The DFB women’s team suffered a 1:2 defeat against Italy in a friendly match, marked by defensive errors and missed scoring opportunities. Agnese Bonfantini opened the scoring for Italy, followed by Felicitas Rauch’s equalizer. However, Sofia Cantore’s goal secured the win for Italy. Coach Christian Wück and captain Giulia Gwinn expressed disappointment, highlighting the need to improve on defensive lapses and capitalize on chances to avoid future losses.
DFB Women’s Team Falls Short Against Italy in Friendly Match
In a spirited display, the DFB women’s squad faced a tough defeat in their friendly match against Italy, ending the game with a score of 1:2. Despite their determination and effort, the team struggled with finishing and defensive errors that ultimately cost them the match.
The visitors struck first in Bochum when Agnese Bonfantini scored in the 11th minute. Although Felicitas Rauch managed to equalize for Germany in the 51st minute, Sofia Cantore sealed the victory for Italy with a goal in the 74th minute.
Coach and Captain Reflect on Missed Opportunities
National coach Christian Wück shared his insights on the loss, stating in an interview, “The mistakes were on us. If we continue to make defensive errors and fail to capitalize on clear scoring opportunities, winning will be a challenge.” He emphasized that he did not believe Italy outperformed his team.
Team captain Giulia Gwinn expressed her disappointment, saying, “Right now, the frustration from this loss overshadows everything. We created numerous chances but were too careless, resulting in a couple of individual mistakes that can happen in the game.”
The DFB team started the match with the momentum from their recent 6:0 victory over Switzerland, showing early promise. Klara Bühl quickly set up Giovanna Hoffmann for a chance, but Italian goalkeeper Laura Giuliani made a timely intervention. The Germans pressed forward aggressively, but their confidence soon turned into overconfidence.
In a critical moment, Sarai Linder made a misstep, passing the ball directly to Michela Cambiaghi, who assisted Bonfantini for Italy’s first goal. This error set the tone for a challenging match, as the German side struggled to regain control and fell into a pattern of frantic play without structure.
Despite a few close calls, including a line clearance from Felicitas Rauch, the German team couldn’t find their rhythm. Just before halftime, a missed VAR opportunity left them frustrated when Vivien Endemann was fouled in the box but play continued.
Wück made adjustments at halftime, substituting in Sophia Kleinhenne and Lisanne Gräwe, leading to a revitalized performance from the DFB team. They applied constant pressure on the Italian goal and created several excellent chances, culminating in Rauch’s equalizer.
However, despite a series of missed opportunities, confusion returned to the German side. In a moment of misfortune, Mahmutovic attempted to dribble within her own six-yard box, allowing Cantore to score Italy’s second goal. Compounding the frustration, an offside position in the buildup went unnoticed by the officials.
The final moments were filled with tension as Laura Freigang and Lea Schüller both failed to convert crucial chances, leaving the DFB team with a bitter taste of defeat despite their relentless efforts.