Head coach Anouschka Bernhard of Germany celebrates with team mates after winning the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Group B match between Germany and Cameroon at Prince Mohammed International Stadium on October 7, 2016 in Az Zarqa', Jordan. (Photo by Boris Streubel - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
AL ZARQA, October 8, 2016 - Only two months ago, Germany clinched their first ever gold medal at a Women’s Olympic Football Tournament in Rio de Jeneiro, with Dzsenifer Marozsán, a FIFA U17 Women's World Cup graduate from the inaugural edition of 2008, being very integral in their 2-1 victory over Sweden.
Marozsán, who claimed the Golden Shoe award in New Zealand eight years ago after scoring six goals, was one of the eight U-17 Women's World Cup products in coach Silvia Neid's Rio 2016 Olympic squad.
That was the level of inspiration Germany's current crop of junior women's players portrayed as they dispatched Cameroon 2-0 to safely secure their place in the quarter-finals of the ongoing FIFA U17 Women's World Cup Jordan 2016.
However Coach Anouschka Bernhard does not think the Olympic triumph has had too much influence on her players, but agrees that they definitely aspire to be like their senior counterparts.
"The influence of the Olympic gold medal isn't that much at the moment," she stated at the post match press conference. "But I think for these pretty young players, it's a goal they want to reach as well, to play in an Olympic final."
In spite of Cameroon's defensive discipline, Giulia Gwinn and Substitute Lena Oberdorf scored for Germany in either half of the match at the Prince Mohammed International Stadium in Zarqa to seal top spot in Group B.
"We were expecting a tough match and that’s what we got," Bernhard admitted.
"It wasn’t our best game, but we scored. We created lots of chances and we’ve qualified for the next round.
"I’m very happy with the result. I'm happy that we don't have an injured player and I'm happy to stay longer in the tournament." she enthused.
The Germans will now move on to lock horns with Group A runners-up, Spain, whom they defeated 3-2 on penalties in the final of the UEFA Women’s U-17 Championship to lift the continental trophy for the fifth time.
And Bernhard, who is making her third appearance at a FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup as coach of Germany, spoke in view of their quarter-final meeting with their old rivals.
"We played against Spain two times in the European U-17 Championships, so we know them very well. We saw a lot of their matches and did our analysis.
"It's a team with a good build up and very good players. They are strong and quick and I expect a match on a high level," she said.
"Maybe the problem is that we know each other too well, but on the other side this could be very interesting."
The quarter-final match between Germany and Spain comes up on October 12 at the Amman International Stadium.
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