In a thrilling game of football, the interim national coach of the national soccer team, Horst Hrubesch, was a spectacle to behold. Barely able to contain his excitement, Hrubesch was an animated figure on the sidelines, cheering and gesturing wildly to his players. There were moments of desperation too, but the payoff came when Klara Bühl and Lea Schüller stepped up to deliver a 2-0 win against the Netherlands. The match was held at the Abe Lenstra Stadium in Heerenveen and was watched by over 20,000 spectators. The victory secured the DFB team a spot in the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris, as they finished third in the Nations League.
In the wake of their defeat against France, Hrubesch made some changes to his starting eleven. Sydney Lohmann was given the nod to lead the attack in place of Schüller, while Jule Brand was brought in for Svenja Huth on the right wing.
The Dutch side had to make do without their star player Vivianne Miedema due to injury. The 18-year-old Wieke Kaptein was brought in as her replacement. Kaptein did not disappoint, recording the first notable shot on goal for the Dutch, a few minutes into the game. This followed a weak punch-out by Germany’s Merle Frohms from the five-yard box.
The DFB team then had their first shot at the opponent’s goal. A free kick from Klara Bühl was narrowly cleared by Caitlin Dijkstra. Hrubesch’s rallying cry of “Forward, always forward” seemed to motivate the German players, who started to press forward with more conviction and speed.
However, this aggressive strategy also posed a risk of losing possession of the ball. Both teams adopted a similar approach, leading to an open game with plenty of offensive exchanges in the early stages.
Germany’s Sjoeke Nüsken made a significant mark 25 minutes into the game. Nüsken’s decisive follow-up in the final third, after losing the ball, allowed her to win it back and take a shot from about 17 meters out. Her shot rebounded off the inside post and back into the field. This was a telling moment in the first half, which demonstrated the German team’s impressive physicality.
As the game progressed, the Netherlands started to command more possession, mainly due to Germany’s intense start. Lineth Beerensteyn was a constant threat to the German defense, though she struggled to make any significant breakthroughs. On the other end, Alexandra Popp had a promising attempt with a header, but the first half ended without any goals.
Schüller and Bühl secure victory for Germany
For the second half, Hrubesch made another change, bringing on Lea Schüller for Lohmann and switching to a 4-4-2 system. The Germans started the second half on a positive note, with Nüsken narrowly missing a chance to score, her shot deflected over the crossbar by Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar. Schüller also had a goal disallowed for offside shortly after.
The Germans then began to dominate, with Schüller creating another good opportunity. However, her deflected shot was just too far ahead for her to capitalize on, and it was parried by van Domselaar. But the Dutch defense was finally breached three minutes later.
Lena Oberdorf intercepted the ball and passed it to Jule Brand, who was making a run on the right side of the penalty area. Brand’s cross was initially headed out, but Oberdorf won the crucial header in the penalty area, sending the ball towards Klara Bühl. Positioned on the left, Bühl expertly found the far corner of the net to put Germany in the lead.
With the momentum on their side, the German team continued to press for a second goal. Schüller had two more attempts but was unsuccessful. However, she finally found the net on her third attempt, heading in a cross from Bühl to seal the victory for Germany with a 2-0 scoreline.