Nations League: Germany held by Switzerland
+++ Guten Tag, Grüezi, hello and welcome to DW’s coverage of Germany’s UEFA Nations League tie against Switzerland. Refresh for live updates +++
FULL-TIME: Germany 3-3 Switzerland
(Werner 28′, Havertz 55′, Gnabry 60′ – Gavranovic 5′ 57′, Freuler 27′)
For the second time in a week, Germany drew 3-3 in Cologne. After last week’s friendly draw against Turkey, Tuesday night’s Nations League game against Switzerland also ended all-square.
Joachim Löw responded to widespread criticism of his back-three system by switching to a back-four, but positional errors soon saw Germany fall two goals behind. First, they failed to clear a corner, allowing the unmarked Mario Gavranovic to head home. Then, Remo Freuler was afforded the freedom of the penalty area to chip over Neuer.
But Germany hit back straight away though Timo Werner, the former Stuttgart man driving into the penalty area and shooting back across goal to halve the deficit.
The hosts were level shortly after half-time when Kai Havertz intercepted a wayward Swiss pass and finished off with individual class, but Switzerland immediately restored their lead when Gavranovic fired home after Germany had again failed to clear.
Completing a flurry of goal however, Serge Gnabry immediately equalized again for Germany with a near flick of the heel from Werner’s cross.
90+3′ RED CARD – Schär (Switzerland)
89′ Draxler sends Elvedi the wrong way with a textbook step-over on the left hand side of the penalty area but when he cuts the ball back, there’s no German shirt to meet it.
85′ Seferovic fires over for Switzerland.
81′ An end-to-end attack from Germany almost puts them ahead. It begins when Goretzka wins the ball brilliantly on the edge of his own box and immediately launches the counterattack, via Gnabry on the right, who finds the advancing Draxler but the PSG man fires into the side-netting. Nice move.
77′ Double substitution for Germany:
Kai Havertz is replaced by Julian Draxler
Matthias Ginter is replaced by Emre Can
76′ Switzerland look like they could be in big trouble when Wolfsburg’s Admir Mehmedi, just on as a sub, gives away possession to Havertz, who is then held back by Schär but the referee plays advantage and Werner shoots straight at the goalkeeper.
73′ Germany break with Werner and the attack looks promising … but Werner loses possession on the left wing.
71′ Serge Gnabry sends a long-range effort straight down Yann Sommer’s throat.
70′ … but the Real Madrid one curls it over on his 100th international appearance.
69′ Kroos will have another chance after Kimmich is hacked down on the edge of the box …
63′ Toni Kroos’ free-kick fails to clear the wall.
60′ GOAL! Germany 3-3 Switzerland (Gnabry)
What a game! Toni Kroos wins possession and feeds Timo Werner on the right hand side of the Swiss box. Werner crosses low and Serge Gnabry flicks the ball past Sommer with his heel. Clever finish, all square again!
57′ GOAL! Germany 2-3 Switzerland (Gavranovic)
Germany fall behind again straight away, and once again the defense doesn’t look brilliant. First, Seferovic is played through but Neuer saves when one-on-one. But Germany don’t clear and Gavranovic follows up smash the ball into the roof of the net and restore Switzerland’s lead.
Bastian Schweinsteiger to broadcaster ARD: “The 2-2 was hugely important but the fault for the third Swiss goal lies with Antonio Rüdiger who gets dragged out of position. The center of the defense is far too open, we need to close that gap.”
55′ GOAL! Germany 2-2 Switzerland (Havertz)
€100 million and that’s why! Kai Havertz is alert to intercept a wayward Swiss pass and immediately drives at the defense and into the box before finishing right-footed across Sommer into the bottom corner.
49′ Post! Kai Havertz dances into the box and gets a shot away which hits the post. Clever play from the 21-year-old.
48′ At the other end, Werner snaps a shot over.
47′ Switzerland go straight on the attack and Zuber tests Neuer with a stinging shot from distance.
Kick-off! We’re back underway in the second half. No changes on either side.
Two German errors, two Swiss chances, two Swiss goals: a nightmare start for Joachim Löw’s team in Cologne. Fortunately, Timo Werner was on hand to halve the deficit right away, and Germany have largely dominated proceedings since. With the talent on display in midfield and up front, the chances will surely come, but Switzerland will be waiting to pounce on any more slip-ups at the back.
