2024-06-08 03:58:44
The DFB crew is barely slowly stepping into form for the European Championship. Within the second and final check match earlier than the house match, nonetheless, they managed to win.
They needed to enter the opening match of the European Championship in opposition to Scotland subsequent Friday with a win – and that labored. The German nationwide crew narrowly gained 2-1 in opposition to Greece within the final pleasant match earlier than the European Championship on house soil.
However there are new worries as a result of common goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made one other mistake. Earlier than Giorgos Masouras made it 0-1 (thirty fourth minute), he let the ball bounce off the objective and the Greek striker solely needed to push it in. The DFB crew improved considerably within the second half, with Kai Havertz scoring first (56th minute), and substitute Pascal Groß scoring shortly earlier than the top (89th minute).
The sobering efficiency within the first half should have given Nagelsmann one thing to consider. In entrance of 45,488 spectators within the sold-out Borussia Park, the nationwide coach fielded precisely the identical beginning lineup that can even play on the European Championships. And which he himself says he selected a number of weeks in the past.
However so long as Nagelsmann’s dream crew was on the pitch, they lacked every thing they would want for a profitable house match for 45 minutes: pace, depth, ball management and, above all, any type of European Championship pleasure. The Greeks have been defeated within the European Championship playoffs in March by the intense underdog Georgia. However on Friday night it appeared at instances as in the event that they have been about to start out an vital match – and never the European Championship hosts.
The objective conceded within the thirty third minute was emblematic of the German crew’s lengthy, sluggish efficiency, which was extraordinarily susceptible to errors, particularly within the build-up to the sport: Jamal Musiala misplaced the ball after an inaccurate go from Jonathan Tah. And on the finish of the chain of errors, goalkeeper Neuer additionally made a mistake for the second time this 12 months. The 38-year-old let a innocent shot from Christos Tzolis bounce proper to the toes of Masouras. And the striker, who has additionally been linked with Hertha BSC, solely pushed the ball in from a couple of meters away.
This severe lapse by Neuer even overshadowed a world-class transfer with which he had prevented the Greeks from taking a fair earlier lead within the sixth minute. The Bayern keeper saved twice from shut vary in opposition to Tzolis, who was attacking for Fortuna Düsseldorf.
This time, too, the start line was a really dangerous and fully unsuccessful cross go from Musiala in midfield. Such errors in giant numbers – that was the sample within the German recreation for half a time. Some spectators even whistled for half-time – and the nationwide coach reacted to the weak efficiency by substituting Leroy Sané and David Raum. These measures had a double impact. Firstly, the entire crew not less than confirmed a response. Secondly, Bayern striker Sané particularly revived the beforehand ineffective offense.
The 28-year-old arrange the equalizer from center-forward Havertz’s sixteenth worldwide objective on the best aspect of the assault. Sané can also be not less than not directly liable for the truth that the fourth goalkeeper Alexander Nübel and no different discipline participant have been dropped from the German European Championship squad earlier than the sport. “We now have a couple of uncertainties with Leroy, the place we do not know precisely how a lot pressure he can tolerate over the match,” Nagelsmann stated on RTL. “We now have to react somewhat to that.”
In opposition to the Greeks, nonetheless, Sané confirmed his function as one of many few gamers who can nonetheless actually compete with the regulars on the European Championships. The Bayern star is a potential various to Florian Wirtz, as he was on Friday night. Or as a possible quantity ten for captain İlkay Gündoğan, who was quickly invisible this time and is as soon as once more unfamiliar with this function.