Germany fans will talk about this game against Spain in Kaiserslautern for years to come. Not because of how they won it or how impressive Spain was, but because of how incredible it really was that they didn’t win.
Be it the woodwork, Spanish goalkeeper Cata Cole, bad luck or their own lack of composure in front of goal, Germany somehow failed to convert any of their 15 shots on goal. In perhaps their most impressive performance under head coach Christian Wouk, Germany were left scratching their heads over how the game ended goalless.
Rebecca Knaack said afterwards, “We’re disappointed with this 0–0 draw. I would almost say it’s a bit unfortunate because we created a lot of chances and we hit the woodwork three or four times, so we’re a bit disappointed that we couldn’t win today.”
Germany had 15 shots to Spain’s three and, apart from a 15-minute spell in the second half, during which Spain hit the corner of the bar, the visitors remained in their usual form. Vučić’s team sent a message with their performance, but also exposed a weakness with their inability to convert their dominance on the scoreboard.
It’s been just four months since Germany last played Spain. And in that time, they have played only twice – beating France over two legs – to reach the final of this Nations League. Perhaps that is why Germany started this game with such enthusiasm in Kaiserslautern. Intent on revenge, Christian Vuč made Spain uncomfortable early on, pushing their opponents deep into their own half and forcing them into unforced errors. Germany could have been ahead in the first six minutes. By halftime, it was difficult to explain how they weren’t leading by more than one. Somehow, the hosts failed to convert any of the four key chances created for themselves in a remarkable six minutes of the first half. There was more drama in the second half when Bayern Munich’s Clara Buhl hit the post and Germany found no way to score.
Vuk later said, “I think very few people in Germany would have imagined that we would play so effectively.” “I see it as a testament to how much we’ve grown.”
In fact, the coach’s offensive game plan was bolder than it was four months ago. In Switzerland, Germany took heavy possession of Spain and tried to take the lead at the break. This time, even after the break, when it looked as if Spain might make Germany pay for their poor combination, it was Vuk’s side who were setting the tone. They were showing the way. And yet, even more remarkably than in that semi-final, Germany failed to assert its dominance.
“I’ve said this a lot but we need to replace quantity with quality,” Vuk said.
Revenge is not on the menu
Following the semi-final defeat four months earlier, Vuk gave an impassioned speech calling for further reform and investment in the women’s game, so that the women’s game in Germany and its youth teams could take the next step. Since then, those words have been followed up by the German Football Association (DFB), which announced a €100 million ($117 million) investment in late October specifically to accelerate the commercialization of the Women’s Bundesliga. This is the largest single investment in the history of women’s football in Germany, and the intent shown by this team in Kaiserslautern proved how long overdue the support is.
“The unity of our team is extraordinary, and it has been like that the whole time, and our football has also developed. And we are starting to put into practice what we have learned during the Euros,” Knač said afterwards.
The performance felt even more powerful in the context of this week. The UN’s ‘Orange the World’ campaign begins every year on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, International Human Rights Day. Before the game in Kaiserslautern, Germany’s women warmed up wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “Orange the World”. Last year, the team was also active in supporting the movement, presenting a poignant video in which players revealed the truth of the statements by crossing out words. With one in three women in Germany today facing violence, the issue remains worrying and Germany’s best female players certainly cannot be expected to bring about structural change in society. Although their continued support as leading role models is important.
Like this speed. Now Germany must seize it, and then a whole world of titles and exciting opportunities will be theirs.
Edited by: Louis Olofse