Tag: Germany

USWNT on three-game losing streak after unlucky 2-1 defeat against Germany

It’s been over 29 years since the USWNT lost three straight

The U.S. women’s national team got an improved performance, but the results remain the same.

The USWNT, after losing 2-1 to Germany in Ft. Lauderdale Thursday night, is now on a three-game losing streak for the first time since April 1993. It’s the first loss at home for the team since July 27, 2017, and though the USWNT dominated a large chunk of the game, some flat second-half play and individual mistakes extended a worrisome run of form.

Germany’s relentless high pressure left the USWNT with some tricky work in the early stages, but after about 20 minutes they began to solve it. Sophia Smith and Mallory Pugh both spurned excellent chances to set up runners inside the box, while a dubious offside call spoiled another U.S. attack.

Lindsey Horan went closer, firing a shot over Merle Frohms that hit the bar and bounced down onto the goal line — but crucially, not over it — after good work from Rose Lavelle. Shortly thereafter, Alex Morgan’s pass from deep sent Pugh in alone behind the defense. This time, Pugh was decisive, but Frohms produced a huge save to tip her effort wide in the 36th minute.

The one-way traffic continued until halftime, with Horan having a strong penalty shout turned down by referee Odette Hamilton. It may have been frustrating for the USWNT, but the overall performance had far more composure and clarity than either loss to Spain in the last window.

Horan’s almost impossibly bad luck continued, with a spectacular overhead kick early in the second half slapping off the foot of the German post.

If that was cruel, things were about to get so much worse. Germany countered immediately, and while Naomi Girma initially slowed a four-on-two break, Klara Bühl worked the ball over to the right for substitute Paulina Krumbiegel. Krumbiegel’s shot was well-saved by Casey Murphy, but Bühl found the rebound and launched a curler towards goal.

Like Horan, she was denied by the post, but the USWNT couldn’t catch a break. The rebound hit Murphy’s back before bobbling over the line, giving Germany a shock 52nd minute lead.

If the USWNT’s performance up until that point had been very good, the response to the goal was alarmingly flat. Germany substitute Chantal Hagel arrived late on two occasions only to fire excellent chances over the bar, while a triple sub for the U.S. saw a loss of fluency in the midfield.

However, just as it seemed like the USWNT didn’t have an answer, a familiar face arrived to equalize. Megan Rapinoe smashed home an equalizer after the USWNT finally got their counter-press back online, with Morgan blocking Sara Doorsoun’s clearance and teeing up the veteran for a typically clinical finish.

It felt like a typical, old-school U.S. goal: overpowering, opportunistic, and authoritative. Unfortunately, it was followed by some of the hesitancy that has crept into the team lately, with Germany re-taking the lead on the counter just four minutes later.

Lena Oberdorf alertly took a free kick at midfield quickly, lofting the ball out to another substitute, Jule Brand. In isolation against Alana Cook, Brand simply dropped her shoulder and charged past Cook, shrugging off the OL Reign defender’s challenge before squaring for Krumbiegel, who did well to squeeze a shot over Murphy and into the roof of the net from close range.

The late goal left the USWNT with little time to reply, and full time brought some unwanted history, increasing the pressure on head coach Vlatko Andonovski, who has more losses in this unwanted streak than he had in the 49 games that preceeded it.

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WATCH: Seattle Seahawks vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers preview Week 10

Here’s everything you need to know when the Seattle Seahawks play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10 of the 2022 season in Munich, Germany.

After a long night of travel, the Seattle Seahawks have finally landed in Germany and are already prepping before taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Munich in Week 10.

Below is a preview of everything you need to know ahead of kickoff, which is scheduled for 6:30 am PT on Sunday.

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Watch: Pete Carroll, Seahawks players talk trip to Germany

The Seahawks have landed in Munich and just wrapped up their second practice of the week preparing for the Buccaneers.

The Seahawks have landed in Munich and just wrapped up their second practice of the week preparing for the Buccaneers.

After practice, coach Pete Carroll and a few key players spoke with the media about their international trip and Sunday’s game. Here are a few clips from those press conferences.

Wonderteen Youssoufa Moukoko is in Germany’s World Cup squad, but Marco Reus isn’t

Moukoko has been on a tear with Dortmund, but his teammate Reus misses yet another big tournament

There were plenty of headlines as Germany released its 26-man World Cup squad on Thursday, some of them good (Mario Götze! Youssoufa Moukoko!) and others not-so-good (Marco Reus nooooooo).

Let’s start with the positive. Moukoko has been on an absolute tear with Borussia Dortmund and the 17-year-old’s first senior Germany call is for the World Cup. Talk about timing.

There was also a storybook return for 2014 hero Götze, who is somehow still only 30 and has started the season well with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Götze has not been called up since 2017, but he’s set to partake in his second World Cup.

“I can only say that Mario is totally happy to be there, and we are looking forward to seeing him,” Germany coach Hansi Flick said at a press conference.

