DFB women held to goalless draw by Austria in Ried as Janina Minge is sent off
DFB women were held to a 0-0 draw by Austria in Ried, with captain Giulia Gwinn leaving the camp injured and Janina Minge sent off for a last-player foul. The result leaves Germany with work to do in Group A4 ahead of decisive June fixtures.
The Germany women’s national team, commonly referred to as the DFB women, were unable to break down a resolute Austrian side in Ried and finished the match with ten players after Janina Minge’s dismissal in the 79th minute. Captain Giulia Gwinn, already sidelined by a shoulder dislocation suffered earlier in the week, did not travel and her absence was felt in the squad’s cohesion. The goalless draw marks the first time Austria have avoided defeat against the DFB women in their history and prompted frank assessments from players and coach.
Minge sent off for denying a clear goalscoring chance
Janina Minge was shown a red card late in the second half after committing a last-player foul to stop Austria’s Julia Hickelsberger from running clear on goal. The decision left Germany reduced to ten and removed a senior presence just as they sought a late breakthrough. Minge accepted the consequence without protest and walked off the field, underscoring the match’s growing frustration for the visitors.
The sending-off came after a high-pressure period in which the German side repeatedly failed to convert possession into clear chances. Prior to the foul, Minge had been involved in a series of defensive interventions that exposed a lack of coordination and timing across the back line. Her dismissal will also force coach Christian Wück to consider personnel adjustments for upcoming qualifiers.
Captain Giulia Gwinn ruled out after shoulder injury
Giulia Gwinn’s absence loomed over the match from the start after she dislocated her shoulder during Tuesday’s fixture against Austria and returned home for treatment. The Wolfsburg midfielder’s injury deprived the team of its customary leadership on and off the ball, a factor Wück acknowledged when assessing the performance. Medical updates are expected, but the German camp confirmed Gwinn was not available for selection for the Ried fixture.
Gwinn’s enforced withdrawal has widened the leadership responsibilities inside the squad, with Sjoeke Nüsken wearing the captain’s armband during the draw. Nüsken and others emphasized the need for mental reset across the group while clubs prepare to reintegrate players ahead of June’s decisive matches.
Coach Christian Wück: critical review and narrow margin at the top
Bundestrainer Christian Wück described the match as a setback and stressed that the team must correct recurring errors in basics such as timing, positioning and passing. Despite visible discontent, Wück noted Germany still top Group A4 with ten points and a 14:1 goal difference, leaving qualification chances very much in their own hands. He urged a calm, structured response rather than alarm, pointing to forthcoming fixtures as the appropriate stage for recovery.
Wück’s assessment was measured but firm: the performance lacked the precision required in tight qualifiers and the team committed too many simple mistakes. That critique matched players’ reactions, with several describing the outing as one from which a young squad must learn quickly.
Austria earns historic point and frustrates Germany’s attack
From the Austrian perspective the result was a milestone, the first time they have taken a point off the DFB women in their international meetings. Austria’s defensive organisation and willingness to contest every second ball limited Germany’s usual transition threats and forced repeated, ineffective attempts to break lines. Mariella El Sherif in goal produced a number of important saves, including stops from Jule Brand and a header that rattled the crossbar.
The match offered few clear-cut scoring opportunities for Germany and the most notable attacking moments were set-piece situations and a promising debut for a newcomer. Austria celebrated a deserved shared point and left Ried with confidence ahead of their remaining qualifiers and friendlies.
Debutant Larissa Mühlhaus and missed attacking moments
Larissa Mühlhaus made her first start in the national team’s colours and was a notable bright spot, providing an early assist and delivering set-piece deliveries that troubled the opposition. Her free-kick in the 72nd minute led to a sequence that hit the crossbar and underlined the fine margins missing from Germany’s finishing touch. Jule Brand, who had been decisive in recent matches, found fewer opportunities to influence the game and the team lacked the single-player spark that had delivered multiple goals earlier in the campaign.
Furthermore, Vivien Endemann was forced off with a knee problem after a heavy challenge early in the second half, adding to the squad’s short-term concerns. Those personnel losses left the DFB women with limited tactical flexibility in the closing stages.
Group standings and decisive fixtures in June 2026
Despite the disappointing draw, Germany remain top of Group A4 on ten points, but Norway’s recent victory has tightened the race; Norway now sit just one point behind after their 3-2 win in Slovenia. The two teams meet in Cologne on June 5, 2026, in a match that will be pivotal for direct qualification to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. The final group match follows on June 9, 2026, in Slovenia and will likely decide which side secures the top spot and automatic qualification.
With both fixtures under three months away, Wück has limited time to shore up defensive lapses, manage recovery for injured players and instill the sharper attacking patterns the squad produced earlier in qualifying. The DFB women’s path to Brazil remains viable, but the Ried draw underlined how quickly margins can narrow in international qualifying.
Germany must now regroup at club level and return to national duty with clearer cohesion, sharper passing and renewed urgency. The draw in Ried will be remembered as a warning rather than a defeat, but it raises the stakes for the June fixtures that will determine whether the DFB women secure direct passage to the World Cup.
