The DEB-Women secured their second victory at this year's IIHF Women's World Championship with a 3-0 win against France on Sunday night at the CAA Center. The team led by women's national coach Thomas Schädler is now in second place in Group B with six points. The goals for success were scored by Celina Haider (2th), Nicola Eisenschmid (16st) and Nina Jobst-Smith (21st). Sandra Abstreiter shone and parried all 51 shots on the German goal and achieved the first shutout of this tournament.
In the first third of this game, the German women's national team created a slight increase in chances and created three power-play situations in the first 20 minutes. Celina Haider, who had already scored in the opener against the Swedes, appeared on the scoreboard again in the 16th minute of this encounter with her third goal of the tournament for Germany thanks to the preparation of Carina Strobel and Franziska Feldmeier.
Already 30 seconds after the start of the middle section they took advantage DEB-Women had another chance and extended their lead with Nicola Eisenschmid's goal (21st). Despite Germany's increase in the lead, the French kept coming dangerously close to Sandra Abstreiter's goal area. It was the French captain Lore Baudrit who, together with Estelle Duvin, created several opportunities in the German zone, but these were strongly parried by defenders.
Even at the end of the game, both teams gave each other nothing and challenged the goalkeepers on both the German and French sides. But the DEB-Selection used their power play much more cleverly. In the 51st minute, German striker Nina Jobst-Smith went one better and made the 3-0 victory possible with her goal.
Women's national coach Thomas Schädler: “It was a tough nut to crack against France today, but we cracked it successfully. We knew it was France's last chance to avoid relegation and they played accordingly. But today again my team didn't give up and fought hard until the end. Hats off to my team, the performance and the victory. Our chances in the next game against Hungary are good, we definitely want to win this game too.”
Goalkeeper Sandra Abstreiter: “We prepared well and knew that we could make good use of our speed against the French. We also managed quite well so that they couldn't always get stuck in our third for so long. We already played a preparatory game against our next opponents and we were able to win that. So if we play like we did in the test match, then we should be able to win.”
Striker Franziska Feldmeier: “We had a harder time getting into the game, like in the last two games, but we put in a good performance defensively, especially Sandra in goal, and if you can't get a goal in at the back and score a few up front, then it's enough also."
On Tuesday, April 11, 2023, the German women's national team will face Hungary in their final Group B preliminary round game. With one more point in the table, direct qualification for the quarter-finals would be secured.