Defense Wins Soccer Games

Germany Beats Brazil to Win Women's World Cup

Goalkeeper and Central Defenders Key to Victory

The following is from news reports. I think this makes a point about the importance of strong central defenders, and also about changing your formation if you aren't scoring, as Germany did. It sounds as if the German coach did a great job. This may make me re-watch "Modern Defending 3-DVD Set (German Training Program)"

Germany won its second straight Women's World Cup on Sunday, defeating Brazil 2-0 on second-half goals by Birgit Prinz and Simone Laudehr. Prinz scored in the 52nd minute and Laudehr in the 86th. Germany become the first women's soccer team to successfully defend its title in the World Cup or Olympics.

Germany went through six games in the tournament without yielding a goal and outscored the opposition 21-0, setting other records in the process.

The Germans thwarted the flowing attacks of Brazil, which routed the United States 4-0 in the semifinal.

Germany was the first team to go through a major senior competition without yielding a goal. It has not given up a goal in 619 minutes in World Cup play.

Germany's Goalkeeper and Center Fullbacks were great. Brazil dominated possession without getting past German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer. and central defenders Ariane Hingst and Annike Krahn.

The game settled into a pattern with Brazil dominating in midfield through the efforts of the hard-tackling duo Formiga and Ester. Brazil had possession for most of the match and Germany had its iron-clad defense to thank for stopping Brazil's forwards.

For all its domination, Brazil could not solve the German defense.

Germany assumed a more attacking formation for the second half, and the strategy was rewarded with a goal in the 52nd minute.