German women to face Austria in Euro quarterfinals
After a big surprise result Friday evening at the women's Euros, the German women's national national team learned that their quarterfinal opponents in the tournament will actually be Austria.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim striker Nicole Billa's early goal helped the Austrian's overcome favored Norway 1-0 to set up an ÖFB vs. DFB showdown in the opening knockout round.
In just their second-ever major international tournament, the Austrian women's national football team has managed to qualify for their second consecutive knockout round. Many returning members of the 2017 squad that made the set-finals will hope to do so again, but must first go through their much larger neighbor Germany.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim striker Nicole Billa's early goal helped the Austrian's overcome favored Norway 1-0 to set up an ÖFB vs. DFB showdown in the opening knockout round.
An Austrian side with an outfield comprised almost entirely of FrauenBundesliga players upset a heavily favored Norwegian team bedecked with women's footballing stars such as Ada Hegerberg, Guro Reiten, Caroline Graham Hansen, and Ingrid Sysrtad Engen in Brighton on Friday night. Austria advances out of Group A in second place courtesy of a goal from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim star Nicole Billa.
With the exception of keeper Manuela Zinsbergers, captain Viktoria Schaderbeck and midfielder Julia Hickelsberger-Füller (actually moving to Hoffenheim next year) all of the players in ÖFB head-coach Irene Fuhrmann's starting XI were starters last year in Germany's top tier domestic women's football league.
Defender Verena Hanshaw and midfielders Barbara Dunst and Laura Feiersinger play for Eintracht Frankfurt. Midfield linchpin Sarah Puntigam plys her trade for Köln Ladies while attacker Sarah Zadrazil plays for FC Bayern München Frauen. Defender Carina Wenniger (to spend next season on loan at AS Roma) is also a long-time Bayern fixture. Fullback Laura Wienroither (who transferred to Arsenal last January) began the 2021/22 campaign at Hoffenheim.
There shall thus be plenty of familiar faces for the German women to square off against in the quarterfinal matchup next Thursday at the Brentford Community Stadium. The manner in which the Austrians dominated Norway, most unexpectedly, this evening will surely leave them preparing to face a formidable opponent.
The German women themselves have one more group stage game to complete. After securing top spot in their group with a second consecutive shutout victory in group stage play on Tuesday night, the match against already eliminated Finland qualifies as a dead-rubber. Voss-Tecklenburg has already revealed some of her personnel plans for tomorrow's fixture.
Striker Lea Schüller remains out with COVID after testing positive again on Friday. Additionally, Lina Magull (muscular problems) and Lena Oberdorf and Felicitas Rauch (accumulated yellow suspensions) will not be available. The Bundestrainerin confirmed on Friday that she would start Lena Lattwein and Sophia Kleinherne in place of the two suspended players.