National coach Marco Sturm brings ten “new” players into the penultimate World Cup test / SPORT1 broadcasts live
The 5-3 win on Friday in the first comparison with Belarus was quickly analyzed. “We started very, very well and played a strong first third,” said national coach Marco Sturm, who, however, did not shy away from exposing his team’s weaknesses: “We then had a low point and had the opponent like we did in Latvia let it come back again. We have to work on that and learn to be consistent over 60 minutes.”
The opportunity to do so is already available today (19.30:1 p.m., live on SPORTXNUMX) when the second meeting with “Team Belarus” takes place in Oberhausen’s König-Pilsener-ARENA. Sturm will “rotate in” ten new players. Timo Pielmeier is preferred in goal today over Felix Brückmann. In defense, Constantin Braun, Moritz Müller and Denis Reul will get additional playing time. Offensively, Philip Gogulla, Brooks Macek, Felix Schütz, Frank Mauer, Yannic Seidenberg and Patrick Hager are in the lineup.
Even Marcel Goc was on the ice during the short session in the morning. The center forward, who was rested this week, had arrived the evening before to be seen by team doctor Dr. Peter Prodinger (Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Munich) should be examined again for his minor elbow injury. As expected, the medical department gave the green light. However, Goc will not appear until next Tuesday (May 3rd) at the dress rehearsal in Basel against hosts Switzerland (19.45 p.m., live on SPORT1).
During the evening or tomorrow at the latest, national coach Sturm will also know whether he can count on Korbinian Holzer. The Anaheim Ducks defender still has to wait for discussions with his current employer until a decision is made regarding participation in the World Cup. “We are in constant contact,” said Sturm, who is expecting NHL star Christian Ehrhoff to be back with the national team when he travels to Switzerland on Monday. The Chicago Blackhawks defender is already in his hometown of Krefeld.
This is how they want to play: Pielmeier (Niederberger) - Müller, Ankert; Gogulla, Schütz, Macek – N. Goc, Reul; Noebels, Hager, Mauer – Brandt, Braun; Seidenberg, Kahun, Flaake – Brückner, Kohl; Krämmer, Fauser, Ullmann.