:quality(80)/cdn-kiosk-api.telegraaf.nl/0f490f80-ce20-11eb-bf95-0255c322e81b.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 "Own goal kills Germans against France | European Football Championship")
sport">The big schlemiel was Mats Hummels, the seasoned defender, who had been reinstated by German national team coach Joachim Löw just before the tournament after being out of the picture for a while. In an attempt to keep Kylian Mbappé from scoring, the German defender worked the ball into his own goal.
sport">It was the only goal in a game in which France and Germany did not concede much. Where in the first half the French were the most dangerous and ‘die Mannschaft’ never once fired on the French goal, in the second half Löw’s team was the most threatening.
sport">The German defenders had a hard time with the French with ball skills and that also caused a lot of irritation. Antonio Rüdiger, who had already made himself unpopular in the Champions League final with his cynical beech against Kevin De Bruyne, showed himself again from a less positive side. The masked defender made an attempt to sink his teeth into opponent Paul Pogba in a hand-to-hand fight à al Luis Suarez.
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The German Thomas Müller tries to keep Paul Pogba away.
Ⓒ BSR Agency
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sport">Under the watchful eye of future national coach Hansi Flick, who was a few rows behind Löw’s dugout, the Germans had a false start, just like at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. After ‘die Mannschaft’ stranded in the group stage at that tournament, there were voices to say goodbye to Löw, who has been at the helm of the Germans since 2006.
sport">The association decided to keep the national coach, who became world champion with the German national team in 2014, in the saddle. After the painful 6-0 defeat in the Nations League against Spain and 1-2 home defeat to North Macedonia in the World Cup, criticism of Löw was back and the DFB decided that EURO 2020 will be its last trick as national coach.
sport">After the disappointing kick-off, Germany has to work hard to prevent Löw from having to say goodbye with another deception. Initially, the Germans were unable to make a good fist against the French, who managed to put a little more pace and venom in the game.
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Ilkay Gundogan (R) competes in the air with Frenchman Lucas Hernandez.
Ⓒ AFP
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sport">In the second half there were still good opportunities for the Germans, but Serge Gnabry did not get the ball into the goal after two decent chances. With the French, Karim Benzema, the striker who returned after a long absence, and Adrien Rabiot managed to distinguish themselves positively. Benzema was able to hold the ball and a good distribution station for the French attacks, while Rabiot was able to interrupt German attacks remarkably often in midfield.
sport">Rabiot was still close to 2-0, but the Juventus midfielder hit the post. Worth mentioning was another tackle with the courage of despair of Hummels, who was passed by the French tgv Kylian Mbappé, as if he was not there, but with an extreme effort still managed to tap the ball between the legs of the striker. Mbappe didn’t have a very happy evening anyway, as both a goal by himself and a goal by Benzema were disallowed due to the French super striker’s offside.
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