Bastian Schweinsteiger to broadcaster ARD: “A very interesting game against a very good team. Switzerland are defending well, timing their attacks well and exploiting our mistakes.”
Germany’s defense may have been at fault for the goals, but DW’s Jonathan Harding, reporting from Cologne, believes the bigger issue is up front:
44′ Side netting! Kroos finds a yard of space outside the box and gets a good shot away, but just wide.
42′ Kroos with his next searching throughball, this time into Goretzka, but Sommer beats the Bayern midfielder to the ball.
38′ Serge Gnabry tries to dribble his way into the Swiss box but is frustrated. Germany still with the lion’s share of possession and trying to move the ball quickly.
36′ Moments later, Gosens goes into the book for a late challenge.
35′ Close! Gosens’ forward pass initially goes astray but the Atalanta man continues his run and regains possession, shooting first time with the outside of his left foot, and Sommer has to stretch to save.
28′ GOAL! Germany 1-2 Switzerland (Werner)
Germany respond immediately! Or rather, Timo Werner responds immediately. The Chelsea striker drives at the Swiss defense and, spotting that Gnabry is offside, goes it alone in the box and screws a left-footed shot back across goal and into the bottom corner. What an important goal.
27′ GOAL! Germany 0-2 Switzerland (Freuler)
This time, Kroos’ pass is intercepted by Xhaka and Switzerland break quickly. With Rüdiger back-peddling and out of position, Freuler has time and space to chip the ball cheekily over Neuer and into the net.
25′ Toni Kroos threads a vertical pass through the eye of a needle to Werner but the former Stuttgart man can’t get a proper shot away.
24′ A spell of Swiss possession ends with Gavranovic laying the ball off to Seferovic, who could drive further forward but instead opts to shoot from distance – and it goes over. But once again, there was a gap between Ginter and Rüdiger which could have been exploited.
22′ Kimmich slices an effort wide from distance.
20′ Intricate play from Germany on the edge of the Swiss box sees Goretzka stab through to Werner, who is thwarted by a last-ditch sliding tackle. Germany now moving the ball quickly around the Switzerland half and intensifying the pressure.
15′ Another huge chance for Switzerland! This time, Manuel Neuer is as fault with a sloppy pass which is intercepted by Seferovic. But the Bayern Munich man makes amends with a save from Gavranovic. Worrying signs at the back for Germany.
14′ Germany come forward with pace after Gosens wins possession at left-back. Werner finds Goretzka, Goretzka tries to find Gnabry, but Switzerland clear for a corner, which is also cleared.
10′ Former Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger has been vocal in his criticism of Germany this week, and he’s providing expert opinion on German television this evening. He tells ARD:
“Switzerland already had one huge chance with Shaqiri, they’re making a good impression. But the problem even before the corner was that Germany tried to play their way out from the back. Sometimes, you just have to clear it.”
5′ GOAL! Germany 0-1 Switzerland
Back three? Back four? You can have a back ten but it makes no difference if you leave space like that! First, Switzerland win a corner after Shaqiri was afforded the freedom of the six-yard-box. The corner is cleared but when it is played back into the area, Gavranovic is unmarked and onside and nods a header over Neuer. Terrible defending!
3′ A promising passing move from Germany ends in Goretzka firing over from distance.
1′ Germany win an early corner which is taken short and then cleared at the near post.
Kick-off!
After a false start with Swiss players entering the center circle too early, Germany get us underway in Cologne.
Familiar foes
Apart from Silvan Widmer, who scored against Germany in Basel last month, and midfielder Remo Freuler, every other member of the Swiss team has played in the Bundesliga. Currently, Borussia Mönchengladbach duo Yann Sommer and Nico Elvedi are active in Germany’s top flight, as is Eintracht Frankfurt’s Steven Zuber.
No fans in Cologne
300 fans were in the stadium for Germany’s 3-3 draw with Turkey last week, but with the coronavirus incidence in the city of Cologne now at 66, and therefore way above the German “risk” level of 50, there are no fans at all at the RheinEnergieStadion tonight.
One important person has made it though, and that’s DW’s Jonathan Harding, hopefully keeping warm.
Milestones for Kroos Kimmich
Toni Kroos makes his 100th appearance for Germany tonight. The Real Madrid midfielder and 2014 World Cup winneris only the 16th player to reach the milestone for either West or East Germany, and draws level with Thomas Müller.
If Kroos represents the outgoing German generation, the man next to him in midfield tonight is very much one for the present and future: Joshua Kimmich makes his 50th appearance.
