Germans rule the roost!

German football continues to go from strength to strength as the women’s national team extended an already impressive record in the European Championships.

With their men’s club teams having dominated the European Champions League earlier in the year with domestic league winner’s, Bayern Munich, facing off against Borussia Dortmund, German football appears to be in good health.

The ladies claimed a remarkable sixth successive European title in stereotypical fashion, demonstrating a clinical mastery of the penalty, the only difference being that this was in regulation time rather than having waited until the end of any extended period. Germany has now won every European Championship since 1995!

To further illustrate the strength Germany possesses, they completed the tournament without six key players.

This was evident in the group stages as they struggled to score and netted only six times in their six matches. However, belying the youthfulness of the squad and their unfamiliarity with each other, they were ridged and organised in defence and midfield.

Much of this winning team will, injury permitting, be available in four years’ time for a defence of their seventh title in 2017 (a decision as to which country will host the event will be made in December 2014). The winning mentality continues to be passed from one generation to the next.

One person perhaps unlikely to be playing is the ever-steady ’keeper, Nadine Angerer, who has been present between the German posts since 1997, winning five of the titles.

Norway had entered the final as marginal favourites, having handed Germany a 1-0 defeat in the group stages – the first match the eventual winners had lost in the tournament in a run spanning 59 games (53 of which they won).
 
For those seeking omens, they were also the last nation to lift the title before Germany started their dominant run. Furthermore, the last team to defeat Germany was also Norway in 1996.

Die Nationalelf’s goal-difference escape from the group was not the only close call they experienced. Norway’s first penalty was awarded late in the first half when Dekkerhus was tripped by Da Mbabi. However, Angerer, who also saved a penalty in their World Cup Final win in 2007 against Brazil, was able to save with her trailing legs, having dived to the side as Ronning thumped her penalty straight down the middle.

Their good fortune continued in the second half when Anje Mittag finished off a fine passing move in the 49th minute.

The Gressenhoppene’s second penalty was awarded when Hansen was pulled down by Cramer, although this time Angerer more conventionally used her hand to tip away Gulbrandsen’s effort, meaning she only conceded one goal in the entire tournament.

Hegerburg, a substitute, came close for Norway shortly afterwards as they pressed for an equaliser, although her goal was correctly ruled out for offside.

Kessler nearly eased the German nerves in the 82nd minute when presented an excellent opportunity as Maier’s weak cross was misjudged by Norway’s final line of defence, Akerhaugen, although her scuffed shot rolled weakly against the post, ultimately bouncing to safety.

One team to have spectacularly fallen from grace is England. Finalists in Finland in 2009 (when they lost 6-2 to Germany), they were eliminated from the Swedish tournament with the worst record having registered only one point from their three games and a goal difference of -4. The soul-searching had begun after their opening defeat!

The women’s game has witnessed tremendous progress since the last final, with 44,000 watching, a massive increase on the attendance figures in Finland, testimony to the popularity of the game in Sweden and worldwide.

Germany, therefore, made amends in the best possible manner for their quarter-final defeat in their home World Cup two years ago and missing the Olympics and now make it eight from the last nine at European level.

However, they cannot rest on their laurels or celebrate for too long as the qualifying for the next World Cup starts in September!