After drawing 2-2 with Mexico in the opening match Germany faced another thriller in the second game – and the team coached by Horst Hrubesch again showed great commitment to the cause. As in the encounter with Mexico the German team succeeded in coming from behind twice to get a result against South Korea with former Werkself pro Heung-Min Son in their line-up. The opening goal from Hwang on 25 minutes was cancelled out a Serge Gnabry strike on 33 minutes with Brandt providing the assist. The live wire Brandt fired in a shot on goal but the Korea keeper Kim turned it away for a corner. Germany took a 2-1 lead through Davie Selke (55’) but Son levelled two minutes later. A Brandt volley flew past the upright on 85 minutes. With three minutes to play the Koreans regained the lead but a deflected effort from Gnabry in added time found the back of the net to make it 3-3.
Germany escaped an early exit from the Olympic football tournament at the last minute – and their fate is back in their own hands. If the match between Mexico and South Korea on Wednesday produces a winner then Germany only need to beat Fiji in Belo Horizonte to progress to the quarter-final stage as group runners-up. If Mexico and South Korea draw then Bender, Brandt and Co. will need to win by five goals to overtake Mexico who beat Fiji 5-1. South Korea secured an 8-0 victory over Fiji in their first match.
“It was a nail-biter and I would have preferred an easier game,” admitted Hrubesch. “But we’re still in it!” The Germany coach feared in added time, “that I would have to congratulate our opponents but then I said: We’ll get another chance – and that’s what happened.”
Women earn point late on
The Germany women’s team with Annike Krahn also earned a last-minute reprieve to make good a two-goal deficit in a 2-2 draw with Australia. Sabrina Däbritz netted the first before Saskia Bartusiak forced an Australian own goal. Germany, on four points, are one ahead of Australia. The final group match is against leaders Canada on six points. Krahn was substituted at half-time.
The fourth showdown in the VBL Club Championship 2025/26 starts for the Leverkusen eSports team today, Thursday 22 January (live on the B04eSports Twitch channel and on the Bayer 04 app from 19:00 CET). In the online preliminary round, the Black and Reds will once again compete with six previously drawn opponents for a place in the Top 16 and the associated entry into the offline knockout round in Berlin on 2 February at the fourth showdown. The lowdown on our next three opponents in the online preliminary round.
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The fourth European away trip of the season in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 takes the Werkself to the Greek capital. Head coach Kasper Hjulmand's team are away to Greek double winners Olympiacos on matchday seven in the UCL league phase. The match at the Karaiskakis Stadium is on Tuesday, 20 January (kick-off: 21:00 CET). We'll be taking you on a trip to Athens and reporting on the Werkself close-up...
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A great honour for Bayer 04 Women's German international: as part of the 2025 Sports Awards, Carlotta Wamser entered her name into the City of Leverkusen's Golden Book. On Tuesday, she looked back on a special year in a talk in the Morsbroich Castle hall of mirrors.
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