National soccer team: Nagelsmann’s knowledge and a joker “on the accelerator”

Relief. Pure relief. In this emotional situation, national coach Julian Nagelsmann, the DFB heads around sports director Rudi Völler and the players around the celebrated goal joker Nadiem Amiri left the Cologne football stadium. And with a central knowledge. “We still have many steps to take,” said Nagelsmann after the tedious 3: 1 (1: 1) against Northern Ireland.

A first, small step, it was the first for group A to do the direct World Cup qualification despite the 0-2 error in Slovakia. But Nagelsmann’s new route is not to look far ahead.

“We drive well with the fact that we are now simply looking at the momentum and concentrating on the games. I find it measured after Thursday (in Bratislava), where everything was in ruins and ashes, because we won everything to do everything again,” said the 38-year-old.

“Only 50 percent satisfactory”

And rightly so. The home win meant pure damage limitation, but no turning point yet. With three points from two games, the course was only “50 percent satisfactory”, Nagelsmann summed up.

In October at home against Luxembourg and away in Northern Ireland, a 100 percent yield – i.e. six points – will follow. “It is simply important that we are now playing every game,” said Leipzig David Raum. With three points, the DFB team remains the pursuer of the Slovaks launched with six points.

Whistle for a break, applause at the end

The national coach took “many knowledge” from his 25th international game, which many of the more than 40,000 fans considered at half -time with loud whistles. After an energetic last half hour with the gates of Amiri and Florian Wirtz, there was still loud applause for the DFB kickers. “The ten minutes before the 2-1 and the ten minutes later were super good.”

It was the time when the Mainz Amiri and Dortmund Maximilian Beier sparked momentum on the offensive as a substitute. Together with the Stuttgart Jamie Leweling, who “always tried something” and the team “torn with his lust”. Match winner, however, was the 28 -year -old Amiri, who scored the 2-1 2-1 goal with his first international goal.

Leweling tears with – Amiri delivers

“Nadiem is always on the accelerator pedal, sometimes a bit too much. He always wants to win games. He came in and just felt in the mood,” Nagelsmann praised the Mainz. Without injured top players like Jamal Musiala or Kai Havertz, shadowmen like Amiri have to shoot the DFB team for the World Cup.