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Teenager Giulia Gwinn scored on her Women’s World Cup debut as Germany made a winning start to their 2019 campaign against China.
Ranked second, Germany were frustrated for long spells by the Steel Roses in the Group B game in Rennes.
Yang Li hit the bar for China after Germany’s Carolin Simon struck the bar following a short corner before the eight-time European champions scored.
Midfielder Gwinn, 19, fired home from the edge of the penalty area.
However, Germany were far from their best in front of a crowd of 15,283 at Roazhon Park.
China’s Yang wasted two great chances before Freiburg’s Gwinn scored her second senior international goal.
- Relive the action from Roazhon Park
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Much to ponder for Voss-Tecklenburg
This was Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s first competitive game in charge of Germany.
She knows she has much to do if Germany are to repeat their 2003 and 2007 World Cup triumphs after an unconvincing performance in Brittany.
China, 14 places below their opponents in the world rankings, created the better chances and if Yang had been more clinical it could have been a different outcome.
Having made a strong start, Germany were caught on the counter but Gu Yasha’s pass to Yang ended up in the side-netting.
China’s star player Wang Shuang – nicknamed ‘Lady Messi’ – surprisingly started on the bench but the 2015 quarter-finalists coped ably without the Paris St-Germain forward.
Yang spurned another glorious chance with a shot which hit a post after another counter as Germany struggled to impose their authority.
Top scorers in Uefa qualifying, the Germans were heading for a frustrating goalless draw when Gwinn punished China for failing to clear a corner.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Germany Women
Substitutes
China Women
Substitutes
Match Stats
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