Still without a win in Nations League: Annoying penalty costs DFB-Elf the EM revenge

Still winless in Nations League
Annoying penalty costs DFB-Elf the EM revenge

The German national football team controls the Nations League duel with England over long distances and also takes the lead. Shortly before the final whistle, however, the video assistant points out a foul – and the European runner-up equalizes with a penalty. Both teams remain without a win on the second matchday.

An annoying penalty cost Hansi Flick his first win against a big opponent on his return to Munich. In the 1:1 (0:0) in the football classic against England, the extremely rebuilt German national team was on course for victory for a long time thanks to Jonas Hofmann’s third international goal (51st minute). Then Nico Schlotterbeck acted unhappily against Harry Kane in the penalty area. After video evidence, England’s captain safely converted from the point against the otherwise invincible Manuel Neuer (88th).

“It’s bitter to concede this equalization, extremely stupid,” said Hofmann on ZDF: “But we created good chances, were active – that was a decent game.” In the second Nations League game, the German team did not only seem to be able to get revenge for the EM end a year ago against England. Despite the late equalizer, it was an important signal for the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year.

Germany 1-1 England (0-0)

Germany: Neuer/Bayern Munich (36 years/111 internationals) – Klostermann/RB Leipzig (25/17), Rüdiger/FC Chelsea (29/52), Schlotterbeck/SC Freiburg (22/3), Raum/TSG Hoffenheim (24/7 ) – Kimmich/Bayern Munich (27/66), Gündogan/Manchester City (31/58) from 83. Sané/Bayern Munich (26/44) – Hofmann/Borussia Mönchengladbach (29/12) from 65. Gnabry/Bayern Munich (26/33), Müller/Bayern Munich (32/114) from 75. Goretzka/Bayern Munich (27/43), Musiala/Bayern Munich (19/13) from 65. Werner/FC Chelsea (26/51) – Havertz/Chelsea (22/27); Trainer: flick
England: Pickford/Everton (28 years/45 internationals) – Walker/Manchester City (32/67), John Stones/Manchester City (28/58), Maguire/Manchester United (29/44), Trippier/Newcastle United (31/ 36) – Saka/Arsenal FC (20/16) from 80. Bowen/West Ham United (25/2), Mount/Chelsea FC (23/29) from 72. Grealish/Manchester City (26/22), Rice/ West Ham United (23/31) – Phillips/Leeds United (26/21) from 14. Bellingham/Borussia Dortmund (18/14), Kane/Tottenham Hotspur (28/71), Sterling/Manchester City (27/75) ; Trainer: Southgate
Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande (Spain)
Gates: 1: 0 Hofmann (50th), 1: 1 Kane (88th, penalty after video evidence)
Viewers: 66,289 (sold out, in Munich)
Yellow card: Schlotterbeck –

Flick, unbeaten even after the eleventh game as national coach, is progressing on the mission “back to the top of the world”. After the 1-1 draw in the Netherlands in March and the 1-1 draw in Italy, it was the third 1-1 in a row. “We showed a great game, but unfortunately we didn’t reward ourselves,” complained Flick on ZDF.

66,289 spectators in the sold-out arena saw football at a high tactical level. The pace and intensity were right. And Gladbach’s Hofmann’s goal came from a fine combination of initiator Kai Havertz and passer Joshua Kimmich. Germany dominated after the lead, Thomas Müller missed the 2-0 (70th) after a cross from David Raum, as did substitute Timo Werner (75). Captain Neuer initially spectacularly prevented the equalizer as a strong support against Kane (76th). With two points, the DFB selection now goes into the next game on Saturday (8.45 p.m. / RTL and in the live ticker on ntv.de) in Budapest against Hungary.

The desire for “intensity” is fulfilled

Flick called his starting XI conversion to seven positions “not a consequence of the Italy game”, but justified it much more as a sensible distribution of the load. “We have four games after a long season,” said the 57-year-old ex-Bayern coach.

Nevertheless, the line-up was a sign that there is only one small untouchable axis with him, consisting of captain Manuel Neuer in goal, defense chief Antonio Rüdiger, boss six Kimmich and Thomas Müller as leader of the offensive. The newcomers to the team also brought in the “intensity” that Flick missed for long stretches in the 1-1 draw against European champions Italy at the start of the Nations League.

Both teams watched and fought each other attentively. The Spanish referee Carlos del Cerro Grande let a lot go, hardly whistled off a duel. There was hardly any room in the center of midfield in particular. The DFB-Elf often tried it via the agile flank runner space.

Pickford fists past, late beat Neuer

İlkay Gündoğan was a skilled distributor of the ball against his Premier League counterparts. Youngster Jamal Musiala also delighted the audience with his smooth movements and courageous dribbles. But England – with ten men left from the 2-0 win of the European Championship round of 16 in Wembley a year ago – were massed and often played long balls forward. But the German defense around Rüdiger was good.

The penalty areas often remained restricted areas. When Hofmann ran alone towards England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford after a long shot by Nico Schlotterbeck and scored the goal, the video assistant conceded the 1-0 for offside (23rd). Musiala shot too central into Pickford’s arms from 14 meters (45′). Neuer also had to prove his class for the first time, with the 36-year-old parrying a shot from Arsenal striker Bukayo Saka (45+1.) with his right fist.

Flick’s team picked up the reward for the more active style of play after the change of sides. Havertz playfully opened up the space in which Kimmich then found Hofmann as a passer, who crowned the fine move with his third goal in the national jersey. Pickford cut a bad figure, punching the ball past. Goalkeeper class, on the other hand, showed Germany’s number 1 a short time later when Neuer parried a powerful shot from Mason Mount with a flying insert. The game went back and forth before Schlotterbeck got in the penalty area and the English equalized.

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