World Cup: Historic – Germany Back in the Semi-finals After Twelve Years

New Zealand vs. German 0:1 (0:1)

For the first time since 2010, the German women’s national hockey team is in the semi-finals of a world championship. In today’s World Cup quarter-finals in Spain and the Netherlands, the Danas deservedly won 1-0 against New Zealand in Amstelveen (Amsterdam). Valentin Altenburg’s team proved to be the better team over 60 minutes and, after winning a medal, is within reach for the first time in 24 years. Lena Micheel scored the goal for Germany in the 16th minute. The semi-finals and finals will take place this coming weekend (July 16/17) in Terrassa, Spain. The opponent of the German team will be determined in the match between Argentina and England.

Copyright: Wordlsportpics / Frank Uijlenbroek

First half: Lots of chances and just one goal

The Danas had more possession in the first few minutes and were able to get the first shot on goal in the fourth minute. Charlotte Stapenhorst finished with the Argentine backhand and just missed the left post. A first sign of the German team against low-lying New Zealanders. And they kept going. The next huge chance came in the eighth minute. Nike Lorenz prevailed on the right baseline and played the ball in front of the New Zealand goal. Lena Micheel was actually perfect there, but only hit the post. Germany largely dominated the first quarter. New Zealand, the so-called Black Sticks, only rarely came through counterattacks in front of the German goal. In the twelfth minute there was the first penalty corner for the team of national coach Valentin Altenburg. But the process didn’t go right here and it remained 0-0. Penalty corner number two also didn’t find its way into the New Zealand goal and so the first quarter break went without a goal. We played our hockey from the start and pushed through what we wanted to play.

Linnea Weidemann

The statistics of the first quarter spoke clearly for Germany. Right at the start of the second quarter, New Zealand were outnumbered. Just a few moments later, in the 16th minute, the Danas deservedly took the lead. Pia Maertens confidently prevailed against several New Zealand defenders and found Lena Micheel in front of goal. The pushed a 1-0 lead for Germany. What a start to the second quarter. Germany goalkeeper Nathalie Kubalski has not faced any major challenges up to this point, while Brook Roberts has had plenty to do on the New Zealand side. In the middle of the second quarter, she defused two more penalty corners from the German team. At the end of the first half, the German women didn’t give up. All that was missing was the ultimate consequence and a little luck. The fifth penalty corner could not be converted and a stick by Pauline Heinz hit the post for the second time in the game. After 30 minutes it was 1-0 from a German perspective, although another goal would have been overdue.

Copyright: Wordlsportpics / Frank Uijlenbroek

Second half: A thriller with a happy ending

The second half started with a free shot on goal for Nike Lorenz. She put the ball on the Black Sticks’ goal, but Brook Roberts was there again. Compared to the first two quarters, not much has changed in the game. The Danas stormed towards the opposing goal, created chances, but also missed further penalty corners, as in the 36th minute. New Zealand had no real game ideas with the ball and could only fight their way in front of the German goal by counterattacking. The 18-year-old Linnea Weidemann defended these counterattacks excellently several times. The Danas had to play the last five minutes outnumbered. Benedetta Wenzel saw a yellow card after a foul. New Zealand then had larger spaces and was able to record the first penalty corner in the 42nd minute. Kira Horn ran the shot on goal and prevented the equalizer. The quarter ended with clearly better German women, but only with a 1:0 lead.

Copyright: Wordlsportpics / Frank Uijlenbroek

15 minutes until the semifinals. Like the rest of the game, Germany could actually get the sack early in the last quarter. Penalty corners number nine and ten didn’t bring the desired 2:0. Then a curious game situation arose. Germany were double outnumbered and New Zealand took their goalkeeper off the artificial turf. Thus, the Blacksticks briefly had three field players more on the pitch. Thanks to the video evidence, Germany was spared two penalty corners in those two minutes and the game went on eleven against eleven. In the 54th minute, New Zealand got a penalty corner. After a sensational save by Nathalie Kubalski, the ball flew just wide of the left goal post – lucky for the Danas. The fans in the Wagener Stadion saw a thriller in the last two minutes of the game. New Zealand pressed for the equalizer again but time was against them. In the end, the German women’s national team deservedly won 1-0 and will play in Spain in the semi-finals. Dana’s opponent will be determined in the game between Argentina and England tomorrow, Wednesday (07/13/2022).

votes on the game

Valentin Altenburg, national coach: “Today was our biggest game on the way in the last six months. We played successfully and can now experience the full World Cup experience in Spain. In the first half, the team has the best half time in this We played that year. Add to that the best overall defensive performance we’ve played this year. We can learn a lot from this game and take it with us to Spain.”

Linnea Weidemann: “I am incredibly happy about this victory. We played our hockey from the start and pushed through what we wanted to play. The team did a great job of defending when we were twice outnumbered and in the penalty corners against us. We are happy that we can fly to Spain tomorrow and be in the semi-finals there.”

Hanna Granitzki: “What can I say. A difficult game, but we deserved to win it in the end. It was a tough fight as a team and as a team. We survived being outnumbered twice and now we deservedly made it into the semi-finals. I’m a little at a loss for words because it’s just really, really cool. I’m incredibly proud of the girls and have a good feeling about the next two games.”

Game details: