Germany started the FIFA Womens World Cup as they mean to go on by beating China 1-0. It was a controlled performance from the Germans but they still endured some difficult moments. This tactical analysis will look at why China managed to cause Germany problems, but also why Germany largely dominated the game.
Lineups
Germany started in a 4-1-4-1 shape when defending, which changed a lot in attack given the many rotations the German players made. China started in a rather straightforward 4-4-2 where one of the two central midfielders often stepped up to press Germanys defensive midfielder Melanie Leupolz when the opportunity was there.
Tactical analysis: Germanys pressing
Germany wrestled control of the contest early thanks to their hugely effective pressing. They employed a man-orientated pressing system out of their 4-1-4-1-shape. This meant that the lone striker, Alexandra Popp, initiated the press and steered China towards one side. The chain reaction was for the German players on that side to quickly mark an opponent. We can see this in the image below as Popp (yellow) puts pressure on a defender. Dzsenifer Marozsán marks a midfielder and the right winger Giulia Gwinn marks the left-back. We can also see that the German right-back Kathrin Hendrich (black) also steps up to mark.
