Germany W beat Norway W 4-2 at the IIHF Women's European Cup of Nations in Füssen, with goals from Voigt, Haider, Nix and Schmid making it two wins from two in Group A.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Germany took the lead within the first three minutes. After an early Norwegian penalty gave the hosts momentum, Svenja Voigt fired home from close range at 2:46 to make it 1-0, with the goal arriving just as the penalty expired.
Norway grew into the period and capitalised on a German penalty late in the first frame. Laura Kluge was sent to the box at 15:35, and Norway needed just 51 seconds — Mathea Fischer scored the powerplay equaliser at 16:26 to send the teams level at the first break.
The second period produced another goal inside the opening minute. Nicola Hadraschek-Eisenschmid carried the puck off the face-off down the right wing and set up Celina Haider, who scored from close range at 20:11 to restore Germany's lead.
Tara Schmitz hit the post for Germany at 29:27, and the missed chance proved costly. A defensive turnover in Germany's zone allowed Emilie Kruse to score the equaliser at 34:49, making it 2-2 heading into the final frame.
The Turning Point
Emily Nix's goal 51 seconds into the third period proved decisive. Haider won the puck behind the Norwegian net and found Nix in front, who scored at 40:51 to put Germany ahead 3-2. Norway, forced to chase the game, could not find a response, and Marie-Kristin Schmid sealed the win with a fine individual effort at 51:12 for the 4-2 final score.
Haider thus contributed directly to two goals — her own second-period strike and the primary assist on Nix's game-winner — making her the most influential player on the ice across the three periods.
Key Performers
Celina Haider (Germany W) — Scored Germany's second goal and set up Nix's third-period winner. Her ability to create chances from behind the net was a recurring threat Norway could not contain. Named as Player of the Match by MagentaSport commentary, though the official DEB award went to Franziska Feldmeier.
Franziska Feldmeier (Germany W) — Named Player of the Match by the DEB for her two-way work rate and relentless forechecking across all three periods.
Sandra Abstreiter (Germany W) — Starting in goal with Chiara Schultes resting after the France game, Abstreiter made key saves in the second and third periods to keep Norway at bay after each equaliser.
Mathea Fischer (Norway W) — Scored the opening Norwegian goal on the powerplay and was a persistent threat on the counter-attack.
Player of the Match: Franziska Feldmeier (Germany W)
By the Numbers — Interpreted
The period scores (1:1, 1:1, 2:0) reveal a game that was genuinely even through 40 minutes but tilted decisively in Germany's favour in the third. Both teams scored within the first minute of a period (Germany in P2 and P3; Norway scored early in P1's powerplay). The difference was Germany's ability to strike immediately after intermissions — 20:11 and 40:51 — while Norway's goals came at 16:26 and 34:49 during sustained pressure sequences.
Germany converted 2 of 4 powerplay opportunities; Norway went 1-for-3 with the man advantage. The 347 spectators at the Bundesstützpunkt Arena were approximately 20 per cent higher than the 283 who attended the opening day, reflecting growing local interest in the debut tournament.
What It Means
Germany's second consecutive win leaves them on six points at the top of Group A with one match remaining. The hosts face Hungary on Saturday (22 August, 14:30 local), with a win securing the group title outright.
Norway, still without a point after two games, face France on Saturday (11:00 local). A win there would lift them off the bottom of the group ahead of their World Championship campaign in November.
Both teams are preparing for the IIHF Women's World Championship (6-16 November 2026, Herning and Esbjerg, Denmark), where Germany are drawn in Group B alongside Sweden, Japan and Hungary, while Norway face a qualification path yet to be confirmed.
Verdict
Germany showed resilience twice — recovering from equalisers in both the first and second periods — before taking control in the third. The 4-2 scoreline accurately reflected Germany's edge across three periods, though Norway's improvement from the 8-0 Hungary loss was genuine. Two wins from two for MacLeod's side builds real momentum heading into the World Championship in November.
Germany W and Norway W have met 2 times — Germany W won 2, Norway W won 0, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2016. Germany W leads the head-to-head with 2 victories from 2 meetings. A combined 10 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 5.00 per match (8 for the home side, 2 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 1 match (50%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 2 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 2–5 in 2025.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 22 Aug 2026