Olympia
National coach Hrubesch satisfied with the draw for female soccer players
National coach Horst Hrubesch is satisfied with his team’s Olympic berth. photo
© Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa
Australia, the USA and a representative from Africa: According to the national coach, the Olympic lottery ticket meant well for the German footballers. One fact in particular pleases him.
Twice Marseille, two well-known opponents and an X factor – National coach Horst Hrubesch is anything but unhappy about the Olympic fate for his footballers. “I’m actually very happy with the draw,” said the 72-year-old after the ceremony in Paris.
The European Championship runners-up Germany will face the record winners USA, the fourth-placed World Cup Australia and the winners of the African elimination round – i.e. Zambia or Morocco – in the preliminary round group B. “This has to be a group that is also feasible for us,” explained Hrubesch.
The opening opponent is the last World Cup co-host Australia on July 25th, followed by the duel with the four-time Olympic champion USA on July 28th. Both games will take place in Marseille. With Australia you knew what to expect, they played physical, said Hrubesch. “In the USA, we also know what’s going on,” he said.
The first two games in the same city
Only the Africa representative, who will not be identified until April, is a little-known figure. The selection of the German Football Association (DFB) will face Zambia or Morocco at the end of the preliminary round on July 31st in St. Etienne. “The way it went, with Zambia or Morocco as the third game, it actually fits in quite well,” said the outgoing national coach, who will be succeeded by the world champion coach of the U17 juniors, Christian Wück, after the Olympic Games in Paris .
Hrubesch is particularly happy about having the first two games in the same city. “The advantage is that we are even lucky enough to play the first two games in Marseille. This means we don’t have to travel so much and can stay right there,” said the 1980 European champion, who coached the German men in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 Janeiro led them to the final against Brazil and won silver with them.
From the three preliminary round groups with four teams each, the first two and the two best third-placed teams qualify for the quarter-finals.