Not since the 2002 version of Algarve Cup has Sweden defeated Germany, so it’s easy to understand national team coach Thomas Dennerby’s reaction after Sweden’s 3-2 win today: “Well, what am I going to say. You just gets so happy”. And, he added, you get extra happy when young players comes in and dares to be creative.
The creative youngster was 19 years old Linköping midfielder Kosovare Asllani, who set up both Nilla Fischer for the first and Lotta Schelin for the second goal. Asllani has played and convinced in all three matches so far and looks like she has almost locked in on a spot in the European Championship squad. As has probably also AIK’s young defenders Linda Sembrant and Emelie Ölander.
The match started with some German advantage, but after Nilla Fischers 1-0 Sweden took over against a somewhat lost German side and could with a little bit more luck had both 4-0 and 5-0. Unlike the two earlier Algarve Cup matches, Dennerby held back on substitutions and only made double sub after 70 minutes, letting Asllani and Fischer take a rest and putting in Edlund and Fors. About the same time Germany made a couple of attacking substitutions, bringing in Grings and Mittag. It didn’t take Grings long to reduce to 3-1 and when Kim Kulig got a very lucky shot from distance, that Hedvig Lindahl fumbled into her own goal, it made for an exciting last ten minutes. The German team even brought goalkeeper Nadine Angerer up at a overtime corner kick, but to no avail.
And, without anybody really noticing, Victoria Svensson, who in her trade mark fashion set up Sweden’s 3-0 goal, played her 157th national team match, now sharing the Swedish record in caps with Kristin Bengtsson. But only until the final against USA on Wednesday, I would guess.
Sweden – Germany 3 – 2 (3-0)
Sweden: Hedvig Lindahl – Emelie Ölander, Linda Sembrant, Charlotte Rohlin, Sara Thunebro – Nilla Fischer (70 Madelaine Edlund) - Kosovare Asllani (70 Louise Fors), Caroline Seger, Therese Sjögran – Lotta Schelin, Victoria Svensson
Goals: 1-0 Nilla Fischer (28), 2-0 Lotta Schelin (36), 3-0 Lotta Schelin (38), 3-1 Inka Grings (77), 3-2 Kim Kulig (81)
Svensk Fotboll: Äntligen seger mot Tyskland
Dagens Nyheter: Svensk skrällseger mot Tyskland
SVT: Sverige skrällde mot Tyskland (including 1.40 minutes video)
Tue, Mar 10, 2009
Finland