Two-time champions Germany exit Women’s World Cup after draw with South Korea

BRISBANE – Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg admitted her team’s performances at this Women’s World Cup were “simply not enough”, as they crashed out in the group stage for the first time in their history on Thursday.

A frustrating 1-1 draw with South Korea in Brisbane allowed debutantes Morocco to advance to the last 16 instead.

With the Moroccans beating Colombia 1-0 in Perth to join the South Americans on six points in Group H, Germany finished third in the table on four points and will be heading home.

World Cup winners in 2003 and 2007, the Germans reached the 2022 European Championship final – in which they lost to England – and came to Australia as one of the favourites.

They knew a win against South Korea would take them through to the knockout stage and were expected to get the better of a side who had lost their opening two matches and had next to no chance of advancing.

But after they went a goal up early on through Cho So-hyun, the South Koreans battled hard and defended stoutly to frustrate their opponents, who could not find a winner following Alexandra Popp’s equaliser.

“The precision was missing from our play and our opponents defended well,” said Voss-Tecklenburg. “We showed heart, but didn’t create any clear chances.

“In the end, our performances over the three games were simply not enough in this group to advance.”

Skipper Popp was at a loss to explain their failure to beat South Korea.

“It’s hard to grasp, to be honest. I do not know what to say,” she said.

“It’s more than difficult to analyse... It was bumpy over the three games. That wasn’t what we wanted, but I can’t say exactly why, because I don’t quite understand it yet.”

The Germans said before the game they wanted more creativity after their shock 2-1 loss to Colombia, but they were unable to convert their many chances.

They had 14 shots to their opponents’ five, but only four of those were on target as the South Koreans put almost everyone behind the ball in defence.

Striker Casey Phair, 16, almost scored for the Asian side inside three minutes when she latched onto a through ball, but her shot was brilliantly saved by German goalkeeper Merle Frohms.

But three minutes later, the Germans went behind from an almost identical move, Choe Yu-ri playing a ball through to Cho, whose side-foot effort beat Frohms to find the back of the net.

The goal seemed to spur the Germans into action, and they dominated possession and territory after that, although they could not find a way through the South Korean defence.

They found plenty of space out wide on both sides and when the equaliser came three minutes from the break, it was no surprise it was from a cross.

Svenja Huth put in a delightful ball for Popp, who rose above the South Korean defenders to head home.

The Germans came out firing after the break and threw everything at their opponents.

They had a goal disallowed for offside in the 59th minute, before Popp smacked the bar with another header.

As the clock ticked down, the Germans became more and more desperate but despite plenty of endeavour, they never really looked like finding a winner in the 13 minutes of stoppage time.

“That was a magnificent performance, one of the best the girls have produced since I’ve been in charge,” said South Korea’s English coach Colin Bell, whose side had only one point overall.

“I’m so, so proud of them and the courage they showed.

“Germany are always dangerous and when Popp equalised, I think everyone would have thought we would crumble in the second half. But we just dug even deeper.” AFP, REUTERS