A durability test for EM devices causing excitement and concern.
With just ten days to go until the home European Championship, the national German football team is beginning to feel the pressure. They had a successful atmosphere in their recent test match against Ukraine, but their play was less impressive. One standout player is Maxi Beier, a DFB youngster who is causing quite a stir.
Beier might have been happy to put the national coach in a tricky situation. Nagelsmann can only bring 26 players to the home European Championship, so someone has to go home. However, with so many options, no nominated players seem to be in danger of being dropped. In fact, Beier was one of the players who could have had concerns, as there are already too many attackers. But after the 0:0 draw against Ukraine, his chances of making the cut looked slimmer.
However, the very same Beier, who was shining at the Nuremberg Max-Morlock-Stadium and mocking Thomas Müller's video game skills, has now caught the attention of the national team. The 21-year-old, similar in style to Müller, made a name for himself during the Bundesliga season at TSG Hoffenheim and now with his debut in the national team. Nagelsmann gave Beier the task of "disruptor" in his system, causing chaos in the opposing defense.
His plan worked: the substitution in the 59th minute kicked the DFB team's attacking efforts into high gear. Beier had two chances to make the crowd burst into song with the new anthem "Major Tom", but he missed both of them. His first shot hit the inner post of the Ukrainian goal, while his next one was parried brilliantly by goalkeeper Anatolij Trubin. Beier felt proud to have been given a chance, he said later.
The game was epic, with an electric atmosphere building up even before kick-off. There was singing, the Federal Chancellor was booed, and the crowd was thrilled by the back and forth of the match. The Ukrainian team and their fans were warmly welcomed, with many supporters wearing both Germany jerseys and Ukraine scarves.
It wasn't all smooth sailing, though. The DFB team started strongly, with captain Ilkay Gündoğan missing his chance to take the lead in the 15th minute. Nagelsmann's team dominated the game, pinning the Ukrainians back into their own 18-yard box. But this isn't the first time the Germans have faced a team trying to stifle their attack, as their group opponents Scotland, Hungary, and Switzerland will probably do the same.
Serhij Rebrow's Ukrainian team played defensively, engaging in many one-on-one battles and taking several shots on goal. They were trying to become a threat to the DFB team in counter-situations, and relied heavily on Chelsea player Mychajlo Mudryk. The German defense was tested early on, with Maximilian Mittelstadt and Jonathan Tah stepping up to the challenge.
Nagelsmann had to make some changes due to injuries. BVB midfielder Niclas Füllkrug was absent, and the German team's previous problem of wasting chances resurfaced, with the Germans squandering chance after chance. The team managed 27 shots on goal, but none of them found the net. The audience remained surprisingly patient throughout the match, only mascot Paule getting agitated at the end and standing with her wings open behind the coaches' benches.
During a recent football game, almost on the brink of its end, Neuer comes close to preventing his earlier mistake. Soon before the match concluded, astonishment wasn't just caused by Neuer's recuperation of his damaged arm, but also due to many bewildered faces. A brief pass from Mudryk to Mittelstadt on the left side was supposedly for Neuer, but the ball wound up on Roman Yaremchuk's head. Since Neuer was near the midfield at that point, the ball ended up in an offside position. Although Neuer attempted to grab the ball with his arm, a whistle halted him. However, Neuer clarified that he hadn't observed the Ukrainian.
These events have sparked further queries: Lately, there were talks about Neuer, resulting from his recent absences in Bayern games. The fleeting moment of dread, devoid of significant consequences, won't silence the disputes. Initially, Neuer proved why his absence in the last 1.5 years was so painfully felt. Facing Roman Yaremchuk, he displayed strength, and, arguably more crucial, frequently directed the German defense through interactions with the national coach.
What's our takeaway from this? Should this outcome be considered a morale boost in preparation for the Euros or a discouragement that arrived too late? "We've thoroughly convinced ourselves," Neuer remarks on the matter. "In terms of defense, we held up well, one could even say it was stable." Matchwinner Beier shares the sentiment, saying it was disheartening not to secure the win. Despite this, the national coach is content: "The most crucial sign is that I see a team that is determined to win. Today, we wanted to win. We demonstrated this. We had excellent 20 minutes in both halves. If we had scored the 1:0, the second or third goal would also have followed." At the Euros, a single goal is needed, possibly scored by Beier.
Read also:
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- Prodigies of sport: Littler's predecessors
- Nagelsmann's announcement: A restless Christmas for national team players
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