A year before the European Championships at home, the alarm sirens are getting louder and louder. The German national soccer team failed the endurance test against Robert Lewandowski’s Poland and is still desperately looking for their tournament form.
The bitter 0: 1 (0: 1) puts the battered national coach Hansi Flick under even more pressure, despite all the oaths of allegiance, the doubts are growing.
The renewed DFB selection played dominantly, but with too little speed. The luck in the end was missing even after an increase in performance in the second half.
After his fourth defeat, Flick only has the duel with Colombia on Tuesday (8:45 p.m. / RTL) in Gelsenkirchen to create some peace and hope for the European Championship before the break until September.
Jakub Kiwior (31st) gave Poland their second victory over Germany in their 22nd duel. Top striker Lewandowski was substituted at half-time, while his colleagues defended their lead with passion and skill.
“We need results. The conviction is just not there yet, we have to get there,” said Flick on “ARD”: “We are in a phase that is not that easy, but we will get out of it.”
Nine newcomers to Flick’s starting eleven – Blaszczykowski emotionally goodbye
Flick almost completely rebuilt his team in the farewell game for former Dortmund player Jakub Blaszczykowski. Only captain Joshua Kimmich and defender Antonio Rüdiger remained in the starting line-up after the disappointing 3-3 win over Ukraine. The national coach stuck to the three-man chain, the double leadership became the sole entertainer Kai Havertz, who tried really hard.
Flick, who brought up the 20th (!) defensive formation in his 23rd international match, once again defended his system test before kick-off on “ARD”. “We don’t need to discuss a chain of three, four or five,” he said, it’s more about “putting the basics on the pitch.” So concentration and duel toughness. But here, too, there was a problem again, despite the will that was definitely there.
A debutant in a leading role should help, of all people: 21-year-old Malick Thiaw. “He’s very calm for his age and plays with a lot of self-confidence,” the national coach praised the AC Milan professional. He gave the center player in the row of three and mostly had to deal with Lewandowski. But first he stopped “Kuba” Blaszczykowski (13th) who had broken through.
Shortly thereafter, the 37-year-old was substituted as announced – true to his shirt number in the 16th minute. Both teams lined up for him, and he handed over the captain’s armband to Lewandowski to great applause from the 57,098 spectators in the national stadium. Flick took the opportunity to give his six-man duo Kimmich and Emre Can instructions.
German deep sleep at Polish corner
But breaking through the Polish defensive block was difficult despite the magic feet of Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz and Havertz on the offensive. Havertz repeatedly left the center orphaned, Musiala was agile but not very effective, Wirtz was a disappointment.
Thilo Kehrer fired the first shot on goal (23′), Havertz’s second was more dangerous (29′). Then the Poles struck at a corner, Kiwior hit with a head, Kehrer was too late. Again and again it burned ablaze with standards in the German sixteen.
After the break, Champions League finalist Robin Gosens came into play and introduced himself with a good chance, seconds later Kimmich flicked the ball onto the crossbar (both 48′). Referee Orel Grinfeeld took back an initially whistled hand penalty after studying the video (58th).
For the final phase, Flick brought in more offensive forces with Niclas Füllkrug and Leroy Sané (68th each). But German chances like those of Thiaw (78th) remained rare.