Germany’s preparations for the Arnold Clark Cup could not have gone much worse. In the week leading up to the invitational tournament, six players were ruled out through illness or COVID-19. Among them were Svenja Huth and Tabea Wassmuth, who joined Alexandra Popp and Dzsenifer Marozsan on the list of attacking absentees. None of this prevented head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg from being able to field a strong front line in the opening game against Spain.
Jule Brand and Klara Buhl were chosen on the wings, with Linda Dallmann acting as the attacking midfielder. Lea Schuller led the line well, scoring an 88th-minute equalizing goal to seal a 1-1 draw. As Voss-Tecklenburg chased a result, she brought on Laura Freigang and Selina Cerci, two strikers who have scored consistently in the Frauen-Bundesliga in recent seasons.
This is an outstanding crop of attackers. When it comes to playmakers, wide forwards and strikers, Germany can count on two-to-three quality options in every position. As they build towards this summer’s European Championship, it’s difficult to think of another team on the continent with a better array of talent in this area. France are perhaps the only ones who can muster a valid argument. But this, in a way, has caused headaches for Voss-Tecklenburg. She still has to decide which attackers to start and which to bench, and how to arrange all the pieces. That process is still a work in progress.
