Chile’s goalkeeper was named Player of the Match against USA
Christiane Endler reveals her pleasure and pain over the match
She was voted Best Goalkeeper last season in France’s D1 Feminine
By Cecilia Lagos with Chile
When you lose a game 3-0, but the Player of the Match is your goalkeeper, then it is safe to assume their performance was spectacular. That was unquestionably the case with Christiane Endler during Chile’s defeat to USA at the Parc des Princes in Paris. Time and time again, the 27-year-old pulled off extraordinary saves to prevent an even bigger margin of defeat.
“I’m sad that we lost, but satisfied with my own display," Endler told FIFA afterwards. "How we perform as a team is always more important than as individuals. I’m satisfied as somehow I was able to help the team during certain passages of the game.
“I prepared really extensively to be at my best coming into this World Cup, so I have mixed feelings right now. However, I’m pleased with the way I played, above all here in this stadium, which is like a home to me.”
The Paris Saint-Germain No1, and recipient of this year’s Goalkeeper of the Season award in France’s Division 1 Feminine, had this message after being named Player of the Match against the world champions: “For us, being here [at a World Cup] for the first time is very important.
"We’re opening doors for other girls who want to take up women’s football in Chile and showing them that there are places where women’s football is valued. We’re also striving to bring about better conditions in Chile and a professional league one day so that we’re afforded a little more importance there."
Despite losing to Sweden and USA, Chile could still qualify for the Round of 16 at this FIFA Women’s World Cup™ as one of the four best third-placed teams if they beat Thailand.
“We want to beat Thailand and won’t settle for anything less than a win," said Endler. "That’s what we’ve been working for. We’re going to give it everything in the final group game, regardless of whether we have a chance to progress or not. We’re aiming for three points and hopefully a sizeable winning margin.”
As team leader, world-class goalkeeper and role model to thousands of young girls, Tiane Endler is certainly daring to shine at France 2019.
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