I'm just watching the Deutschevoetbalfrauen jump up and down on Argentina, and I'm so aghast and aroused I don't care if that's really a word. I know there isn't a lot of parity in the women's game right now, despite the emergence of zee Germans as a credible contender. More than a contender really since they won the whole Enchilada in California four years ago. Here's all I can say to Argentina: stop fouling, because zee Germans are killing you on set pieces!
Zee Germans took an early lead on a corner kick when Argentina's keeper tipped the ball over her head into her own net. This was the first of two own goals for Correa, which is just horrifyingly bad. She's Argentina's #2 keeper, but when you're trying to blood a new keeper, Germany are one of the worst opponents you could do it against. Linda Bresonik's momma didn't raise no fool, so she kept testing Correa with long shots and forcing corners when the Argentine keeper couldn't field them cleanly. As a result, the goals kept flowing for zee Germans, when Correa punched corners into her own net (2x), nobody picked up a German player running onto a free kick into the box or on the back side of a cross (3x), all the Argentine defenders were watching the ball and nobody picked up Sandra Smisek running behind them to pick up a through ball (2x), superstar striker Birgit Prinz just outplayed everybody for a header (2x).
My favorite was the second German goal, when Melanie Behringer beat a fullback to a ball out on the flank, beat two defenders on her way to the goal, and then coming up in from the left leaned out to make Correa commit to blocking a pass across the box and then she raked the ball back into the near post. Behringer was running through Argentina's right flank at will, getting a huge amount of space for some nasty crosses. Renate Lingor's goal was started by one of Behringer's runs and a pass across the six-yard box, cleared by Argentina but rounded up by Lingor outside the box, who lobbed it to the far post over everybody's head. Behringer also helped zee Germans to a clean sheet, covering the near post on a corner and staying on the line to clear out a ball that had Nadine Angerer beat. I'm telling you, #7's a redhead with some nasty moves on the left for Germany, and I think I'm in love.
I really thought Argentina would do a bit better even if they were killed by the German offense, and they looked to have some opportunities but settled for long shots and long balls... it's a big change from the Argentine men who are famous for passing combinations in the box. Germany's future opponents may do better by closing down Bresonik and Behringer rather than giving them acres of space to work, and better exploit some weakness at the back with Silke Rottenberg apparently not available in goal. Nevertheless, I'm pretty excited to see more of Germany... and a lot more of Melanie Behringer.
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