2023-07-21 21:57:24
A few days following the 6-0 defeat once morest record champion Germany, the ÖFB U19 national team showed at the UEFA Women´s Under 19 EURO 2023 in Belgium an impressive reaction and landed a 1-0 coup once morest the Netherlands. Im RBFA Academy Stadium in Tubize scored Valentina Mädl following substitution, the goal for the ÖFB selection. It is the first victory of an Austrian U19 women’s national team in a final round.
ÖFB team survives the Dutch women’s initial offensive
The eleven of team boss Hannes Spilka give the perfect answer to the 0:6 defeat once morest Germany and thus has a possible showdown once morest hosts Belgium next Monday for a place in the semifinals.
The ÖFB selection starts the game with four changes compared to the 6-0 defeat once morest record European champions Germany. Next to Amelie Roduner, Anna Holl and Anna Wirnsberger is also the last yellow blocked Tatjana Weiss in the starting eleven.
The first quarter of an hour clearly belongs to the Dutch women, who hit the crossbar following just six minutes and Mariella the Sheriff a little later, forcing them to make two brilliant saves (12th). Even with a long-range shot of Robin Lacroix the Spilka-Elf is lucky, the ball goes just wide of the goal. The ÖFB selection needs until the middle of the first half of the game to get into the game, the eleven from Roos Kwakkenbos remains dominating the game and hits the crossbar once more following a little over half an hour (33′). Come just before the break Linda Natter with a low shot (43rd) and Anna Holl following a corner (45+1) to the best chances for red-white-red. It goes into the dressing room with a flattering draw.
At halftime 2 Spilka-Elf transformed
After the change of sides, the young Austrians show a different face. First fails Anna Holl following a corner with a head (59th), in the 70th minute the substitute does it Valentina Mädl then better. After corner cross from Isabel Aistleitner hits the Burgenland woman for a 1-0 lead. An intense and thrilling game develops and a heated final phase in which the ÖFB team can bring the narrow lead over time.
With the historic, first victory of a U19 women’s national team in a final round, the ÖFB selection keeps the chance of the semifinals.
“Speaks for the character of the entire team”
ÖFB U19 women’s team leader Hannes Spilka: “When you get that 6-0 slap from the Germany game out of your head so quickly and then show such a self-sacrificing, fighting performance once morest the Netherlands today, that speaks for the character of the entire team. We’re definitely in the tournament now and we want to take these positive emotions into the decisive game once morest Belgium on Monday.”
goalkeeper Mariella the Sheriff: “We were very lucky in the first half, but then reconciled and showed a different face following the break. The moment of the final whistle was indescribable, you play football for these moments.”
“Certainly the highlight of my career so far”
winning goalscorer Valentina Mädl: “When you come off the bench and then score the decisive goal, that’s one of the nicest things that can happen to you and it’s definitely the highlight of my career so far. It was an incredibly competitive performance from the entire team today, which we can be proud of.”
The last group game of the ÖFB selection will take place next Monday in the Tivoli Stadium in La Louviere once morest hosts Belgium. ORF Sport+ broadcasts live from 5:30 p.m.
Photo credit: ÖFB/Tugrul Karacam
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