Having been awarded a first call-up to the full Germany squad, life on the international stage got off to a winning start for Shekiera Martinez, as the two-time world champions battled to a hard-fought 1-0 win over France in the first-leg of their UEFA Women’s Nations League semi-final.
Bayern Munich’s Klara Bühl tucked in the decisive goal late in the second half, as Christian Wück’s side stood firm to take a slender advantage into Tuesday’s second leg at Stade Michel-d'Ornano in Caen, where our No19 will hope to make her debut, having been an unused substitute in Düsseldorf.
Eva Nyström and Oona Siren both played 90 minutes for Finland in the first-leg of their UEFA Women’s Nations League A/B play-off tie with Denmark, but fell to a 6-1 defeat at Tammelan Stadion.
In a breathless first-half, the visitors raced into a 3-0 lead through strikes from former Hammer Emma Snerle, Sofie Svava and Pernille Harder, and the hill to climb got much steeper when Harder added her second - and Denmark’s fourth - midway through the second-half.
Substitute Sara Holmgaard added Denmark’s fifth, quickly followed by Lotta Lindström’s consolation for Finland - assisted by Siren - before Holmgaard rounded off the evening with her side’s sixth.
The reverse fixture will take place on Tuesday 28 October at 5pm GMT at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.
Elsewhere, Halle Houssein’s Turkey won their UEFA Women’s Nations League B/C play-off 4-0 against Kosovo.
Houssein was an unused substitute at Pristina City Stadium, where a first-half brace from Kader Hançar and a Melike Pekel strike - assisted by Hançar - saw Necla Güngör Kırağası’s side establish a commanding 3-0 lead.
A fine evening's work was completed when substitute Busem Şeker added a fourth after 81 minutes - as the visitors took a big step towards promotion to League A.
Our No33 and her team-mates will look to finish the job off on Tuesday 28 October at Göztepe Gürsel Aksel Stadı.