In the summer of 2021, Paulina Krumbiegel was injured. A cruciate ligament tear also prevents her from participating in the European Championships in England. In her comeback for the DFB women, she scored the winning goal very late and can no longer contain herself later. National coach Voss-Tecklenburg is also beaming.
When her pulse had normalized to some extent, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg was just proud. “This team is always ready to learn from mistakes, to adapt tactically and to get back into the game,” enthused the national coach after the 2-1 (0-0) victory at world champions USA: “It gives us courage and security.”
The fact that the runner-up European champion also needed a lot of luck and a strong Merle Frohms in goal when exchanging blows in high-speed mode was to be overcome on this memorable evening. Because after the passionate performance against the onrushing US stars, the positive lessons for the 2023 World Cup title hunt in Australia and New Zealand outweighed the negative. Voss-Tecklenburg emphasised, in particular, among players “who don’t play at this level that often”.
One of them shone in Fort Lauderdale with a dream comeback: Paulina Krumbiegel really got going after being substituted on (46th) and crowned her strong return after a cruciate ligament rupture in the summer of 2021 with her last-minute goal (89th). This is how the long-awaited first win against the record world champion for 19 years was achieved – since the World Cup semifinals in 2003 (3-0) there has only been one penalty win in the Algarve Cup in 2006 in the statistics.
“It’s just a great feeling,” said the beaming 22-year-old from TSG Hoffenheim after her sixth international match: “In the end, we just had the stronger will.” The national coach deservedly gave Krumbiegel extra praise: “She had good game intelligence, good composure, was active in attack and defense. So I’m very happy that she really dared to do something.”
Shortly before, US superstar Megan Rapinoe (85th) as a joker in front of 16,917 spectators equalized the lucky lead of the Germans with an own goal by US keeper Casey Murphy (52nd). In the first round, Frohms complained “a lot of uncertainties, we were impressed by that”, but then she also had “great fun” with her team. After 71 games, the impressive home game series without a defeat for the hosts, who arrived in the middle of a small upheaval in the crisis, ended.
Because after the recent setbacks at European champions England (1:2) and in Spain (0:2), the world number one conceded three defeats in a row for the first time since 1993 (!) after an intensive exchange of blows and despite good chances. But on Sunday (11:00 p.m./sportschau.de) there will be an opportunity for revenge in the second part of the test double pack in Harrison. Now it’s off to New Jersey for the DFB selection. With the good feeling of having made great strides forward in terms of mentality and self-confidence in their splendid year at the European Championships – the USA have long been considered a role model in this discipline. “We now know that we can do our thing against any team, no matter who comes there, and then be successful,” said Frohms of the sports show. And that gives “of course incredible self-confidence.”
