This is encouraging at first: Led by their “Chelsea connection”, the German national soccer team started the World Cup year with a safe 2-0 (2-0) win over Israel.
240 days before the opening game of the controversial winter finals in Qatar, national coach Hansi Flick’s team raised hopes of a successful performance – Flick celebrated the eighth win in eight games under his direction.
The attackers Kai Havertz (36th) and Timo Werner (45th + 1) of the Champions League winner FC Chelsea scored for the selection of the German Football Association (DFB). Thomas Müller put a penalty kick on the post (89th), which Lukas Nmecha cleverly drew. On the other side, Kevin Trapp parried a penalty from Yonatan Cohen (90+4).
Nico Schlotterbeck complains “too many turnovers”
“All in all, it was a good performance from us for the first game in the new year,” said Werner on “ZDF”. Nico Schlotterbeck added: “We defended very well at the back. In the last quarter of an hour we lost the ball too much.”
The four-time world champion has the next chance of probation on Tuesday (8:45 p.m. / ARD) in Amsterdam in the classic against the Netherlands. The encounter is considered the first real endurance test in the Flick era.
After that, the Germans are looking forward to the draw for the World Cup preliminary round groups on Friday in Doha. The next games are not due until June, then the DFB team will have to play four times in the Nations League.
German national team dominant from the start
As expected, the hosts immediately took command in front of 25,600 spectators at Flick’s “home game” in the sold-out Sinsheim Arena. Under the eyes of the family of the national coach, who comes from the nearby Bammental, the German team could not create a real chance in the first quarter of an hour.
The Israelis around Munas Dabbur from Hoffenheim, who are ranked 77th in the world, defended for long periods with all eleven players in and around their own penalty area. Flick’s protégés, who lacked numerous fixed sizes, did not have much to think of against the defensive bulwark.
In the run-up to the game, the national coach had to cope with the cancellations of stars such as defense chief Niklas Süle, midfield boss Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka – a total of ten professionals were missing. Flick made a virtue out of necessity. He tested the players from the second row.
Nico Schlotterbeck from SC Freiburg celebrated his international debut in the center of defence. For Kimmich and Goretzka, returnees Julian Weigl and Ilkay Gündogan started as captains in central midfield, while Müller initially sat on the bench.
Break for goalkeeper Manuel Neuer
As announced, regular keeper Manuel Neuer was given a break in goal, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen started instead. The keeper still had nothing to do midway through the first half. But the Germans also lacked speed and creativity. The DFB team scored their first real chance in the 29th minute. Havertz could not overcome Israel goalkeeper Ofir Marciano. Shortly thereafter, Havertz should have scored – but failed again at Marciano (35th).
Seconds later he did better. The 22-year-old headed in from a David Raum corner and scored his eighth international goal. His London team-mate Werner followed up after a Gündogan free-kick in added time in the first half, it was his 22nd goal in the DFB dress.
At the beginning of the second half, Trapp was allowed between the posts, Müller came on for Gündogan. Julian Draxler missed the first chance in the second half after preliminary work from the agile space (49th).
After that, the Germans increased the number of strokes, more goals were in the air. Thilo Kehrer did not score (60th). Shortly thereafter, Anton Stach from FSV Mainz 05 celebrated his debut (62nd). Draxler was also unable to take his next chance (68′).