The German women's national team lost its quarterfinal game at the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship despite a self-sacrificing fight and commitment. Women's national coach Jeff MacLeod's team narrowly lost 0-1 (0-0, 0-0, 0-1) against the Czech Republic.
In the quarterfinal game, goalie Sandra Abstreiter moved back into the goal. The starting six otherwise remained unchanged compared to the game against China - Daria Gleißner, Ronja Hark, Nicola Eisenschmid, Emily Nix and Laura Kluge started for the German team. Carina Strobel played her 150th international match and was honored accordingly in the dressing room after the game.
The Czech team started the game with more puck possession and created their first opportunities to score, which Sandra Abstreiter was able to save in the German goal. The DEB-Selection got going offensively with their first power play - three of the five German shots on goal in the opening third came between the 6th and 8th minutes. Bernadette Karpf had the best opportunity to score, but was denied by goalie Klara Peslarova. The German defense then worked hard, Sandra Abstreiter prevented a deficit with several saves.
In the second period, the Czechs tried to put more pressure on the German defense, which defended its goal with great sacrifice. In the 34th minute, Emily Nix had a good chance to score on the other side when she shot the puck just over the goal after a breakaway. Five minutes before the end of the middle period, it was Bernadette Karpf again who narrowly missed the German lead. In the final section it was Mylnkova who failed twice because of the once again strong goalkeeper Sandra Abstreiter. Seven minutes before the end, the Czechs took the lead despite the German team's strong defensive work - Daniela Pejsova scored with a one-timer to make it 1-0 for the bronze medalists from the last World Cup. Then there were dramatic final minutes in which the... DEB-Selection threw everything forward, put maximum pressure on the Czech goal by taking a penalty from the Czechs and taking Sandra Abstreiter out of the German goal in a 6 against 4, but in the end, despite a self-sacrificing fight and several shots, they were no longer able to score a goal.
Whether the German team will play in the match for 5th place depends on the results of the matches Canada vs. Sweden and USA vs. Japan. If Canada and the USA win at the same time, the DEB-Selection on April 13, 2024 at 11 a.m. local time (17 p.m. German time) in the game for 5th place to Switzerland. MagentaSport broadcasts all German World Cup games live and free of charge.
Women's national coach Jeff MacLeod: “The result is annoying for all of us. If we look at the game as a whole, we performed very well. Because we had the chance to win the game because we got better and better into the game as the game progressed. At the very end we still had a very good chance to equalize. “So we are very happy with our team’s performance against one of the top teams at the moment.”
Player Laura Kluge: “The defeat obviously hurts. We fought for 60 minutes and gave it everything we had. We were very close to equalizing. Unfortunately, in the end it wasn't quite enough. I am still incredibly proud of the team and what we have achieved so far at this World Cup. If it comes to the game for fifth place, we are definitely ready for it.”
World Cup schedule for the German women’s national team:
04.04.2024/15/00 | 21:00 p.m. (German time XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.) | Denmark - Germany 1:5 (0:1, 0:1, 1:3)
06.04.2024/15/00 | 21:00 p.m. (German time XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.) | Japan – Germany 1:4 (0:0, 0:2, 1:2)
April 08.04.2024, 11 | 00:17 (German time 00:XNUMX p.m.) | Germany – Sweden 1:0 (0:0, 0:0, 1:0)
April 09.04.2024, 11 | 00:17 (German time 00:XNUMX p.m.) | Germany – China 3:0 (2:0, 0:0, 1:0)
December 11.04.2024, 13 | 30:19 p.m. (German time 30:XNUMX p.m.) | Czech Republic - Germany 1:0 (0:0, 0:0, 1:0)

