Convincing in the second half, Germany won in Hartford (Connecticut) 3 to 1 for the first of Julian Nagelsmann in the coach’s suit, eight months to the day of the opening match of Euro-2024 in Munich. After the humiliation against Japan (4-1) on September 9, the sidelining of Hansi Flick the next day, and the victory against France (2-1) under the interim of Rudi Völler, Germany appointed Julian Nagelsmann on September 22.
The 36-year-old Bavarian technician showed off his coaching role in the United States in the best possible way. On the field which usually serves as the setting for the UConn Huskies’ American football matches, the former coach of Bayern and RB Leipzig lined up an attacking team from the outset, including the two great hopes of German football, the midfielders Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz (both 20 years old).
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A defense that is still squeaky
In the cool autumn weather of Connecticut, Nagelsmann’s men offered fairly high pressure in the first period, but once again showed certain defensive shortcomings, struggling against the speed of the American counterattacks, notably under the leadership of Timothy Weah. On the right side of the German defense, Jonathan Tah was late on Christian Pulisic who opened the scoring shortly before the half-hour mark with a superb right-footed strike from the edge of the penalty area. , out of reach of Marc-André ter Stegen.
Of the last 18 matches played by Germany, only two ended without conceding a goal, against the modest Oman (1-0) and Peru (2-0), a sign that the Mannschaft is still in search of the right formula in defense, the biggest project for Nagelsmann until Euro-2024 (June 14-July 14).
The German equalizer came from an individual action by Leroy Sané, on his cloud since the start of the season in Bavaria. The Bayern Munich striker dribbled past part of the American defense, then leaned on Ilkay Gündogan. He came up against the American goalkeeper, but the German captain stayed in ambush to equalize in the 39th minute.
Leroy Sané
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8th goal in 10 caps for Füllkrug
Dominant in the second half, the Germans logically took control thanks to Niclas Füllkrug. All alone at the penalty spot on the edge of offside, the Dortmund striker left Matt Turner, the American goalkeeper, no chance. A providential solution to the German misery at the center forward position, Füllkrug scored his eighth goal for the selection on Saturday evening, for his 10th match, he who discovered the Mannschaft in November 2022.
Musiala consolidated Germany’s victory three minutes later, after a slalom through the American defense and a relay on Füllkrug. The Germans will try to achieve a third success in a row on Tuesday evening in Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (9:00 p.m. local, 2:00 a.m. French) against Mexico.
It will be without Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich, who is ill (fever) and who will return to Munich earlier than expected. “He has chills and a fever of 38. It doesn’t make sense that he spends all his time in his room at the hotel,” Nagelsmann explained before the meeting at the microphone of broadcaster RTL.
2023-10-14 21:23:00
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