Germany Breezes into Quarter-Finals
September 3, 2004
"I'm happy with the team's playing, even if it was work. We're happy we achieved what we set out to do -- first place in the group seating," said German team coach Tina Theune-Meyer.
As to the upcoming goals, "Nigeria is doable," she said confidently, but refrained from giving any more predictions. Germany beat the African team 3:1 during the last test match prior to the Olympics.
In front of some 15,000 fans in the newly built Georgios Karaiskaki stadium in Piräus, Petra Wimbersky and Birgit Prinz led the Germans to the 2:0 victory over Mexico. For Prinz, the goal in the 78th minute marked her fifth of the Games.
Tuesday's victory was the team's second after thrashing China 8:0 last week. With two wins for two games, Germany enjoys the top seating coming out of the group rounds. On Friday the team faces off against Nigeria.
Germany dominates pitch
From the whistle blow, Theune-Meyer's women dominated the field. They had considerably more shots on goal than their Mexican counterparts. Already in the first minutes of the game, the German ball-handling and organizational talent was superior. Renate Lingor only barely missed a goal in the sixth minute, Ariane Hingst hit the post in the 11th minute, and hardly a Mexican could get an approach in otherwise.
Alma Martinez proved to be the most challenging of the Mexican team, blocking an early goal attempt by Prinz with a head shot during the 17th minute. But just a minute later, mid-fielder Lingor responded by aiming a free kick to the outer net. It was picked up by Petra Wimbersky, who drove it home, over the balled fists of the Mexican goalie, Jennifer Molina.
In the 22nd minute, Maribel Dominguez shot a first attempt at a goal, but it was easily blocked. In the 38th minute the Germans faltered slightly and it looked like the Mexicans were up for a score when Silke Rottenberg failed to stop a wide pass and had to dive into the charging Guadelupe Worbis.
Things calmed down in the second half and the Germans once again took full control of the field. In the 78th minute Kerstin Stegemann set Prinz up for a head shot and her fifth goal of the Olympics.