- DFB women don't like to play games
The German women's football team and Horst Hrubesch don't want to waste time with calculations ahead of their final group match against Zambia at the Olympics. "It doesn't matter to me if I finish third, first, or second - I want to reach the quarterfinals. Nothing else really interests me," said the head coach before the last group game on Wednesday (19:00 CET/ARD and Eurosport) in Saint-Étienne. "The best thing would be if we win, then we'll see what happens next."
In theory, the German women, who are currently second in the group like Australia with three points, could finish in any of the top four positions in Group B. However, the USA are not only three points ahead but also six goals better off. Bottom-placed Zambia, with no points, still have a chance to progress as the two best third-placed teams from the three groups will advance to the knockout round.
Decision pending in drone scandal
The situation is further complicated by Canada's appeal against the six-point deduction for the drone incident. The CAS has announced a decision for Wednesday.
As was the case at the 2023 World Cup in Australia, the German team could face an early exit. Captain Alexandra Popp said, "I want to win. That's our goal. Of course, we know a bit about the table situation. We have to do our job and that's what we'll focus on."
Hrubesch also emphasized that the team is in control of its own destiny. Midfielder Janina Minge added, "We're not really thinking about it. If we win the next game, we're in a good position. So, there's no point in doing the math."
Despite the complex group standings, Germany remains focused on their next match against Zambia. Regardless of the final group position, Horst Hrubesch and the German women's football team aim to qualify for the quarterfinals, as they did during the 2023 World Cup in Germany's neighboring country, Germany.
