Worry about Schlotterbeck
©IMAGO
Top joker Deniz Undav shot the German national team to a hard-earned victory in the first real World Cup endurance test and thus booked their ticket to the knockout round early. Undav scored the important equalizer in the 68th minute – and in the late injury time (90th + 4) he ensured that national coach Julian Nagelsmann celebrated the victory in Toronto with the winning goal to make it 2-1 (0-1) against the Ivory Coast.
After the embarrassments in 2018 and 2022, the DFB team reached the all-or-nothing phase after just two group games for the first time since the summer fairy tale of 2006. As in the home tournament 20 years ago, it’s all about first place against Ecuador at the end of the group phase. It seemed lost after falling behind.
Frank Kessié shocked World Cup record goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and the DFB selection in front of 43,036 spectators in Toronto with his goal in the 30th minute. After a great fight and a lot of effort, but also many mistakes against the physically extremely strong Ivorians, the eleventh win in a row was achieved.
Even after emotions have won, the proclaimed intermediate goal is still not entirely certain. First place and the associated best route to the all-or-nothing games in Boston and Philadelphia can now be secured with a draw against Ecuador. Nagelsmann now has intensive days ahead of him in the World Cup camp in Winston-Salem before the group phase is to be completed perfectly on Thursday in the final stadium in East Rutherford.
As a concern, the national coach is taking Nico Schlotterbeck’s left leg injury with him to North Carolina. The Dortmund player had to be substituted for Antonio Rüdiger at half-time.
Six days after the 7-1 bang start to the XXL tournament against sparring partner Curaçao, it was clear from the start that the 2024 African champions would be a completely different World Cup test. The eleven players lined up by Nagelsmann around the stimulating figure Leroy Sané started the game dominantly and self-confidently, just like at the start. But the respect for the tempo test against the powerful footballers was omnipresent.
“What is always extraordinary is the speed they bring,” warned DFB sports director Rudi Völler shortly before kick-off. When Africa took the lead on the shores of Lake Ontario, Leipzig turbo attacker Yan Diomande impressively demonstrated this after starting problems during his preparatory work.
In the smallest of the 16 World Cup stadiums, there wasn’t much missing when it came to acoustic home advantage – and Nagelsmann could only have celebrated his previous lead shortly after his 1000-day anniversary. After a nice cross from captain Joshua Kimmich, vice-captain Kai Havertz almost scored with his head. Goalkeeper Yahia Fofana scraped the ball just off the line. The long-range shots from Jamal Musiala (18th) and Felix Nmecha (21st) also came dangerously close to the goal.
A minute after Nmecha’s attempt, the ball was in the opponent’s goal to the exuberant celebrations of the German delegation. Aleksandar Pavlovic jumped energetically to the ball after a Kimmich cross – but didn’t hit the ball, only goalkeeper Fofana. Referee Juan Gabriel Benitez from Paraguay considered this to be against the rules.
The German World Cup ensemble took an even harder hit after the first drinking break when they lost 1-0. Diomande fired the turbo to the left, Kimmich couldn’t compensate for the speed deficit with his other class. After Diomande’s cross pass, Nathaniel Brown made a sensational save on Amad’s first shot, and on captain Kessié’s second attempt, he and Manuel Neuer were powerless in the German goal at the end of a chain of errors from the German defense.
The fact that Neuer didn’t keep a clean sheet again in his 21st World Cup appearance, which made him the only record goalkeeper ahead of Frenchman Hugo Lloris, bothered him. The fact that the momentum of the game changed again after a drinking break is likely to be a source of discussion. As if the German fans had suspected it: there were boos and whistles at the start of the drinking break.
Driven by the very energetic Bayern director Jamal Musiala, the DFB team needed some time to regain their strength after the decisive goal. Musiala initiated the next German goal through Havertz. But because of a previous foul by Musiala on former Leverkusen player Odilon Kossounou, this goal didn’t count either.
When the Paraguayan referee didn’t whistle after a tackle on Musiala, Nagelsmann raged on the sidelines. The 38-year-old was obviously angry about Benitez’s decisions. But he wasn’t happy with his own team’s performance either. At least the effort was right – even with Sané, who Nagelsmann stuck to despite a lot of criticism. The Galatasaray Istanbul winger worked diligently towards the back. However, the former Munich player did not collect any offensive positive points.
Against the high-speed offensive forces from West Africa, Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck’s injury thwarted Nagelsmann’s personnel plans. The 26-year-old, who had to be treated during the first half, did not return to the pitch after the break due to knee problems. Real-Kraft Rüdiger came for him.
But the 33-year-old, who has extended his contract in Madrid, also got a taste of the Ivorians’ attacking strength. The four-time World Cup participant, who had never reached a knockout stage before, now took command.
After an hour, Nagelsmann provided a successful impulse with a triple substitution. Undav and, surprisingly, Jamie Leweling and Amiri came for Pavlovic, Musiala and Sané. Against the West Africans, who had not conceded a goal in the entire World Cup qualification and in the 1-0 opening win against Ecuador, a header from Havertz just missed the goal after a Fofana mistake (64′).
Then finally Nagelsmann was able to clench his fist in celebration when a co-production by his jokers ensured the celebrated equalizer. Undav coldly converted Amiri’s cross to make it 1-1 and even scored the winning goal in stoppage time. The Stuttgart player expanded his top quota as a super joker to nine goals in eleven international matches. The 29-year-old applied to be promoted to the starting eleven against Ecuador.
