The German women’s national team ends its 2024 calendar year on a mixed note after a head-scratching 1-2 loss to Italy in Bochum. Two high-profile errors in defense overshadowed a performance that was scintillating at times.
In the end, 70% possession and a 19 (9) to 8 (4) shots (on target) edge was not enough to prevent the Italian smash and grab. Here’s how it happened.
Italy was ruthless…and composed
Germany showed aggression from the off, pressing relentlessly and with energy and winning the ball high up the pitch — or (nearly) releasing teammates down the seam. But Italy weathered the storm well, closing down spaces in the final third and limiting Germany to speculative shots from outside the box for much of the game.
And, presented with their own opportunities, they made no mistake.
In truth it was two moments of horror for Germany defender Sarai Linder, the Hoffenheim veteran, and goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic, the Bayern Munich youngster making her senior debut. But Agnese Bonfantini and Sofia Cantore — whose name was, amusingly, rendered Cangoals upon her introduction by overactive translation software running for the broadcast — made no mistake. And Italy did not have to do much more than that.
Germany’s missed chances
For the Germans it was a tale of two halves. In the first, they stumbled and fumbled their chances away. In the second, they were denied, at times, by Providence herself.
Credit to head coach Christian Wück for whatever he said at half-time to inspire the reaction. After an off-kilter first 45’, the Germany ladies came out firing in the second — conjuring chance after chance. Klara Bühl’s corner near the hour mark that beat Italian keeper Laura Giuliani was nearly an Olimpico…only to bank off the far post. Still, it bounded dangerously goalward from a deflection off Valentina Bergamaschi — somehow, some way with enough lack of pace that the Juventus wing-back could scramble it clear on the second try.
That was the tale of the frantic second half start, which did produce a goal — excellently won by Wolfsburg winger Vivien Endemann, one of Germany’s best players on the day, who supplied a stupendous cross for Felicitas Rauch (now with the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL) drifting centrally from the left. It was a wonder Germany did not find a second in this period.
But, luck like that happens, and on this day, Germany was made to pay for its earlier profligacy.
The Wück era shows plenty of early promise
This is now the second 1-2 loss in recent games — the last one coming against Australia in October — but there are still many positives for the Germans to take away.
It is still early in the Christian Wück era and while the new head coach is tinkering, he has clearly unlocked two related things in the team: scoring potential (as shown in a 6-0 barn-burner over Switzerland just days ago) and youth. This Germany team has needed to commence its transition phase for some time now, and it is well and truly under way. Players like Vivien Endemann (23), Selina Cerci (24), and Laura Freigang (26) are breaking through while the generation below them — from Lisanne Gräwe (21) to Cora Zicai (20) — is getting their chance to strut their stuff. Even Bayern youngster Alara Şehitler is getting a look, at just 18.
The new coach does not appear to have settled into a starting configuration yet (nor a captain — though Bayern full-back Giulia Gwinn would appear to be the favorite and wore the armband today). What he has instead is a deep, rotating cast of options, of names old and new, that offer loads of energy and many different looks.
He just needs to pick the right ones.
Okay, but what was that, ref?
It’s a good thing this was only a friendly — even if neither team played like it.
The same might not be said of the referee — who inexplicably declined to give two very good Germany penalty shouts, one of which would have resulted in an early sending off for Italy and probably a different result in the match.
Endemann in particular cut a frustrated figure and she can hardly be blamed. The fouls that went against her, the calls she did not get…
All in all, it does no good to count excuses, nor to pour vitriol on a referee surely trying to do a good and impartial job. But the performance was undeniably a distraction — Wück got himself booked protesting a fair penalty no-call — and complicates a straightforward analysis of the German performance and result.
These two teams may meet again in next summer’s European Championships. Germany’s best bet is to hunker down, learn the best lessons it can, and find a little extra motivation to even the score should the teams meet again in more competitive circumstances.
In the end — it was not a great result, but it was also not a disaster. It’s just not the end to 2024 Germany wanted, and they’ll have a lot of time now to think about how to ring in 2025.
