Just like in the good old 2000s, Germany entered the tournament with a large (4:0-large) statement: they are still a dominant force in Europe and they have their eyes on the title. Having been written off as the tournament’s favourites, this side had a point to prove and they did it in some style. So far Germany has shown the most impeccable performance out of all the teams. Playing attacking football, scoring multiple goals and keeping a clean sheet is something no other team has achieved just yet.
Germany’s strengths
In the match against Denmark Germany looked sharper from the first minutes. Starting the game with aggressive pressing, they committed at least five players to disturb the Danish in their defensive third. When the first goal was finally scored (21’), it was long awaited. Neither the Danes nor their woodwork could withstand such enormous pressure any longer.
The German side was not only well-organised and confident in and out of possession, it also showed an impressive determination to win. Germany’s forwards were pressing throughout the entire game and, in addition to that, were helping in defence. Many saw Germany’s transitional period and generation change as its Achilles heel, but it turned out to be a winning strategy to rely on younger players, hungry to score and physically able to run for all 90 minutes.
Denmark’s weaknesses
Playing with three defenders was the most commented tactical miscalculation of Denmark’s manager. In his defence, Denmark is not used to playing with the back four and it would very likely do no good if Lars Søndergaard had changed the formation during the game.
To my mind, it was much more a structural weakness the Danish side paid so dearly for. Denmark wasn’t let to use their most powerful weapon, Pernille Harder – an attacker, exceptional at positioning, dribbling and scoring with both feet. Harder’s play against Germany was passionate but largely reduced to pressing, helping the defence, fighting for the ball in the middle third and being taken to the ground by German defenders. She changed her position numerous times, but wherever she moved, two or three German defenders followed.
The fact that Germany would try to limit Harder as much as possible was to be expected, but the issue wasn’t properly addressed. As a result, she had very little contact with the ball and virtually didn’t get the opportunity to do her job as a striker. Sadly for Denmark, the decision to diversify the team’s attacking profile with the triple-substitute came not only too late but also at the wrong moment. Denmark was defending a corner and conceded a goal immediately after the change was made, which meant their resources to regroup were now depleted.
Many of Germany’s players have shown individual brilliance during this game, but their impressive win was the team result. Since this squad does not rely on one central player to score, their puzzle was much harder (no pun intended, Pernille…) to solve.
Post-Match Reaction
Germany’s brilliant victory against Denmark is reminiscent of Lyon’s performance in the recent Women’s Champions League final. Both these teams have shown that their historic achievements are not only a matter of the past.
It is, however, questionable, whether Germany’s strategy of aggressive pressing throughout the entire game would work throughout the entire tournament. Such an approach is highly intense and understandably exhausts the players, so Voss-Tecklenburg has to be strategic with rotating them. In the light of numerous knee injuries this summer has already seen the sustainability of the team’s performance is what matters most.
It was hardly a surprise that Denmark lost this game, but the manner of their defeat was shocking. Germany dominated in possession (57% to 43%), in the number of chances (17 to 6) and in the number of shots on target (10 to 2), making last Euro’s runners-up look like amateurs. Considering the number of times Germany hit the woodwork in this game (four), things could have been much worse.
The opening game sets the tone and the Danes have a lot of emotional damage to cope with, but they know that they deserve to progress only when they can regroup and move on to the next challenge. Their following game against a weaker opponent, Finland, can boost their confidence and will be decisive for their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.
Full-time at Brentford Community Stadium
Germany 4-0 Denmark
21′ Lina Magull
57′ Lea Schuller
78′ Lena Lattwein
86′ Alexandra Popp
Written by Olesia Andersen
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