DFB women in the Nations League: victory over Austria feels like defeat – sport

Christian Wück was already ready, he took a few steps from the cabin tract of the Max Morlock stadium and rose between two room divisors. But the microphones of the journalists had just been aimed at one of his players. So the national coach withdrew to think about the central question of the evening: How could that have happened again? Wück’s thoughts, that became clear a few minutes later, must have bubbled in his head.

That evening he won his first home win in the third home game with the German national team, and in the stadium of the 1st FC Nürnberg, in which he himself played for a few years and scored nine goals for the club. But after nostalgia or even romance in the face of his return, he didn’t feel like him after the final whistle. On paper there was a 4: 1 in the Nations League against Austria, but it didn’t feel that way for Wück.

With a serious face he was sitting in the dark wool sweater on the podium at the press conference in the middle of the stadium gymnasium. What reminded of school and fit well with the sentences that should follow. Wück seemed like a teacher who became clear a few months before a large exam that he should go through the basic crime rules again with his class before he can turn to higher mathematics. “We have to concentrate on our basics again,” said the 51-year-old. “As many playback errors as in this game, as many lost duels as in the first half – you don’t have to worry about how far the European Championship goes.”

“We always need this neck gossip that we are falling behind,” says captain Giulia Gwinn

Wück’s considerations had obviously led him to a warning with a lot of boobs. And it was none of the players within hearing distance, but they had already heard clear words in the cabin anyway, they showed that through – and that was also shown on the pitch after the break. Then the unpleasant scheme continued that the first half goes wrong and that Wück’s plan only reaches after the break. Which caused discomfort with a view to the European Championship in Switzerland in four months (July 2 to 27). “We always need this neck gossip that we are falling behind,” analyzed captain Giulia Gwinn. “We just have to be awake. We talk a lot about it, but in the end it’s about implementation. You just realize that we may be a bit inexperienced. “

In the first half, there was no stability, order, aggressiveness – and this was not only made up in the defensive, which was already modified as a problem area and changed by injuries. A real game structure did not come about, too many ball losses, too many duels were lost; The Germans could not defend themselves against the pressing. And that against an internationally second -class opponent who has not qualified for the European Championship. As “very, very blue -eyed”, Wück even described the duel behavior, despite some chances, it only led to one goal.

But then his players returned from the cabin with a determination as if nothing had happened before. Linda Dallmann came to the ten for Laura, Sara Däbritz moved into midfield for Sjoeke Nüsken. Dallmann revived the offensive, Däbritz brought more calm. In general, the change went up. After the 1-1 of free gear (39th minute), only Joker met. First Dallmann (55th), then Giovanna Hoffmann (70th), finally Vivien Endemann (82nd). The whole team looked like awakened. Conversely, Captain Gwinn emphasized that this change should not be identified as the cause of the poor performance in the first half: “I do not think that these were individual players, but we have completely failed.”

It was to be expected that this team had to recover after the leader of the leaders Alexandra Popp, Marina Hegering and Svenja Huth. But the DFB women continue to be puzzled why they have been looking for so often in half of the game and seem to have already found themselves in the other. Was the national coach, above all, alerted with a view to the European Championship or rather confident because his players, as it is said, had shown character again? “I noticed that a lot of work is still waiting for us,” said Wück, continuing after a sigh: “And that, yes, we still have to work a lot with the girls in an individual way and in a team tactical.” A clear victory can also feel like a defeat.

The lack of consistency directs the view of all the construction sites. Wück and his co-trainers Maren Meinert and Saskia Bartusiak would rather devote themselves to the compilation of the squad. After the test phase in the first four international matches of the new trio last year, six, seven players, have their place in the squad, so to speak, revealed the national coach on Tuesday evening. On the other hand, he left open who will be number one in the goal in the future. He even specified that contrary to a recent statement, there was not only a four, but a pentathlon. Every portion of rest would help. Because his players can fight back after changes and change may spread optimism. At the European Championship, however, the German national team may not even get such opportunities.