After Wolfsburg’s narrow win over Sand in the Pokal Frauen final VAVEL spoke the German international goalkeeper about a strong second-half.
Champions left needing to give more
After a dour first-half which saw Sand fire out of the blocks and leave Wolfsburg rather off of the pace, the newly crowned champions were lucky to make it to half-time without conceding, the 0-0 scoreline a generous one. However still very much in the game at the break, it was the Wolves who roared in the second-half, the team from Lower Saxony on the offensive from the restart, though Schult laughed at my request to know what coach, Ralf Kellermann had said during the break, she admitted the team had to step it up,
“We all said that we have to give more,” she spoke earnestly, “that it wasn’t a hundred percent in the first-half and we just wanted to show that we were the better team and I think we showed it in the first thirty minutes of the second-half.”
The team at the fore, the game was very nearly turned on its’ head after Wolfsburg had gone two goals to the good, Alex Popp shown a red for dissent and the team left rocking as their lead was slashed in half. The pressure amped up, the holders had to dig deep, especially when midfielder, Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir was shown a second yellow in stoppage time leaving the team to see the game out with nine,
“After the red card it was very hard and after the second it was harder (and harder) but we’re very happy to win the match and the entire tournament.”
Double winners
After a 1-0 loss to (then table-toppers) Turbine Potsdam at the start of November, Wolfsburg became almost unplayable, the team getting stronger week in, week out in the new year, though a wobble at the end of the season saw them finish the season as league champions despite failing to win either of their last two games. With the pressure somewhat off with Champions League football confirmed, Schult admits that the team lost a little focus at the end of the year,
“It was like that, of course if you win the title before and you have a party then you’re not at 100% in the last two games. We knew that we had to change the emotions to come into this game and try to win our second silverware which we did.”
With her teammates’ cheers echoing through the mixed zone and beer already spilt on the way to the changing rooms Schult remained honest about the game, aware that on another day or in different circumstances they might not be doppelte Sieger,
“Maybe we did not do as well as we expected but on this day it’s enough and so, we’re happy about it.”