Germany stumbled towards the early EM exit into the final phase of the Hungary game. Then Joker Leon Goretzka struck.
Super joker Leon Goretzka led the German national team into the European Championship round of 16 in a nerve-wracking trembling game. The team of national coach Joachim Löw won 2: 2 (0: 1) after two defeats in the most adverse Fritz Walter weather against Hungary, which was enough for the jump into the knockout round.
The very uninspired German team needed one half to digest the shock of the 0: 1 by Adam Szalai (11th). There was a risk of a disaster like at the 2018 World Cup and an embarrassing goodbye for Löw after 15 years in office – but then the redemption: Kai Havertz (66th) and Goretzka (84th) turned everything into good. Andras Schäfer (68th) scored again for Hungary just 15 seconds after the 1-1 draw.
Matsh Hummels hits the bar
The rain had been pouring down incessantly for a long time when the first competitive duel between the two nations since the legendary World Cup final in Bern in 1954 (3-2) was kicked off. Thomas Müller was out of trouble, and very painfully, as it turned out, but Löw threw Leroy Sane into the game for the first time from the start.
“He’s dying for this chance. He’s got all the qualities on the offensive – if he calls it up, it’s world class,” said the national coach. It was the only change compared to the starting XI against France (0: 1) and Portugal (4: 2). So Germany played again in 3-5-2 with the high full-backs Robin Gosens (left) and Joshua Kimmich (right), who were also aiming for the Hungarian baseline. Kimmich had the first big chance (4th), Sane had a hard time.
Hungary offered far fewer rooms than Portugal. Standards that had brought little danger in the course of the tournament should help: Antonio Rüdiger missed the first good free-kick cross, later Hummels headed from the right corner from the crossbar (21st).
Löw cheered on his team in a white rain jacket, but was horrified to see how a perfect cross from the opponent caused the third deficit in the third game: Hungary’s captain Szalai of Mainz 05 had lurked between Mats Hummels and Matthias Ginter, who had previously received a ball from the half-field had an accident.
The German race starts again
The mostly right-wing path into the Hungarian penalty area remained rocky. Ginter was delivered again and again, Kai Havertz stepped into the depths, which Gosens, hero of the Portugal game, did not know how to use (16.). Hungary’s Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi (22nd) then cleared Ginter – the DFB-Elf was virtually bottom of the table in Group F.
The rain got worse, crushing dominance? Nothing. Löw had expected that in the outer positions, but far too little came out of the half positions. Hungary seemed more snappy and accepted the extremely adverse conditions much better. Loew stood in the rain with a towel over his arm, his plan A failed. After Havertz’s missed shot there were even the first whistles: Germany did not get into the dangerous areas.
Löw hesitated with changes and adjustments, then he brought force for elegance: Leon Goretzka took over the place from Ilkay Gündogan in midfield, Kimmich moved into the center in a row of three, Sane defended at the back right.
Good news came from Budapest, France turned their game against Portugal after a deficit – in Munich, on the other hand, the familiar picture: Apart from half-baked flanks, little happened in front until Gulacsi misjudged himself and Havertz was there. The shock came just 15 seconds later when Sane duped into an unknown position. The race to equalize started all over again.
After the heated discussions in the run-up to the game, it was pretty quiet around the game. A speedster with a DFB jersey and a rainbow flag tried to disrupt the Hungarian national anthem – apart from a few arrests, according to the police, it was otherwise peaceful.
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
