For his World-class player, Hrubesch wants to 'pray a night'
Can Lena Oberdorf fly with the DFB-Team to the Olympics? Her teammates are worried about her after her substitution in the game against Austria. National coach Horst Hrubesch is even relying on stronger forces.
Outside, 43,953 fans are "completely let go", celebrating a sovereign 4:0 win for the German women's team against Austria in the Hannoveraner Arena to the tunes of Peter Schilling's "Major Tom", which also hovers through the arena with the German footballers. After the surprisingly disappointing 0:3 loss in Iceland on Friday, there was a make-up on the field. The anticipation for the Olympics, which begin on the coming Thursday, is growing. But inside, the mood is different, it is subdued, despite the success.
Even help from above is being called for. "I'm ready to pray a whole night that nothing serious happens and we'll get her to the Olympics," says national coach Horst Hrubesch at the press conference about Lena Oberdorf. Giulia Gwinn stands in the Mixed Zone with a serious expression and says: "The joy isn't coming out quite as much." She is deeply concerned about her teammate.
The 22-year-old midfielder apparently suffered a more serious knee injury in the EM-qualifying game, which was already a routine task for the already qualified Germans. Oberdorf was successful in the duel with Barbara Dunst from Eintracht Frankfurt, but suffered something at her knee. Immediately after the tackle, she went to the ground. Some teammates signaled for the medics.
"She was screaming in pain. She thought something had snapped," says defender Kathrin Hendrich. After treatment on the field, Oberdorf could only hobble to the trainers, unable to put weight on her right leg. "I was right next to her, it didn't sound good the way she reacted on the field," says Gwinn, who plays with Oberdorf not only in the DFB team but also at FC Bayern. "It's never nice to see someone in pain."
With a splint, Oberdorf can stand
Meanwhile, Horst Hrubesch is hoping for less drama. "She was first taken care of and Munich was informed," he says after the game. "We don't exactly know what that is and I don't want to speculate either." A core scan is therefore scheduled for Wednesday. Oberdorf received a splint and can stand with it.
An absence of Oberdorf in France would "really hurt us, she's an important factor," says Hrubesch. The new Munich player is a world-class player, a key performer in the defensive midfield position for the German team. "She was an important factor for us in the game," says Hrubesch, who cannot look kindly upon such injuries. "That's where I had pain in my face."
Even before the ultimately disastrous World Cup a year ago, Oberdorf had been struggling with an injury and was not match-fit for the tournament in Australia. This forced the then national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg to rebuild her team. Because more and more players were injured, the defense had become a construction site.
For the case of another failure, "we will have to make it up", said Hrubesch. At the Olympic football tournament, he can only field 18 players, but four players can be nominated on standby, who can replace an injured player in the team. If the substituted player recovers during the tournament, she can also return to the team.
Against Austria, Oberdorf came into the game in the 71st minute. The 23-year-old plays offensively for Chelsea and has scored 13 goals and prepared 4 in 38 league games. She has fully integrated into London life. However, at her former club Eintracht Frankfurt, she was mostly used as a number six or even as a central defender, so she can play that position. The squad, despite the small number of players, is reportedly well-prepared by the national coach, with all positions having at least two or even three players. They can not only react to injuries but are also able to react during a game and change the course of the game.
Hrubesch still wants six more games - until the final
This was a stark contrast to the previous game in Iceland. After the disappointing 0:3 loss, things improved against Austria in all aspects. More determined, quicker, more enthusiastic. Klara Bühl opened the scoring in the 11th minute, Jule Brand (39.) made it 2:0 just before half-time. After the break, Lea Schüller made it 3:0, and Bühl scored again in stoppage time for a 4:0 final score. A ball that was briefly behind the line was not given by referee Shona Shukrula, and there is no video referee in the women's EM qualification. The missed goal did not dampen the mood, and the fans sent off the German women to France with "Laola" and "completely detached". It is hoped that Lena Oberdorf will travel to Marseille on Sunday, not as the "spaceship", but as a plane from Frankfurt am Main.
The German team starts its Olympic mission on Thursday - the football tournament starts a day before the opening ceremony - with a game against Australia. In the following games, they face the USA and Sambia. After the group stage, the quarterfinals are directly ahead. Hrubesch had fun during his second stint with the German women and has a wish: "I hope the last six games run smoothly for me as interim national coach." Then he would have reached the final.
Before Christian Wück takes over as new women's national coach, the focus is now on Munich. The players want to travel to France with Lena Oberdorf. "We will press our thumbs and send all our strength to her," said Gwinn.
The DFB-Women's team is hoping to compete in the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris with their key midfielder Lena Oberdorf. Despite her impressive performances, Oberdorf suffered a serious knee injury during the EM-qualifying game, which has left her team and coach Horst Hrubesch concerned. Oberhof is currently undergoing medical assessments, and her participation in the Olympics remains uncertain.
In a potential absence of Oberdorf, Horst Hrubesch emphasized her importance to the team, stating, "She's an important factor, and her absence would really hurt us." To accommodate for any potential injuries, coaches can nominate four players on standby who can replace an injured player during the tournament.
As Germany prepares for the Olympic football tournament, the team will miss the dynamic presence of Lena Oberdorf in the defensive midfield position. Despite the uncertainty surrounding her injury, the players and coach express their hopes for her speedy recovery and participation in the games.
