European Championships Qualification - DFB females are still in the process of finding their Olympic place.
The Olympic preparations have taken a rocky turn for the German women's football team. Following their 4:1 win over Poland in the European Championship qualifier tie, only 55 days remain until the opening match of the Olympic Games. Fortunately, the coach Horst Hrubesch remains unfazed. "I don't place much emphasis on one match," he said during a recent stop in Rostock.
As far as changes are concerned, Hrubesch has no plans for the Olympics in France. However, he must reduce his team roster from 22 to 18 players. "There will certainly be some tough decisions," he admitted. "But the players will understand."
Hrubesch would much rather take his entire team to the Olympics for added flexibility. Unfortunately, the German Football Association (DFB) along with other European countries have expressed concerns to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about being restricted to only 18 players. They await a response, but the odds of a favorable decision from the IOC are low.
The national team is gearing up for three more tests before the Olympics. These matches, which are qualifying games for the 2025 European Championship in Switzerland, will be opportunities for Hrubesch to evaluate his players. The German squad can seal their participation in the EM on Tuesday (6:15 p.m./ARD) with a win against Poland in Gdynia.
The remaining qualifying matches against Iceland (July 12) in Reykjavik and against Austria (July 16) in Hanover are about gaining experience. Just ten days after the contest with Austria, the DFB team begins their Olympic journey against Australia in Marseille. The other opponents are the USA and Zambia. The team can't afford to slip up against any of these teams, as the result against the seemingly insignificant underdog could turn out the same.
Vice-captain Giulia Gwinn of Bayern Munich echoed these sentiments. "We always deliver, despite a potentially shaky start," she stated. "We're coming back. It's important to step up from the beginning, accept one-on-one situations, and set an example." Although a bittersweet moment, the team can still be proud of their comeback. They also learned from these early games, especially in the Austrian match where they initially fell behind 0:2, but subsequently won 3:2. "We'll have to show up from the start and accept two-on-ones," said Gwinn candidly. "We'll have to have a presence and lead by example."