Team news: Germany return to back-four
After criticism from fans, media and former players of his three-at-the-back system, Joachim Löw reverts to a more familiar 4-3-3.
In front of that back four is arguably Germany’s strongest midfield and attack.
Germany XI: Neuer – Klostermann, Ginter, Rüdiger, Gosens – Kimmich, Goretzka, Kroos – Werner, Havertz, Gnabry
+++
Germany are preparing for their third game in seven days and their second Nations League fixture in four days as they welcome Switzerland to Cologne.
The two sides drew 1-1 in Basel last month in the second of what would turn out to be three consecutive draws for Joachim Löw’s team, who had to wait until Saturday night in Kiev to register their first ever Nations League win.
Cause for celebration and a degree of relaxation for the Bundestrainer? Not at all. After the 2-1 win over Ukraine, Löw responded to criticism of his team by launching into a four-minute monologue which he concluded by saying that he was able to “rise above the criticism.” Ok, Jogi.
One of the main points of discussion is Löw’s current preference for a back three, which has drawn criticism from World Cup winners Lothar Matthäus and Bastian Schweinsteiger, as well as DW’s Jonathan Harding:
Löw’s chopping and changing of his personnel (partly due to the busy coronavirus calendar, admittedly) and Germany’s habit of conceding equalizers (five altogether against Spain, Switzerland and Turkey) have also caused consternation.
But the World Cup winning coach insists that he wants to remain flexible. “I want us to be prepared for everything at Euro 2021,” he said on Monday.
As for the criticism from Matthäus and Schweinsteiger? “I understand Basti’s analysis. There are different opinions in football. If everyone was of the same opinion, it would be boring.”
Possible line-ups:
Germany (3-4-3): Neuer – Ginter, Süle, Rüdiger – Klostermann, Kimmich, Kroos, Halstenberg – Goretzka, Gnabry, Werner
Switzerland (5-3-2): Sommer – Widmer, Elvedi, Schär, Rodriguez, Benito – Sow, Xhaka, Freuler – Shaqiri, Seferovic
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/nations-league-germany-held-by-switzerland/a-55247309?maca=en-rss-en-sports-1027-xml-atom
Nations League: Germany held by Switzerland
+++ Guten Tag, Grüezi, hello and welcome to DW’s coverage of Germany’s UEFA Nations League tie against Switzerland. Refresh for live updates +++
FULL-TIME: Germany 3-3 Switzerland
(Werner 28′, Havertz 55′, Gnabry 60′ – Gavranovic 5′ 57′, Freuler 27′)
For the second time in a week, Germany drew 3-3 in Cologne. After last week’s friendly draw against Turkey, Tuesday night’s Nations League game against Switzerland also ended all-square.
Joachim Löw responded to widespread criticism of his back-three system by switching to a back-four, but positional errors soon saw Germany fall two goals behind. First, they failed to clear a corner, allowing the unmarked Mario Gavranovic to head home. Then, Remo Freuler was afforded the freedom of the penalty area to chip over Neuer.
But Germany hit back straight away though Timo Werner, the former Stuttgart man driving into the penalty area and shooting back across goal to halve the deficit.
The hosts were level shortly after half-time when Kai Havertz intercepted a wayward Swiss pass and finished off with individual class, but Switzerland immediately restored their lead when Gavranovic fired home after Germany had again failed to clear.
Completing a flurry of goal however, Serge Gnabry immediately equalized again for Germany with a near flick of the heel from Werner’s cross.
90+3′ RED CARD – Schär (Switzerland)
89′ Draxler sends Elvedi the wrong way with a textbook step-over on the left hand side of the penalty area but when he cuts the ball back, there’s no German shirt to meet it.
85′ Seferovic fires over for Switzerland.
81′ An end-to-end attack from Germany almost puts them ahead. It begins when Goretzka wins the ball brilliantly on the edge of his own box and immediately launches the counterattack, via Gnabry on the right, who finds the advancing Draxler but the PSG man fires into the side-netting. Nice move.
77′ Double substitution for Germany:
Kai Havertz is replaced by Julian Draxler
Matthias Ginter is replaced by Emre Can
76′ Switzerland look like they could be in big trouble when Wolfsburg’s Admir Mehmedi, just on as a sub, gives away possession to Havertz, who is then held back by Schär but the referee plays advantage and Werner shoots straight at the goalkeeper.
