German female footballers - Sydney Lohmann trains again with DFB women
With returnee Sydney Lohmann, the German Olympic soccer team held their first training session in Marseille. The 24-year-old midfielder from FC Bayern had missed the last EM-qualification games in Iceland (0:3) and against Austria (4:0) due to muscle problems she was treating at her club. She only rejoined the national team on Saturday.
National coach Horst Hrubesch gathered all 18 players plus the four standby players, Felicitas Rauch (North Carolina Courage/USA), Nicole Anyomi, Pia-Sophie Wolter, and Stina Johannes (all Eintracht Frankfurt) in the small Rugby Stadium Roger Couderc.
The future Munich player Lena Oberdorf, whose absence is a harsh loss for the Olympic squad, underwent surgery for her cruciate and anterior cruciate ligament injuries in her knee.
Popp and Hegering on the field
Captain Alexandra Popp and defensive chief Marina Hegering (both VfL Wolfsburg) participated in the training session as they had done recently in Frankfurt/Main. They had only been in the build-up training before, as Popp had a foot inflammation and Hegering a calf injury. According to DFB statements, there is still an individual load control for Lohmann and Hegering.
The German women's team face Australia in their first group stage game on Thursday (19.00 Uhr/ZDF and Eurosport). The second opponent is also in Marseille three days later, record world champions USA. On July 31, they play against Sambia in Saint-Étienne.
- Despite her absence in the last EM-qualification games in Iceland and against Austria due to muscle problems, returning player Sydney Lohmann is from FC Bayern in Germany.
- The small Rugby Stadium Roger Couderc in Marseille was where national coach Horst Hrubesch gathered all 22 players for the German Olympic soccer team's training session, including standby players Felicitas Rauch from the United States of America's North Carolina Courage.
- Defensive chief Marina Hegering, who is from VfL Wolfsburg in Germany, and captain Alexandra Popp, also from VfL Wolfsburg, participated in the training session, having only joined build-up training due to their respective injuries.
- The absence of future Munich player Lena Oberdorf, who had cruciate and anterior cruciate ligament injuries in her knee, was a significant loss for the German Olympic soccer team.
- In Marseille, the German women's team will play their first group stage game against Australia on Thursday and face their second opponent, the record world champions from the United States, three days later.
- According to DFB statements, there is still an individual load control for Lohmann and Hegering as they continue their recovery from their respective injuries.
- The German women's team will play against Zambia in Saint-Étienne on July 31, concluding their group stage games.
- Prior to joining the national team, Hegering had been instrumental in her role as a defensive leader at VfL Wolfsburg, contributing to their success in women's soccer.
