The German footballers looked at each other helplessly when they high-fived. 100 days before the World Cup kicks off, the DFB team experienced a sobering lesson against Brazil. The vice-European champions lost in Nuremberg against the South American champions with a deserved 1:2 (0:2).
In front of 32,587 spectators, Tamires (11th minute) and Ari Borges (37th) scored for the much more enthusiastic Seleção. Jule Brand (90.2) scored the German goal late – too late.
“If we play like that, we won’t get far in the World Cup,” said Lena Oberdorf after the game in which midfielder Melanie Leupolz, who came on in the 64th minute, celebrated her DFB comeback just six months after the birth of her son. Before the game at the Max Morlock Stadium, the former ex-captain Dzsenifer Marozsan was said goodbye.
The playmaker from Olympique Lyon, who waved at the crowd before kick-off with shining eyes, played her 112th and last international match as a substitute. After a cruciate ligament rupture last year, the 30-year-old’s knee is no longer so resilient, which is why she announced her retirement from the national team.
Brazil quick and sure of the ball
The 28-year-old Leupolz from Chelsea is the third mother in the history of the German team after today’s national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg and goalkeeper Almuth Schult. In the third to last test before the World Cup from July 20th to August 20th in Australia and New Zealand, where Germany meets Morocco, Colombia and South Korea in the preliminary round, the hosts had great problems from the start with the quick and ball-safe Brazilians of the Swedish coach Pia Sundhage.
Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who played for regular goalkeeper Merle Frohms (back problems), was not only powerless at 0:1, but also had to be treated longer because she had rushed into Gabi Nunes. Defender Sara Doorsoun had previously misjudged a through ball – Tamires turned away jubilantly. Going 2-0 up from a short corner by Ari Borges, Berger looked pretty bad as the ball sailed past everyone into the net. After that, the Brazilians, who could be Germany’s round of 16 opponents at the World Cup, did a little dance.
Popp substituted at half-time
Four days after the flattering 1-0 win in the Netherlands, captain Alexandra Popp had to stay in the dressing room at half-time. Sydney Lohmann from Munich replaced the Wolfsburg player. The host team also continued to struggle with the toughness and athleticism of the Brazilians. And very little went forward. Lea Schüller from FC Bayern, Germany’s footballer of the year, was also hardly staged.
Leupolz played with a face mask after breaking her nose in the Champions League, but like Marozsan she was unable to turn the game around. Lohmann’s shot (84′) was one of the few dangerous scenes up to that point. Brand dusted off in stoppage time.
The DFB selection will meet next time on June 20th at the first of two World Cup preparations in Herzogenaurach, two home friendlies are planned. Until then, Voss-Tecklenburg still has a lot to work through.
