Germany maintained control over Scotland and their UEFA Women’s Nations League group with an impressive second-half performance that silenced the visitors.
Caroline Weir’s confident strike in the 40th minute put Scotland ahead going into the break, but Germany’s second half performance dramatically changed the game.
Selina Cerci’s 51st minute header to level the tie began an onslaught of German goals: a second goal by Cerci – this time a right footed strike – in the 56th minute; a brace by Giovanna Hoffman in the 63rd and 65th minutes; a cheeky backheel by Laura Freigang in the 67th minute; and a third goal for Cerci from the edge of the box in the 76th minute cemented the win.
As it happened
Following a 4-0 defeat to Germany four days ago, Scotland began the game with remarkable composure, passing fluidly to move the ball up the pitch while retaining possession. Germany also pushed forward, but Scotland were able initially to limit the threats they posed.
Germany lacked passing accuracy which added to their struggle to break down Scotland’s low block. The Scotland side kept interacting well with each other and created plenty of opportunities, but they did little to challenge German keeper Ann Katrin Berger. This was until Weir forced an error in midfield allowing Erin Cuthbert to dispossess Elisa Senß, and miscommunication among German defenders left Weir in space to send a left footed low strike across Berger and into the net in the 40th minute.
The second half began with a strong German start; halftime substitute Giovanna Hoffman’s strike came off the goal post and was tapped out for a corner, which Cerci headed into the net in the 51st minute to level the score. Just five minutes later, the second of the half time substitute Sarai Linder sent a beautiful delivery into the box, which was stabbed into the goal by Cerci after Scotland failed to clear shots from other German players.
Things went from bad to worse for Scotland as space in their defence led to a rightfooted shot across the face of goal in the 63rd minute by Hoffman, bringing the scoreline to 3-1. Just two minutes later, after Erin Cuthbert gave the ball away in midfield, Hoffman scored again with another right footed strike – this time down the centre of the goal.
In the 67th minute, Germany punished Scotland further, as Freigang managed to score a no-look backheel goal following build up play by Janina Minge and Jule Brand. But it was the Germans’ sixth and final goal of the match that was the most impressive, as Cerci sent a powerful shot from the edge of the box into the top right corner of the net in the 76th minute to seal their victory, and achieve a hatrick in the process.
This fixture was a game of two halves beyond the traditional sense, with Scotland capitalising on a poor German first half performance and getting ahead inside the first 45 minutes. But Germany came out much sharper in the second half with a relentless attack that helped them to retain their position on top of League A, Group 1 on goal difference.
The lineups
GER: Berger; Gwinn, Kleinherne, Minge, Kett; Senß, Lohmann; Brand, Freigang, Cerci; Schüller
SCO: Gibson; Lawton, Howard, Clark; McLauchlan, Cuthbert, Weir, Muir, Hanson; Emslie, Davidson