Germany – Netherlands 2:1 (1:1)
In the German national football team’s first home game in the 2024 European Championship, the DFB selection welcomed the Netherlands in Frankfurt. Last Saturday’s friendly win against France sparked euphoria. At least the 2-0 result in the Toni Kroos comeback gave rise to hopes for the home European Championship. Now it was up to the national team to confirm this.
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After a minute’s silence for the deceased DFB legends Franz Beckenbauer and Andreas Brehme, the game began in the new fashion-conscious jersey, which was worth seeing and fast-paced. National coach Julian Nagelsmann did not change the starting line-up compared to the game in Lyon and used: Ter Stegen, Kimmich, Rüdiger, Tah, Mittelstädt, Andrich, Kroos, Musiala, Gündogan, Wirtz and Havertz.
Street direction home European Championship
“We have turned into the direction of the home European Championship, so we want to continue there,” said Nagelsmann before the game.
After just four minutes, Germany fell behind. After a pass that was too weak, or one could also say a mistake, from left-back Maximilian Mittelstädt to Jonathan Tah, Memphis Depay got to the ball and lobbed it into the German penalty area for Joey Veerman, who skillfully and confidently converted with a volley. Mittelstädt was immediately encouraged, as the ball had just hit behind current goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen. The Stuttgart player had a strong game against France.
After the setback, the DFB team continued to play forward with concentration and clarity. Already in the eleventh minute it was Mittelstädt who was able to equalize to make it 1-1. In his second international match, the current left-back got the ball 18 meters in front of the goal and shot straight away. The hard-hit ball dropped just in front of the goal and hit the inside of the crossbar unstoppably and then into the goal. The goal anthem “Major Tom” by Peter Schilling was heard “completely detached…” in Frankfurt’s Waldstadion.
Ball control and possession
Until the half-time whistle, the national team impressed above all with ball control and possession. With many short passes, Germany had the ball in their own ranks up to 70 percent of the time in the first half. Nevertheless, it didn’t look as if the DFB team would turn the game around in the first half. After a free kick for the Netherlands and a header from Matthijs de Ligt in the 32nd minute, İlkay Gündoğan cleared a ball that Donyell Malen would otherwise have sent over the goal line.
After the break things continued unchanged, but a little calmer. In the 57th minute, Dutchman Tijjani Reijnders missed what was supposed to be a sure chance and twisted the ball so that it flew past the goal. In the 76th minute, Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made a save to prevent German ten-man Jamal Musiala from turning the game around. In the final phase of the game, Germany increased the pressure. It looked like it was only a matter of time before the score was 2-1. In the 85th minute it was substitute Niclas Füllkrug who pushed the ball into the goal with his shoulder after a sharp corner from Toni Kroos.
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The German national soccer team won again, although they didn’t remain goalless, but continued to show significant improvements compared to the time before the game in Lyon.
“The spirit of the team is very good. We have a good mix,” said national coach Nagelsmann in an interview after the game. Above all, it shows that “we want to win a game like this.” Nagelsmann only had criticism for the slippery Frankfurt pitch, which he also partly blamed for the early deficit.
“It’s an indescribable feeling,” said Maximilian Mittelstädt after his first home game for the German national team. “You can tell that something is happening here, that the euphoria is growing.”
In the German national football team’s first home game in the 2024 European Championship, the DFB selection welcomed the Netherlands in Frankfurt. Last Saturday’s friendly win against France sparked euphoria. At least the 2-0 result in the Toni Kroos comeback gave rise to hopes for the home European Championship. Now it was up to the national team to confirm this.
After a minute’s silence for the deceased DFB legends Franz Beckenbauer and Andreas Brehme, the game began in the new fashion-conscious jersey, which was worth seeing and fast-paced. National coach Julian Nagelsmann did not change the starting line-up compared to the game in Lyon and used: Ter Stegen, Kimmich, Rüdiger, Tah, Mittelstädt, Andrich, Kroos, Musiala, Gündogan, Wirtz and Havertz.
