Germany wins Women’s soccer World Cup

SHANGHAI (China)—Germany is champion of the Women’s World Cup again. Behind its trademark smothering defense and a crafty save by its goalkeeper on a penalty kick, Germany defeated Brazil 2-0 in the final Sunday. It became the first women’s soccer team to successfully defend its title in the World Cup or Olympics.
Birgit Prinz scored in the 52nd minute and Simone Laudehr added a header in the 86th. Marta, the Brazilian star with seven goals in the tournament, had a chance to tie the score in the second half, but her penalty kick was stopped by diving goalie Nadine Angerer.
“After the penalty save, I felt it was meant to be,” Germany coach Silvia Neid said. “We worked hard for each other. It was a great team performance. It was important to work against Marta, and we did a good job in pushing her to the sidelines.”
Germany went through six games in the tournament without yielding a goal and outscored the opposition 21-0, setting other records in the process.
The Germans thwarted the flowing attacks of Brazil, which routed the United States 4-0 in the semifinal. In the third-place game Sunday, the U.S. defeated Norway 4-1 behind two goals by Abby Wambach.
Germany, bidding to host the 2011 Women’s World Cup, was the first team to go through a major senior competition without yielding a goal. It has not given up a goal in 619 minutes in World Cup play, the last one four years ago in the finals against Sweden. China held the previous record of 442 minutes. German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated the team on the “wonderful” game, and said the country would fight even harder to host the tournament in four years. The goals “showed how beautiful women’s soccer can be,” Merkel said.
Brazil dominated possession but without getting past Angerer and central defenders Ariane Hingst and Annike Krahn.
“We had a lot of chances. Germany had fewer chances, but when they got them they scored,” Brazil coach Jorge Barcellos said. “Even though we lost, this result of making the final will bring more investors and will bring a lot of benefits to women’s football in Brazil.”
Germany’s best chance of the first half came in the fifth minute when Kerstin Garefrekes found space on the right, but her sharply angled shot hit the side of the net. Brazil came close soon after when Formiga shot wide of the right post after a goalmouth scramble.
The game settled into a pattern with Brazil controlling midfield through the hard-tackling Formiga and Ester. Play then came alive in the 24th minute when Daniela’s rasping shot thumped into the left post. When the rebound crossed back into the penalty area, she headed the ball over the bar.
“It was a sad day but this team has done a very good job,” Cristiane said. “We have 21 very talented players and I think we have given a very good example to the girls in Brazil.”
Germany assumed a more attacking formation for the second half, and the strategy paid off in the 52nd minute. Sandra Smisek took possession in the box and centered to an unmarked Prinz. She did not hit her shot cleanly, but Brazil goalkeeper Andreia failed to get down quickly enough. The shot passed under her into the net.
Brazil was awarded a penalty kick in the 62nd minute after Cristiane fell under a challenge from Linda Bresonik. Marta took the kick but Angerer guessed correctly by diving right, blocking the low shot with her legs.
“I watched the quarterfinal between Brazil and Australia, when Marta also had a penalty,” Angerer said. “In that match she went to the bottom left corner, so this time I thought she would go to the right. I waited as long as I could to act, and it was the right decision.”
Five minutes later, Angerer rescued her team again, diving to save a free kick by substitute Rosana. But for all its domination, Brazil could not solve the German defense, and Laudehr sealed the victory when she headed home Renate Lingor’s corner kick in the closing minutes.
“Brazil had more of the game, but we worked hard as a team, especially in defense,” Neid said. “In the second half, we scored at the right time, and after that our players realized they could hold this game.”
In the presentation ceremony, two Brazilian players held a banner saying “Brazil: we need support.” Marta said the country’s soccer authorities must provide a women’s club competition, with financial support for players.
“We are going to lose the game again if we don’t fight to increase the level of administration in Brazilian football,” Marta said. “We can’t leave again with promises, like what happened after the Olympics in 2004.”—Agencies