Pollmann strikes down England
Monday, July 7, 2008
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Germany 2-0 England
Striker Marie Pollmann scored twice without reply as the holders began their Women's Under-19 defence.
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Marie Pollmann scored twice without reply against England to give holders Germany the perfect start to their UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship title defence.
Deserved win
Pollmann broke the deadlock after 35 minutes, giving England goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer no chance with a shot from 20 metres, before finding the target again on the hour when she volleyed in a Kim Kulig cross from close range to secure a deserved win. Germany are next in action against fellow victors Sweden on Thursday, when England face neighbours Scotland.
Nervous start
Both teams started nervously but Germany soon began to find their attacking rhythm and almost took the lead after 12 minutes when Eve Chandraratne took a pass from Kulig, only for Spencer to race out quickly to clear the danger. A few minutes later, Spencer was again in the thick of the action when she first saved from Kulig before thwarting Julia Šimic's close-range effort. England held firm as Germany continued pushing forward, although breaking down Maren Meinert's well-drilled defence was proving more of a problem at the opposite end. England tested goalkeeper Jana Burmeister just once during the opening 30 minutes through a Jade Moore effort and fell behind with ten minutes of the first half left when Pollmann struck from range.
Improved England
England sought an immediate response in the early stages of the second half, Remi Allen failing to trouble Burmeister with a presentable chance. The closest they went was a long-range strike from Elizabeth Edwards which fizzed narrowly over the crossbar. Just before the hour, Germany coach Meinert made her first change by bringing on Lisa Schwab, a move which paid immediate divdends as Pollmann soon volleyed in her second after being picked out by Kulig's cross from the left. Spencer then pulled off a tremendous save from Pollmann's header to deny the striker a hat-trick, while Šimic watched on as Spencer saved her close-range shot. Toni Duggan shot wide late on as England sought an unlikely route back into the match, and so it proved.