73′ Germany break with Werner and the attack looks promising … but Werner loses possession on the left wing.
71′ Serge Gnabry sends a long-range effort straight down Yann Sommer’s throat.
70′ … but the Real Madrid one curls it over on his 100th international appearance.
69′ Kroos will have another chance after Kimmich is hacked down on the edge of the box …
63′ Toni Kroos’ free-kick fails to clear the wall.
60′ GOAL! Germany 3-3 Switzerland (Gnabry)
What a game! Toni Kroos wins possession and feeds Timo Werner on the right hand side of the Swiss box. Werner crosses low and Serge Gnabry flicks the ball past Sommer with his heel. Clever finish, all square again!
57′ GOAL! Germany 2-3 Switzerland (Gavranovic)
Germany fall behind again straight away, and once again the defense doesn’t look brilliant. First, Seferovic is played through but Neuer saves when one-on-one. But Germany don’t clear and Gavranovic follows up smash the ball into the roof of the net and restore Switzerland’s lead.
Bastian Schweinsteiger to broadcaster ARD: “The 2-2 was hugely important but the fault for the third Swiss goal lies with Antonio Rüdiger who gets dragged out of position. The center of the defense is far too open, we need to close that gap.”
55′ GOAL! Germany 2-2 Switzerland (Havertz)
€100 million and that’s why! Kai Havertz is alert to intercept a wayward Swiss pass and immediately drives at the defense and into the box before finishing right-footed across Sommer into the bottom corner.
49′ Post! Kai Havertz dances into the box and gets a shot away which hits the post. Clever play from the 21-year-old.
48′ At the other end, Werner snaps a shot over.
47′ Switzerland go straight on the attack and Zuber tests Neuer with a stinging shot from distance.
Kick-off! We’re back underway in the second half. No changes on either side.
Two German errors, two Swiss chances, two Swiss goals: a nightmare start for Joachim Löw’s team in Cologne. Fortunately, Timo Werner was on hand to halve the deficit right away, and Germany have largely dominated proceedings since. With the talent on display in midfield and up front, the chances will surely come, but Switzerland will be waiting to pounce on any more slip-ups at the back.
Bastian Schweinsteiger to broadcaster ARD: “A very interesting game against a very good team. Switzerland are defending well, timing their attacks well and exploiting our mistakes.”
Germany’s defense may have been at fault for the goals, but DW’s Jonathan Harding, reporting from Cologne, believes the bigger issue is up front:
44′ Side netting! Kroos finds a yard of space outside the box and gets a good shot away, but just wide.
42′ Kroos with his next searching throughball, this time into Goretzka, but Sommer beats the Bayern midfielder to the ball.
38′ Serge Gnabry tries to dribble his way into the Swiss box but is frustrated. Germany still with the lion’s share of possession and trying to move the ball quickly.
36′ Moments later, Gosens goes into the book for a late challenge.
35′ Close! Gosens’ forward pass initially goes astray but the Atalanta man continues his run and regains possession, shooting first time with the outside of his left foot, and Sommer has to stretch to save.
28′ GOAL! Germany 1-2 Switzerland (Werner)
Germany respond immediately! Or rather, Timo Werner responds immediately. The Chelsea striker drives at the Swiss defense and, spotting that Gnabry is offside, goes it alone in the box and screws a left-footed shot back across goal and into the bottom corner. What an important goal.
27′ GOAL! Germany 0-2 Switzerland (Freuler)
This time, Kroos’ pass is intercepted by Xhaka and Switzerland break quickly. With Rüdiger back-peddling and out of position, Freuler has time and space to chip the ball cheekily over Neuer and into the net.
25′ Toni Kroos threads a vertical pass through the eye of a needle to Werner but the former Stuttgart man can’t get a proper shot away.
24′ A spell of Swiss possession ends with Gavranovic laying the ball off to Seferovic, who could drive further forward but instead opts to shoot from distance – and it goes over. But once again, there was a gap between Ginter and Rüdiger which could have been exploited.
22′ Kimmich slices an effort wide from distance.
20′ Intricate play from Germany on the edge of the Swiss box sees Goretzka stab through to Werner, who is thwarted by a last-ditch sliding tackle. Germany now moving the ball quickly around the Switzerland half and intensifying the pressure.
15′ Another huge chance for Switzerland! This time, Manuel Neuer is as fault with a sloppy pass which is intercepted by Seferovic. But the Bayern Munich man makes amends with a save from Gavranovic. Worrying signs at the back for Germany.