“We all know that Mario is a brilliant footballer, who has flashes of brilliance. You can see it in every game: he is top fit, he can play 90 minutes even three times a week.”

For Reus though, the news was not so great.

The Dortmund star has not recovered in time from an ankle injury, continuing a horrendous run of luck that has now seen him miss out on four major tournaments through injuries.

“He tried everything to catch this train. It hurts us because we could have used his quality,” Flick said.

Germany’s World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Defenders: Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Niklas Sule (Borussia Dortmund), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Thilo Kehrer (West Ham United), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Lukas Klostermann (RB Leipzig), Armel Bella-Kotchap (Southampton), Christian Gunter (Freiburg)

Midfielders: Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City), Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Monchengladbach), Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Muller (all Bayern Munich), Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Mario Gotze (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Strikers: Kai Havertz (Chelsea), Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund), Niklas Fullkrug (Werder Bremen), Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund)

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Seahawks LB Aaron Donkor on game in Munich: ‘It’s going to be a party’

Seahawks German linebacker Aaron Donkor is hoping to see the field in front of his “home” crowd when Seattle plays in Munich in Week 10.

German linebacker Aaron Donkor has been with the Seattle Seahawks for over a year and a half now, first joining the team as a participant in the International Player Pathway Program. He’s hoping this week he gets to make his NFL debut in front of his “home” crowd when the Seahawks take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Munich.

Donkor spoke to the media Wednesday before the Seahawks departed and he was asked about the reception the club might have in his home country.

“German fans are going to embrace us and love us,” Donkor told reporters. “I’m not sure if they know who to root for, but we’ll make sure they are with us when we step on that field. So, that’s the goal.”

Donkor and his teammates know that this is a work trip, but there should be a little time to sneak in some fun as well.

“I feel like the Germans are going to do their thing” Donkor continued. “They are great hosts. They have been preparing and organizing and making sure everything is set up. It’s going to be a party.

“I already know they are excited and it’s going to be a Super Bowl in every sense of the words.”

While the party will last all week, the game is set for a 6:30 am PT kickoff on Sunday.

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Smith says she can learn from Popp ahead of USWNT-Germany clashes

Popp was co-leading scorer at Euro 2022 with six goals

U.S. women’s national team forward Sophia Smith said she can learn a thing or two from German striker Alexandra Popp, her counterpart in two upcoming friendlies.

The USWNT will take on Germany in its final two matches of 2022, the first of which will take place Thursday at DRV PNK Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., with the second on Sunday at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.

The Euro 2022 runners-up will be led by Popp, who was co-leading scorer at the summer tournament with six goals before unfortunately being forced to miss Germany’s defeat to England in the final with an injury.

Coming off a season in which she was named NWSL MVP and scored in the final to help the Portland Thorns with the league title, Smith said she still has much to learn and Popp can be a model for her.

“Popp obviously is an incredible player,” Smith told the media on Wednesday. “Honestly, her movement in the box, how she gets on the end of crosses is something that I need to work on in my game.

“I watched her [at Euro 2022]. She’s very very good at it. So there’s stuff to learn there. But honestly, all the players on this team are great players and it’s going to be a good test for us for sure.”

After losing back-to-back games last month to England and Spain, Smith said she and her teammates are eager to get a result against Germany — though she stressed that putting in a strong performance was still the most important thing.

“We all have a hunger to get the result that we want and at the same time, we know that there are things we need to work on in these games that we didn’t do well enough in the last few games,” Smith said. “So not putting all the focus on the outcome, I think focusing for the most part on how we can grow from the last few games, how fix the things that we want to fix. I think if we do all those things, if we put together the pieces and do the little things right, we will get the outcome that we want.”

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Tom Brady excited for ‘epic game’ against Seahawks in Germany

Needless to say, this history-making matchup is a pretty big deal.

The Seahawks are playing what may be their most-anticipated game of the year this week. They’ll be facing Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in the NFL’s first game ever in Germany. The interest in this matchup is off the charts in a country where Seattle is the second-most popular team in the league. (Brady’s former team is first).

Needless to say, this history-making matchup is a pretty big deal. In an appearance on the Let’s Go! podcast on Monday, Brady said he’s super excited to face the Seahawks in what he expects to be an epic game, per NFL.com.

“We’re playing a great team in Seattle… They’re first place in their division. We’re tied for first place in ours and it’s a big challenge because, you know, to fly across the ocean like that, new time zone, it’s a 9:30 [a.m.] eastern kickoff… And look, I mean the chance to go across to another country, play a sport that I love, I have heard there’s 3 million ticket requests for 67,000 seats. So the place is gonna be rocking and if it’s anything like what I see in those German Bundesliga games this is gonna be one of the epic games that we’ve ever played in. So I’m super excited.”

Seattle is the only NFL team with a winning record (2-1) against Brady in his career. Odds are they would trade that in for Brady’s victory with the Patriots in Super Bowl 49, though.

Despite having a 4-5 record, Tampa is favored over Seattle by 2.5 points.

