shot whizzed just wide of the goal. The desperate Wück, who won the World Cup title with the male U17 two years ago on the day of the final, put his hands over his face. Around 600 German fans in the upper tier of the huge oval were still happy with the courageous performance.
For the national coach, things went according to plan for exactly an hour: “The longer it is 0-0, the more chances we will have, the more space there will be for us in counterattack situations,” he said in advance. After Pina’s goal it was clear that the Germans now had to take the initiative. Wück reacted with two changes: Shekiera Martinez came on for the often unhappy Anyomi, and Cora Zicai replaced the inconspicuous Selina Cerci.
But the goals came on the other side: López scored with his left into the far corner, and Berger was powerless this time. It was even nicer for Pina, whose powerful long-range shot ended all German title dreams. The shouts of Olé wafting from the stands will likely hang in the German players’ ears for a while.
As in the European Championship semi-finals in Switzerland in the summer, the DFB women lost out in the end. This Wednesday there is at least one big consolation: the European Football Union will decide on the organization of the women’s European Championship in 2029. The DFB is competing with the joint application from Denmark and Sweden as well as the individual candidacy from Poland.