Bronze heroine Berger didn't know what she was doing
Once again, Ann-Katrin Berger saves the German women's football team. In the last minute of extra time, she saves Spain's penalty in the bronze medal match. She doesn't even know how she did it.
Penalty hero Ann-Katrin Berger practically saved the German women's football team the Olympic bronze medal against Spain in standby mode. "I have absolutely no idea what I did in the two minutes before the penalty was taken. My head just switched off. My emotions were suddenly gone," said the goalkeeper after the highly dramatic 1:0 (0:0) win in the third-place match in Lyon against the world champions.
The 33-year-old saved a penalty from Spain's captain Alexia Putellas in the ninth minute of extra time. She admitted she couldn't really focus on the duel: "I was just completely empty." Despite this, she saved the penalty, which was shot half-high, in a brilliant manner - without any tips from goalkeeper coach Michael Fuchs.
"He wanted to show me where she usually shoots. I didn't see him, he's two meters tall, I still didn't see him," Berger reported. "It was just instinct." When her teammates rushed towards her, it was "scary," but also "an incredible feeling."
She dedicated the saved penalty to Horst Hrubesch, who named her the number one before the Olympic tournament and coached his last game as women's national team coach against Spain. "I told Horst: The penalty was simply for him, because he believed in me and gave me the trust, even though I've suffered under my coaches in the last few years and they couldn't bring out the best in me," said the goalkeeper from US club NJ/NY Gotham FC.
In general, the 73-year-old, who will be succeeded by Christian Wück after the Olympics, could feel confirmed with regard to Berger. After two mistakes in the preliminary round, the question arose as to whether the promotion was the right decision. This topic was already resolved during the Olympic tournament.
"I was sure Anne would save it. I had no doubts. I was actually calm," said Hrubesch after the nerve-wracking final phase. Berger had already eliminated the last doubts about her skills in the quarter-final thriller against Canada. The goalkeeper not only saved two shots in the penalty shootout, but also stepped up as a shooter - and scored. "We have a machine in goal," Popp raved afterwards: "That she still puts it in cold-blooded - hats off."
The teammates have already taken their hats off to their goalkeeper several times in the past. After all, Berger has already beaten cancer twice (in 2017 and 2022). This knowledge gives her great composure on the pitch. "I think I work better under pressure than without pressure," the Swabian explained after the Canada drama, who trusted her "instinct" during the penalty shootout: "I was not happy with myself after the mistakes in the preliminary round. I wanted to show that I have completely different qualities."
Ann-Katrin Berger's penalty save against Spain's Alexia Putellas in the bronze medal match secured a 1:0 win for the German women's soccer team. Despite feeling empty and lacking focus during the duel, her instincts took over, leading to a brilliant save.
Berger's heroics on the soccer field were a testament to her resilience and determination, as she had already overcome cancer twice in her career, gaining her great composure under pressure.
