Women’s football
Hrubesch confident in front of Wales: “Cards clearly distributed”
Is confident before the game against Wales: interim national coach Horst Hrubesch. photo
© Uwe Anspach/dpa
With a win in Wales, the German footballers would move into the semi-finals of the Nations League – and thus come one step closer to qualifying for the Olympics.
“On the whole, I just think that the cards are clearly dealt here,” said the 72-year-old interim national coach before the duel with outsiders Wales. “Our goal is to win the game, and of course to win as much as possible,” added offensive player Klara Bühl (22) from FC Bayern.
The DFB team can take another step towards Olympic qualification. The team of interim national coach Horst Hrubesch goes into the last preliminary round game of the Nations League in Swansea as leaders of Group 3. If they win against the bottom team with no points, the DFB players will definitely qualify for the final round. The first leg ended 5-1 for the European vice-champions.
Chance of getting an Olympic ticket
With the 3-0 win against Denmark in Rostock last Friday, the German selection achieved a very important success – and thus laid the foundation for having the necessary group victory in their own hands before the last match day. At the final tournament with four teams in February, two European teams can still win the Olympic ticket. France is set as hosts.
“We want to confirm our performance, because otherwise the 3-0 win against Denmark wouldn’t have achieved anything,” said the recently strong left-back Sarai Linder (24) from TSG Hoffenheim: “We just want to take the joy with us now.” Bühl announced that they would go in “with the same attitude as on Friday evening.”
Warning from Hrubesch
However, Hrubesch gave a small warning: “The last step is always the hardest,” he warned. Pointless Wales is a team “that is in a worse position at the moment than it is, they can play football if you let them.” 6,000 to 7,000 spectators are expected at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea.
Hrubesch did not want to reveal who would replace the suspended defense chief Marina Hegering (33). The central defenders Sara Doorsoun (32) and Sophia Kleinherne (23), both of whom are under contract with Eintracht Frankfurt, are considered candidates. “There will certainly be one or two changes,” announced Hrubesch.
The 1980 European champions would like to see the French team as their semi-final opponents. Then his team would have “a second chance” when it comes to qualifying for the Olympics. As hosts, the French have already qualified for Paris 2024. If they make it to the Nations League final, a win in the game for third place will be enough for the other teams to qualify for the Olympics.