Germany vs Scotland
UEFA Women’s Nations League – League A – Group 1
Tuesday, 8th April 2025
VfL Wolfsburg Arena, Wolfsburg
Scorers
Germany 6 (Selina Cerci 51’, 57’, 76’, Giovanna Hoffman 64’, 65’, Laura Freigang 67’)
Scotland 1 (Caroline Weir 41’)
Team News
Interim manager Michael McArdle made four changes to the side that started Friday evening’s 4-0 defeat at Tannadice. Eilidh Adams, Martha Thomas and Amy Rodgers all dropped to the bench, with Amy Muir, Kirsty Hanson and Lauren Davidson replacing them.
Laura Eddie missed out on the matchday squad with Sophie Howard reaching a landmark 60th cap for Scotland.
As It Happened
Scotland very nearly matched Germany’s start to the match on Friday evening in the opening minutes of this one, when Caroline Weir tested Ann-Katrin Berger with a curling left footed effort that forced the former Chelsea keeper to make an early save to her right to deny the away side the opener.
The hosts’ first chance of the match came just moments later when the ball fell to Selina Cerci in the penalty box who turned well but her eventual shot flew over the top of Lee Gibson’s crossbar.
Scotland looked a real threat going forwards early on. On 10 minutes Kirsty Hanson nearly picked out Claire Emslie at the back post with a cross before Berger made a vital intervention to prevent the ball reaching the Angel City forward. Moments later, Hanson and Emslie were involved again when Hanson combined well with Weir before she laid it off to Emslie on the edge of the box. Emslie looked to pick out the far corner, though her shot was straight at Berger in goal.
Emslie had a similar opportunity once again that stemmed from a great challenge from Lauren Davidson on the halfway line before she found Erin Cuthbert. Cuthbert did brilliantly to pick out Emslie again on the left whose shot was held comfortably by Berger.
Germany came into the match as the half wore on. Sydney Lohmann did well to get to the byline on the right-hand side on 34 minutes before standing the ball up to the back post. Giulia Gwinn made a great run before Emma Lawton got a vital touch to send the ball out for a Germany corner.
Scotland’s excellent first half performance got its due reward in the 41st minute when Caroline Weir put the away side in front. Cuthbert showed great tenacity to win the ball in the middle of the park before finding Emslie who slipped in Hanson. Hanson’s left footed effort across goal was parried out by Berger and it was Weir who reacted the quickest to slot home to give Scotland the lead.
Shortly afterwards, referee Jana Adamkova sounded the half time whistle as Scotland headed into the interval with a deserved lead.
Germany were almost gifted an equaliser on 49 minutes when substitute Hoffman struck the post following a mistake in the Scotland defence. Scotland eventually managed to clear for a corner kick in which Germany equalised from. Gwinn’s ball into the area was met by Cerci at the front post who made no mistake with the header as she bulleted the ball past Lee Gibson to make it one-apiece.
Minutes later and the home side took the lead. Substitute Nusken picked out fellow substitute Linder with a cross-field pass before Linder swung a dangerous cross into the area. It was met by Freigang at the back post, who headed back across goal, finding Hoffman who headed against the crossbar before Cerci followed up to slam the rebound home.
Germany stepped up in the second half and showed a real ruthlessness in the final third, scoring three goals in three minutes. Firstly, Lohmann slipped in Hoffman with a fantastic pass before the RB Leipzig player flicked the ball past Lee Gibson to make it 3-1.
Less than a minute later and Hoffman had grabbed her second and Germany’s fourth following another excellent slide rule pass from Freigang. Freigang then got herself on the scoresheet to shock Scotland and add a fifth for the hosts. Jule Brand found herself in space on the right before firing a ball across goal to Freigang who finished with a backheel to make it five in a matter of minutes.
Scotland had a shout for a penalty waved away on 72 minutes when Kirsty Hanson appeared to nip in in front of Kleinherne before being clipped by the defender, though the Czech referee deemed the challenge a fair one.
Moments later and the hosts grabbed their sixth of the evening. After a good run from Freigang, the ball broke to Cerci on the edge of the area who finished superbly first time on her right foot into the top corner, leaving Lee Gibson helpless.
Germany continued to press for more goals and nearly added a seventh on 83 minutes. Brand picked out Freigang who looked to find the far corner, though Lee Gibson made a fantastic save to tip the ball wide of the post.
Despite a fantastic first half performance, Scotland were unable to prevent the onslaught from Germany in the second half as they showed a real clinical edge in the final third, scoring six to inflict a heavy defeat on Scotland in Wolfsburg.
Teams
Scotland: Gibson, Lawton, Muir (Smith 65’), Howard, Clark, McLauchlan (Watson 74’), Weir (Cornet 74’), Hanson, Cuthbert, Emslie, Davidson (Thomas 65’)
Unused Substitutes: MacIver, Cumings, Adams, Gregory, Rodgers, MacLean
Germany: Berger, Gwinn (Krumbiegel 80’), Kett (Linder 46’), Kleinherne, Minge, Senss (Nusken 55’), Lohmann (Dabritz 68’), Brand, Freigang, Cerci, Schuller (Hoffman 46’)
Unused Substitutes: Johannes, Borggrafe, Zicai, Dallman, Alara, Buhl, Doorsoun