Whistles in Wolfsburg
Very weak DFB team experiences nightmare against Japan
September 9, 2023, 10:38 p.m
The German national soccer team can no longer win. Coach Hansi Flick’s once again disappointing DFB team also clearly lost their World Cup revenge against Japan in Wolfsburg (1:4). Whistles are hailing, the next duel against France will be a final for Flick.
Another collapse instead of departure: Hansi Flick’s job hangs by a thread after the next Japan shock. The national coach suffered the next bitter defeat in the 1:4 (1:2) debacle of the German national football team against the World Cup scare and now has his back to the wall. Another defeat against runner-up world champion France on Tuesday (9 p.m./ARD) in Dortmund, and his days could be numbered – despite all the declarations of loyalty from the DFB leadership. For the first time in 38 years, the DFB team lost three games in a row. It was the heaviest home defeat since 2001 (1:5 against England).
Junya Ito (12th), Ayase Ueda (22nd), substitute World Cup terror Takuma Asano (90th) and Ao Tanaka (90th + 2) punished serious deficiencies in the reorganized DFB defense with right-backs in Wolfsburg and Qatar Joshua Kimmich. Leroy Sane (19th), the only bright spot in the team around new captain İlkay Gündoğan, equalized in the meantime. He was unable to prevent the fourth defeat in the last five international matches without a win, nine months before the home European Championship there is still deep helplessness instead of euphoria.
“Especially now” – probably not
Flick wanted to have his EURO framework installed. New captain, new game idea: 290 days after the World Cup opening defeat against Japan, he consistently implemented the announced changes – and ordered his previous midfield boss Kimmich back. He had “talked to Jo for a long time,” said Flick, “he does it in the interests of the team, he is an absolute team player.” But there was probably not enough training time for the conversion. The unusually bearded Kimmich, one of seven “survivors” from the starting eleven at the most recent meeting with the Blue Samurai, was strange in his role. Gündoğan was not the driver he had hoped for.
And Japan was the first to celebrate: Nico Schlotterbeck, who was completely overwhelmed, was overrun like in November, and defense chief Antonio Rüdiger couldn’t really get to it – 0-1. “Now more than ever,” was the choreographed request from the fans in the sold-out Volkswagen Arena – and the answer to the deficit came promptly. The ball reached Sane via Kimmich, who appeared in the center as planned during the build-up, Gündogan and Florian Wirtz. The Munich player interjected thoughtfully, and DFB President Bernd Neuendorf threw his right fist into the air with relief on stage.
National players complain about each other
But the joy fizzled out immediately because Schlotterbeck couldn’t get into the duel again on the left. Niklas Süle, who was welcomed back by Flick thanks to his supposedly improved fitness, could no longer get the ball and Ueda took the Japanese lead again. The eye-catching Sane prepared Jamal Musiala’s representatives Wirtz (30th) and Gündogan (33rd), who missed chances. A real target player in the penalty area was missing in the absence of the injured Niclas Füllkrug, fan critic Kai Havertz was not the needed number nine.
And so the complaining soon started, Sane complained, Kimmich complained. After Schlotterbeck’s next misfire, Marc-Andre ter Stegen prevented the score from 1:3 in a one-on-one against Ueda (41′). There were whistles at the break. Immediately after the restart, Schlotterbeck had the next misfire, ter Stegen saved again against Ueda (48th). The uncertainty was now palpable and unnecessary ball losses increased. Paper airplanes flew from the stands.
After a good hour Schlotterbeck was released, alongside Robin Gosens debutant Pascal Groß came in for the disappointing Emre Can. Japan countered dangerously. Substitute Asano from Bochum, Japan’s winning goal scorer in Qatar, missed the next top chance (70th), but scored shortly before the end. Veteran Thomas Müller also came (73′).