Germany too GR-EIGHT for Falcons

By Ifeanyi Ibeh


November 26, 2010





The Super Falcons on Thursday in Germany suffered an embarrassing 8-0 defeat at the hands of Germany in an international friendly match played in the city of Leverkusen.

It was the worst defeat to be inflicted upon the Super Falcons by any side since their equally embarrassing 8-0 defeat to Norway at the 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup held in Sweden.

It was also the first time the Super Falcons will be conceding seven or more goals since suffering a 7-1 battering against the United States of America at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, held in the United States.

The result was also the worst defeat the German side has ever inflicted on the Super Falcons since beating Nigeria 4-0 at the inaugural FIFA World Cup in China back in 1991.

German efficiency

Inka Grings opened the floodgate of goals for the Germans as early as the 5th minute, before Kerstin Garefrekes doubled the tally three minutes later.

A minute after the restart, Grings grabbed her second of the game to make it 3-0 for the Germans. It was the 32-year-old’s 61st goal for Germany on a night she was marking her 87th appearance for the national team.

Brigit Prinz, marking her record 208th appearance for Germany, then made it 4-0 for the world champions in the 18th minute, before wrapping up a one-sided half for the Germans with her second of the night in the 42nd minute; a goal that brought the 33-year-old’s internationally tally to 128 goals.

Germany coach, Silvia Neid, who back in 1991 became the first German woman to score against the Super Falcons, then introduced Alexandra Popp, leading scorer at this year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany, in the second half, and she soon rewarded her coach for having faith in her by making it 6-0.

Garefrekes wasn’t, however, done yet as she then grabbed two further goals, in the 71st and 79th minutes, to complete her hat-trick and Germany’s biggest win since their 7-0 whitewash of Finland back in February at the Algarve Cup in Portugal.

The heavy defeat of the Super Falcons raises doubts over the team’s chances at next year’s World Cup in Germany, but it will be recalled that the team’s handler, Eucharia Uche, had shortly after the team’s arrival from the African Women’s Championship (AWC), expressed her displeasure at the games’ timing, as it did not afford her wards enough time to recuperate from the rigours of the AWC.