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Seahawks honored to play in the 1st-ever NFL game in Germany

Coach Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks are honored to be one of two teams to play in the first-ever NFL game in Germany this week.

The Seattle Seahawks will be one of two teams to play in the first-ever NFL regular-season game in Germany when they square off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10 at Allianz Arena in Munich.

Coach Pete Carroll talked about the magnitude of the opportunity on Monday.

“Sure, and again, I’ll throw this number around, somebody said that there have been three million requests for tickets, which is a staggering number of requests,” Carroll said. “I can’t imagine, but they are excited, they are really pumped up about it. We are going to try and put on a show, make them see our football, and experience it in a way they never have before.

“It’s an honor to do that and we will respect the heck out of every aspect of this.”

As far as travel goes, the Seahawks are set to cross 34 time zones this year when they fly 29,446 miles throughout the 2022 season. Carroll is counting on the previous experience gained from the 2018 matchup in London, for reference.

“We have a big travel thing to endure, but so do they,” Carroll explained. “It’s a bit of a competition in that regard, to put all of the elements that it takes to get this whole thing on the move, transfer us to a new country, and figure it out. We have such a great group around us and people that can function so well together and they are so well organized that it’s not going to be a big deal.

“We are just going to play another away game.”

The Seahawks plan to hit the road following Wednesday’s practice.

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Thompson returns to join Morgan and Pugh on USWNT roster for Germany friendlies

The USWNT will aim to end a rare losing streak in a pair of matches to close out 2022

U.S. women’s national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski has named a 24-player roster for two home friendlies against Germany in November.

Fresh off becoming the youngest USWNT player to debut since 2016, Alyssa Thompson returns for the games against the Euro 2022 runner-up. Thompson will turn 18 on November 7.

Thompson will be joined in the forward group by Alex Morgan and Mallory Pugh, who missed last month’s defeats against England and Spain with an injury and a family commitment, respectively.

Also making her return is goalkeeper AD Franch, fresh off a stellar campaign in which she helped the Kansas City Current reach the NWSL championship. Franch, who served as the third-stringer at the 2019 World Cup, has been handed her first call-up since October 2021.

The USWNT will face Germany on November 10 at DRV PNK Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (7 p.m. ET on FS1) and on November 13 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. (5 p.m. ET on ESPN).

“These are the kinds of games that help our World Cup preparation in many ways and these 180 minutes to end our schedule this year are going to be extremely valuable for the players and coaches,” Andonovski said.

“It will be good to get some players back on the roster and we’re all expecting these games to be very competitive and entertaining for fans.”

USWNT roster for Germany friendlies

GOALKEEPERS (3): Adrianna Franch (Kansas City Current), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (7): Alana Cook (OL Reign), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Fox (Racing Louisville FC), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign), Hailie Mace (Kansas City Current), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA), Taylor Kornieck (San Diego Wave FC), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Kristie Mewis (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)

FORWARDS (7): Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Mallory Pugh (Chicago Red Stars), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Alyssa Thompson (Total Futbol Academy)

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Harry Maguire is having a Really Bad Time right now

The unrelenting criticism seems to have shattered the defender’s confidence

It’s hard not to feel a little bad for Harry Maguire right now.

The center back is pretty much always subject to unrelenting criticism, and has now been benched for Manchester United after a rough start to the season. His crisis of confidence appears to have transferred over to England.

Maguire committed two errors that directly led to goals for Germany in Monday’s 3-3 Nations League draw at Wembley.

The first mistake was egregious. Maguire passed the ball directly to Jamal Musiala and the German attacker then wrong-footed the England defender and was taken down for a penalty. İlkay Gündoğan stepped up from the spot to make it 1-0.

Maguire later would give the ball away high up the pitch, leading to a German counter that culminated in Kai Havertz finding the back of the net.

Despite his poor form, Maguire at the moment appears very much to be in Gareth Southgate’s starting lineup. He started both of England’s games this window and Southgate has continued to publicly back him.

But Maguire is hopelessly out of form and low on confidence. His teammate for club and country, Luke Shaw, admitted that all of the criticism may be affecting him.

“Harry is an amazing player, an amazing character,” Shaw told BBC Radio 5 Live after the Germany match. “He’s taken a lot of stick – probably more than I’ve ever seen before in football.

“He never hides away, he’s always there. You can have people who can hide away and not want to be in the spotlight. He keeps putting himself in the spotlight, it shows the strength and character he’s got.

“Everybody knows he’s an unbelievable player. At the moment the confidence might not be there because it could feel like the whole world is against him.”

The harsh criticism has, at least in part, appeared to give way to pity for some observers.

On BBC Radio 5 Live, former England striker Chris Sutton added: “Blimey, you wouldn’t have a heart if you didn’t feel sorry for him.”

But Southgate can’t let sympathy or emotion cloud his decisions ahead of the World Cup. Maguire was a rock for England last summer as it reached the final of the European Championship, but it’s hard to imagine he’ll see the field much in Qatar unless things change massively between now and November.

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