First defeat for Flick: German frustration in the Nations League

Hansi Flick was sober and angry on the sidelines in his debut defeat as national coach. Exactly two months before the first group game at the World Cup against Japan, the German national team not only gambled away the group victory in the Nations League in a 0-1 (0-1) against leaders Hungary, but also with an extremely poor performance in Leipzig Hopes for a successful tournament in Qatar shattered. The rearing up after the break fizzled out unsuccessfully.

Former Bundesliga professional Adam Szalai (34) shocked the DFB team, captained by Thomas Müller, on Friday with an artificial goal with his heel in the 17th minute after a corner kick by RB Leipzig playmaker Dominik Szoboszlai, who was also very conspicuous.

The 39,513 spectators in the sold-out Red Bull Arena saw a home team that lost possession a lot and acted unimaginatively against the compact defending Hungary in many phases. The offensive Bayern trio Müller, Leroy Sané and the replaced Serge Gnabry appeared in the national jersey as unlucky as in the club dress. Next Monday everything can only get better in Wembley against England than in the first defeat in the 14th game under Flick. Significant: It was also the first Flick game without a goal.

The DFB selection could hardly have started their hot World Cup phase more sluggishly. Without Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka, who were infected with Corona, Flick’s professionals couldn’t find their way into the game at all and remained unimaginative and harmless throughout the first half. Unlike the Hungarians. Former Bundesliga professional Szalai got the ball in front of Thomas Müller and hit it perfectly. New representative Marc-André ter Stegen could only look puzzled.

Flick’s reaction, who got up from his coach’s seat visibly annoyed, showed what he thought of the way the game went. The Hungarians defended skillfully and were simply better at this point with little effort. The German World Cup contenders couldn’t get into their rhythm, many technical errors and turnovers prevented a reasonable build-up of the game. Ter Stegen also had to save against Daniel Gazdag after the DFB selection had been caught off guard by a free kick from Hungary, who played with four Bundesliga professionals (25th).

“We want to win the Nations League,” Müller announced in the ZDF preliminary report. The 33-year-old had the first semi-promising chance with his header in the 39th minute, but RB professional Peter Gulacsi was just right in the Hungarian goal and held the ball.

The frustration of the fans was great, Leipzig’s Szoboszlai was thrown with a paper ball during the first half before taking a corner kick. At the half-time whistle, the DFB professionals heard loud whistles from the spectators, who had thought of the icon Uwe Seeler, who died in July, with emotional “Uwe” chants immediately before kick-off and after a minute’s silence.

Flick reacted with a change for the first time during the break: Gnabry had to stay out, Thilo Kehrer came into play and Jonas Hofmann went on the offensive. The order after the first unsettling 45 minutes was clear: more courage, much more clarity in the game ahead. Sané forced Gulacsi to make a strong foot defense in the 51st minute.

The DFB selection now played visibly harder and tried more and more often to rebel against the deficit with quick combinations. Werner failed after such a game against his Leipzig teammate Gulacsi (57th). The conspicuous driver Joshua Kimmich, who showed the most effort, tried a long-range shot (60th). In the 69th minute, Kai Havertz came on for Werner and Jamal Musiala for Ilkay Gündogan.

A little later, however, Ter Stegen had to save against substitute Martin Adam (72′). In the final phase, the DFB selection pushed for an equalizer, but often played too hastily. Ter Stegen also prevented the 0:2 against substitute Laszlo Kleinheisler (86th).