Germany defeats Czechia in IIHF Women’s World Championship

The German women’s national ice hockey team secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship by defeating Czechia 2:1 in a penalty shootout. The match, held in Esbjerg, Denmark, remained tied at 1:1 through regulation and overtime.

Lilli Welcke scored the opening goal for Germany just 75 seconds into the first period following a pass from Celina Strobel. Czechia equalized in the 11th minute when Linda Vocetkova scored after a deflection off her skate.

Despite several scoring opportunities for both sides and strong performances from goaltenders Sandra Abstreiter for Germany and Peslarová for Czechia, neither team could find a winner during regulation or overtime. In the shootout, Lilli Welcke scored the decisive penalty to seal the victory for the team coached by Jeff MacLeod.