This is shown in the way that they looked to create constant passing options, enabling them to move the ball around at a good speed and make it difficult for Germany to close off all available avenues. Denmark’s front three worked closely together as the wing-backs held the width. Denmark’s promising startĪs mentioned in the introduction, Denmark might have lost this match, but they did start really positively and looked capable of taking the fight to Germany, with all eleven players clearly signed up to the game plan and willing to compete around the field. In the forward line, Chelsea Women star Pernille Harder was partnered by former Madrid CFF attacker Rikke Marie Madsen, whilst Signe Bruun started as the central striker ahead of Nadia Nadim and Stine Larsen. Janni Thomsen and Real Madrid Femenino’s Sofie Svava were given the wing-back roles, with Juventus Femminile’s Sofie Junge Pedersen and Sanne Troelsgaard, who joined Reading Women in January, operating between them. Goalkeeper Lene Christensen started as widely expected, but Arsenal Women’s Simone Boye Sørensen was left on the bench for this one, with Stine Ballisager and Katrine Veje joined instead by Everton Women’s Rikke Sevecke in the back three. The midfield was also made up of players from different clubs, as Lyon Féminin’s Sara Däbritz, formerly of PSG Féminine, joined Wolfsburg star Lena Oberdorf and Bayern’s Lina Magull in the central third, whilst star Bayern attackers Lea Schüller and Klara Bühl lined up alongside influential Wolfsburg forward Svenja Huth at the top of the pitch.ĭenmark also went with their tried and tested 3-4-3 formation, but with a few surprises in the personnel selected. Merle Frohms was given the nod in goal, having starred for Eintracht Frankfurt Frauen in their successful qualification for next season’s Champions League, whilst the back four was split evenly between domestic rivals Wolfsburg Frauen and Bayern Munich Frauen, with Bayern’s Giulia Gwinn and Marina Hegering being named alongside Wolfsburg’s Kathrin Hendrich and Felicitas Rauch. Germany set up in their favoured 4-3-3 formation, aiming to keep their team balanced and capable of attacking and defending with equal quality. The analysis will look at these moments and then highlight where it all went wrong for them, as well as indicate the specific tactics that helped Germany to take what was in the end a comfortable win at the Brentford Community Stadium. However, Denmark did start well, as this tactical analysis will demonstrate, so there are some positives that they can take from their performance. With much-fancied Spain also in the group and widely expected to top it, the meeting of the sides coached by Martina Voss-Tecklenburg and Lars Søndergaard was seen by many as the game that would decide who would join them in the knockout rounds and who would have their competition ended prematurely.Īs it turned out on Friday night, Germany were too much for their Danish opponents to handle, with their game plan executed well and causing plenty of problems. One of the matches of the first round that garnered plenty of interest even before the tournament started was Germany against Denmark in Group B, seen by many as the “group of death”. The Euro 2022 tournament is very much up and running, with fans around Europe becoming engrossed in the action and enjoying the talent on show.
“A statement win”: Why Germany deserved the victory on a disastrous opening night for Denmark in Euro 2022 – tactical analysis