Iceland Shot Down
Germany gave Iceland a rough ride in their opening Group 6 game, netting a 4-0 win as they rained down 31 shots at goal, while their opponents only managed one.
Klara Bühl’s 8th-minute goal was the only difference between the teams at the break but Janina Minge and Giulia Gwinn then scored in the space of 3 minutes before the hour mark, with Laura Freigang adding a late fourth goal.
Poland had the better of the match with Swtizerland but neither side managed to break the deadlock.
Patience Pays
In Friday’s second round of games, Germany were again dominant but had to be patient against Switzerland.
But 2 minutes after Gwinn broke the deadlock with a penalty on the hour mark, Kim Fellhauer doubled the lead.
Poland set up a group decider with Germany by beating Iceland 2-1. Although Klaudia Lefeld’s early goal was cancelled out by Ásdís Halldórsdóttir, Agnieszka Jedrzejewicz hit an 81st-minute winner.
Germany Storm Into Finals
Monday’s final pair of Elite Round games saw the mini-tournament hosts storm into the finals, thrashing Poland 7-1 in another powerful performance.
Laura Freigang, Gwinn and Caroline Siems all scored in the first half and although Dominika Grabowska replied, Freigang went on to complete a hat-trick, Gwinn doubled her tally from the spot and Tanja Pawollek rounded off the win in added time.
Iceland finished by claiming their first point in a 2-2 tie with Switzerland. Camille Surdezscored twice after Halldórsdóttir’s early goal, with Kristin Dis Árnadóttir equalising with a minute left.
Germany now join England, Italy, the Netherlands, Scotland and Spain in Northern Ireland for the finals that begin in August. The best runner-up to also qualify is yet to be confirmed but would appear to be France.
Photo – dfb.de