14′ Germany come forward with pace after Gosens wins possession at left-back. Werner finds Goretzka, Goretzka tries to find Gnabry, but Switzerland clear for a corner, which is also cleared.
10′ Former Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger has been vocal in his criticism of Germany this week, and he’s providing expert opinion on German television this evening. He tells ARD:
“Switzerland already had one huge chance with Shaqiri, they’re making a good impression. But the problem even before the corner was that Germany tried to play their way out from the back. Sometimes, you just have to clear it.”
5′ GOAL! Germany 0-1 Switzerland
Back three? Back four? You can have a back ten but it makes no difference if you leave space like that! First, Switzerland win a corner after Shaqiri was afforded the freedom of the six-yard-box. The corner is cleared but when it is played back into the area, Gavranovic is unmarked and onside and nods a header over Neuer. Terrible defending!
3′ A promising passing move from Germany ends in Goretzka firing over from distance.
1′ Germany win an early corner which is taken short and then cleared at the near post.
Kick-off!
After a false start with Swiss players entering the center circle too early, Germany get us underway in Cologne.
Familiar foes
Apart from Silvan Widmer, who scored against Germany in Basel last month, and midfielder Remo Freuler, every other member of the Swiss team has played in the Bundesliga. Currently, Borussia Mönchengladbach duo Yann Sommer and Nico Elvedi are active in Germany’s top flight, as is Eintracht Frankfurt’s Steven Zuber.
No fans in Cologne
300 fans were in the stadium for Germany’s 3-3 draw with Turkey last week, but with the coronavirus incidence in the city of Cologne now at 66, and therefore way above the German “risk” level of 50, there are no fans at all at the RheinEnergieStadion tonight.
One important person has made it though, and that’s DW’s Jonathan Harding, hopefully keeping warm.
Milestones for Kroos Kimmich
Toni Kroos makes his 100th appearance for Germany tonight. The Real Madrid midfielder and 2014 World Cup winneris only the 16th player to reach the milestone for either West or East Germany, and draws level with Thomas Müller.
If Kroos represents the outgoing German generation, the man next to him in midfield tonight is very much one for the present and future: Joshua Kimmich makes his 50th appearance.
Team news: Germany return to back-four
After criticism from fans, media and former players of his three-at-the-back system, Joachim Löw reverts to a more familiar 4-3-3.
In front of that back four is arguably Germany’s strongest midfield and attack.
Germany XI: Neuer – Klostermann, Ginter, Rüdiger, Gosens – Kimmich, Goretzka, Kroos – Werner, Havertz, Gnabry
+++
Germany are preparing for their third game in seven days and their second Nations League fixture in four days as they welcome Switzerland to Cologne.
The two sides drew 1-1 in Basel last month in the second of what would turn out to be three consecutive draws for Joachim Löw’s team, who had to wait until Saturday night in Kiev to register their first ever Nations League win.
Cause for celebration and a degree of relaxation for the Bundestrainer? Not at all. After the 2-1 win over Ukraine, Löw responded to criticism of his team by launching into a four-minute monologue which he concluded by saying that he was able to “rise above the criticism.” Ok, Jogi.
One of the main points of discussion is Löw’s current preference for a back three, which has drawn criticism from World Cup winners Lothar Matthäus and Bastian Schweinsteiger, as well as DW’s Jonathan Harding:
Löw’s chopping and changing of his personnel (partly due to the busy coronavirus calendar, admittedly) and Germany’s habit of conceding equalizers (five altogether against Spain, Switzerland and Turkey) have also caused consternation.
But the World Cup winning coach insists that he wants to remain flexible. “I want us to be prepared for everything at Euro 2021,” he said on Monday.
As for the criticism from Matthäus and Schweinsteiger? “I understand Basti’s analysis. There are different opinions in football. If everyone was of the same opinion, it would be boring.”
Possible line-ups:
Germany (3-4-3): Neuer – Ginter, Süle, Rüdiger – Klostermann, Kimmich, Kroos, Halstenberg – Goretzka, Gnabry, Werner
Switzerland (5-3-2): Sommer – Widmer, Elvedi, Schär, Rodriguez, Benito – Sow, Xhaka, Freuler – Shaqiri, Seferovic
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/nations-league-germany-held-by-switzerland/a-55247309?maca=en-rss-en-sports-1027-xml-atom