Too much Germany for a Spain that has yet to mature

Germany is a lot of Germany. Not in vain is eight times champion of the Euro. It is not in vain that they have settled their seven matches against Spain without giving up a defeat. And that those of Wild They chained 23 games without losing. Germany arrived to impose its dominance without palliatives against a Roja that put the game and forgave too much.

The Germans, leaders of Group B, secure their ticket to the quarterfinals as first, while Spain will be worth a draw against Denmark to go second, since they have a better overall goal difference than the Danes.

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Germany showed that their 4-0 defeat of Denmark was no fluke. Without a brilliant game but with defensive solidity and great speed on the counter, she brought out her weapons and power against a too innocent Spain.

Jorge Vilda made two changes to the starting eleven compared to the first game against Finland. So he entered Laia Aleixandri in midfield for Irene Guerrero and in attack Sheila came on for Esther González.

The game started like the first against Finland, with a real jug of cold water when Germany took the lead after three minutes. He did it with a goal from Klara Bhül, who took advantage of an oversight by the goalkeeper Sandra Paños by giving away a ball inside the small area. The reaction was immediate.

Encouraged by an overturned public, Vilda’s women starred in a few minutes of heart attack with up to three very clear occasions. Lucía García had a golden opportunity in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper but her ball was lost too long when the equalizer was scored in the 9th minute. Four minutes later, Patri Guijarro tried it from the edge of the area with a pitch too soft.

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The clearest opportunity came from a shot by Mariona Caldentey, a spectacular thread that skimmed the post. Spain dominated the match and pressed relentlessly, but the lack of success and the roundness of the Germans in defense were their worst enemies.

It seemed that anxiety and nerves were beginning to take hold of the Red, aware that not only was the leadership of the group at stake but also to stay alive in the tournament after knowing Denmark’s victory against Finland (1-0).

The Germans had their timid chances against, taking advantage of the speed of the youngsters Rauch, Bühl and Magull, led by the veteran captain Alexandra Popp who, by the way, despite her 31 years, is playing her first European Championship after missing the previous ones Always due to injuries.

A clear foul by Rauch on Sheila earned her a yellow card and missing the next game, as she was warned. In search of his options on the counterattack, Popp finished off a ball half an hour into the game that was lost on the touchline.

Spain pressed and tried but Germany pulled ex officio and remained very serious and orderly on the field. In the form of another unexpected setback came the second goal for Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s team, with a header from Alex Popp in the 37th minute that put more distance on the scoreboard and left the Spanish with the difficult mission of coming back from two goals against .

An almost scored on Huth before the break, who fell short of netting a corner kick by millimeters.

Spain came out plugged in the second half, wanting to come back. In the third consecutive corner kick in favor, Irene’s shot took Hendrich almost under the sticks. Lucia Garcia had it in the 58th minute, in a good cross from Sheila from the right wing to the near post. Two minutes later, the Athletic player messed it up again by leaving alone but the goalkeeper Frohms came out with everything outside the area to cut off Lucía’s run that was going straight for goal.

In minute 63, the young Barça player Claudia Pina came on for Lucia García as a catalyst in attack. Vilda decided to move the bench in search of solutions. Shortly after, Laia and Sheila left and Cardona and Athenea entered the Castle.

The best chance of this second half came in the 70th minute, with a tremendous shot from Mariona Caldentey, but the German goal stretched as far as it could to clear a corner. La Roja kept pressing, insisting. There was a big scare in the 80th minute, but there was an offside goal by Wassmuth, who left Sandra Paños and at pleasure put the third. Vilda made one more change with the entry of Irene Guerrero, but fatigue was already taking its toll. Too much Germany.