Germany’s U21 national team suffered a setback in the European Championship qualification – there was only a draw against Kosovo.
Due to the 0-0 draw on Friday (March 22nd, 2024) in the stadium on Gellertstrasse in Chemnitz, Germany lost the lead in Group D to Poland (15 points) with 13 points. However, Poland played one more game.
Only the nine group winners and the three best runners-up in the qualifying groups make it directly to the 2025 European Championship in Slovakia. The six worse runners-up in the group play against three other participants in the playoffs. “That hurts a lot,” said national coach Antonio Di Salvo on the broadcaster ProSieben Maxx: “We certainly imagined something completely different. We wanted to start the year with a win, that’s very bitter.” On Tuesday, Germany will face Israel in Halle (Saale) at 6 p.m., Poland will play against Bulgaria at 3 p.m.
Too little made of the superiority
The Di Salvo team was clearly the better team in front of 6,899 spectators, but they didn’t make enough of their superiority. As in the first leg (3-0), when it was 0-0 until the 74th minute, the German team was hardly dangerous, with Borussia Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko hanging in the air at the top. In addition, Colin Kleine-Bekel was injured early on and the Holstein Kiel defender was only able to leave the pitch supported by the support staff.
Noah Kleine-Bekel (center)
Rettig criticized: “Playing too slowly”
Despite the great superiority, far too little success was achieved in the forward movement; semi-dangerous situations were more a product of chance than the result of our own creativity. “We’re not doing particularly well, unfortunately that has to be said. We’re playing too slowly,” said DFB managing director Andreas Rettig during the break. Captain Eric Martel (1. FC Köln) criticized on the ARD microphone that the team had “not found any solutions”. The team “should have made better use of” its chances.
Sports show, March 22, 2024 8:50 p.m
Things got better in the second half and the chances increased. Jamil Siebert from Fortuna Düsseldorf was denied from a distance by Kosovo’s goalkeeper (57′), Merlin Röhl (SC Freiburg) shot over the goal from close range (59′), as did Moukoko shortly afterwards (64′).
In the final phase the game became a one-goal game, with Germany running more and more desperately. Substitute Nick Woltemade from Werder Bremen also failed (76th).
Sports show, March 22, 2024 8:50 p.m
2024-03-22 21:22:30
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