Wales fell to their third defeat of this Nations League campaign, as Germany routed them 5-1.
Wales looked bright in the first half, and despite finding themselves a goal down, went into the break level after a brilliant team goal was finished off by Ceri Holland. But in the second half they wilted, conceding four goals, the majority coming from German crosses.
The result leaves Wales bottom of the group on zero points, and signs are all pointing towards a crunch tie at home to Iceland to decide whether they stay in League A or not.
Gemma Grainger elected to make two changes from the side that last played in that 5-1 home defeat to Denmark. Rachel Rowe and Carrie Jones made way for Hannah Cain and Kayleigh Green.
To say the majority of the first half was a backs to the wall job would be an understatement. Perhaps with a point to prove to their home crowd, Germany came out of the traps very quickly, and had a host of chances in the opening ten minutes.
Laura Freigang, Sarai Linder, and Lena Oberdorf all went close, but none could get an effort on target. When they did go close, Wales built a brick wall. Kayleigh Green cleared a Linder header off the line superbly, while Hayley Ladd and Gemma Evans cleared most things that came their way.
With the defence looking resilient, the Welsh attack began to gain confidence. Jess Fishlock was all over the pitch in the first half, and her cross almost found Ceri Holland, but Germany managed to clear.
In the very next phase of play, the Welsh wall was bulldozed down by the Germans. A cross from Klara Bühl found Lea Schüller, who rose highest of all the bodies in the box and nod the ball into the far corner.
Would this setback deter Wales? Certainly not, and they almost got themselves back into the tie instantly, but Marina Hegering made a goal saving slide tackle before Fishlock could pull the trigger on goal.
The game lulled for ten minutes, but there was a lot of action in the final five minutes of the half. Freigang managed to beat the offside trap to go one-on-one with Olivia Clark, but the Bristol City keeper stuck a leg out to make a wonderful save.
And how Wales would capitalise, as they equalised moments before half time. Cymru teased the Germans on the edge of the box, before the ball eventually going out wide to Fishlock. Her cross was dummied by a few players, but Angharad James managed to backheel the ball into the path of Holland, who finished from close range.
Prior to this game, Wales had played four games against Germany, where they conceded 34 and scored none. They finally had a goal against the German machine, and it left the home faithful stunned. Heading into the break, Wales had managed to quieten the German roar.
While there was a sense of euphoria when Wales went into half time level, that feeling quickly dissipated, as Germany went ahead no less than two minutes into the second half.
In almost a carbon copy of their first goal, this time it was Linda Dallmann, who only came on as a substitute at half time, who whipped in a ball, and there was Schüller again heading down to put them back in front.
Crosses were becoming a massive problem for Wales. Bühl and Sjoeke Nüsken all had chances to score from one, but Clark in goal was having a stormer of a game. From her left-back spot, Linder had been an attacking threat all game, and she almost scored an audacious volley, but it whistled past the post.
Wales still looked to try and get themselves back in the game, and almost scored from two crosses of their own, but neither Green nor Hannah Cain could guide their headers onto Ann-Katrin Berger’s goal.
Back came Germany with their crossing game, and with every one that seemed to go in, they almost scored. One was cleared off the line by Hayley Ladd, while another saw Lena Lattwein hit the post from close range. There was simply nothing Wales could do to stop the crosses.
It was no surprise that the next German opportunity came from a corner, and what a golden one it was. Angharad James was adjudged to have bundled over Hegering, leaving the referee no option but to point from the spot. Up stepped Bayern Munich’s Giulia Gwinn, and with the aid of the underside of the crossbar, made it three for Germany.
After holding out for a good amount of time, Wales capitulated in the final ten minutes. Firstly, Nüsken managed to volley home, but a deflection off a Welsh player certainly helped her. Then two minutes later Germany had their fifth. A dinked cross found Nicole Anyomi at the far stick, and she got the better of Lily Woodham at the far post to poke the ball in.
Mary McAteer came in the dying embers of the game to make her first team debut, but on the day, while they did show some glimpses of positivity, it was another heavy defeat for Wales. They now face Denmark on Tuesday night in Viborg.
Player of the Match: Olivia Clark
Without Clark, it could have been a win by such a bigger scoreline for Germany. Made some big saves in the first half, and in the second, she showed exactly what she could do. Thin we can well and truly say she is now Wales’ number one.
Germany
Ann-Katrin Berger, Giulia Gwinn, Kathrin Hendrich, Marina Hegering (Sara Doorsoun 89’), Sarai Linder, Lena Oberdorf (Lena Lattwein 66’), Sara Däbritz (Sjoeke Nüsken 46’), Laura Freigang (Linda Dallmann 46’), Svenja Huth © (Nicole Anyomi 86’), Lea Schüller, Klara Bühl
Unused Subs: Stina Johannes, Ena Mahmutovic, Janina Minge, Alex Popp, Felicitas Rauch, Paulina Krumbiegel, Jule Brand
Goals: Lea Schüller (25’, 47’), Giulia Gwinn (80’ p), Sjoeke Nüsken (86’), Nicole Anyomi (88’)
Yellows: Lena Oberdorf (31’), Svenja Huth (45’), Marina Hegering (84’)
Wales
Olivia Clark, Rhiannon Roberts, Hayley Ladd, Gemma Evans, Lily Woodham, Angharad James, Sophie Ingle ©, Jess Fishlock, Ceri Holland (Ffion Morgan 85’), Hannah Cain (Mary McAteer 88’), Kayleigh Green
Unused Subs: Laura O’Sullivan, Safia Middleton-Patel, Josie Green, Ella Powell, Elise Hughes, Charlie Estcourt, Esther Morgan, Megan Wynne, Carrie Jones, Anna Filbey
Goals: Ceri Holland (43’)
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