Germany concludes its Nations League group stage run perfect with another wi — wait, is that a handball? Oh.
Dead rubber, hit the road
Well. At least the meaningless matches are over for a while.
The Nations League was never the glitziest of competitions, but Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann treated it seriously and had his team amped up and ready to go — with an eye on the FIFA 2026 Men’s World Cup. Still, with top spot in the group locked up after last Saturday’s 7-0 blasting of Bosnia and Herzegovina…there is only so much motivation for any group to muster.
Significant changes to the XI (except for Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich — why, why, why?) did nothing to help the rhythm either. But the Germans were off all night. From back passes that nearly went out of bounds to attacks that just would not stitch together, it was simply that kind of night. You get the feeling Nagelsmann will just be happy that his team got out healthy, and some of the lesser-used players in the side got a chance to strut their stuff.
The next international period is now not until March.
Credit to Hungary
As much as Germany did not look up for it, Hungary deserves credit here too. Germany has shown under Nagelsmann that if you aren’t careful, they will simply blow you apart.
Note that Bosnia and Herzegovina drew 1-1 to the Netherlands today. This Hungary team is not exactly a powerhouse, but they had all hands on deck. Defensively, they were sharp. When German chances came, they were everywhere — blocking, deflecting, intercepting. It is no accident Germany ended up with only three shots on target all game and 12 overall, from a whopping 72% possession.
Offensively, and on the counter, Hungary looked — well, hungry. Though they didn’t get too many opportunities, they had the Germans under pressure every chance they got. From 28% possession they wrung 16 shots and six on target. Numbers aren’t everything, but that tells you a bit about the Hungarian efficiency against a smart but tested German structure today.
Credit goes especially to Liverpool FC star Dominik Szoboszlai. The dynamic midfielder stood out as the Hungarian danger man, ready to carve Germany open if ever he was to be given the slightest opening. It was Szoboszlai who created Roland Sallai’s early chance in the first half, and who drove at the German defense and created the wild sequence of chances at the very end of second half stoppage time, which gave Hungary a last-second penalty opportunity.
And Szoboszlai who buried that penalty with calm, composure, and a touch of cheek, in what would be the last kick of the game. Class player — who helped his team on to a fair result.
That Germany midfield…
The youngster duo — Bayern’s Aleksandar Pavlović (20) and VfB Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller (23) — cannot get back soon enough.
Pascal Groß was dropped for Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha to pair alongside Leverkusen’s Robert Andrich this time, but something feels terribly missing. Neither Andrich nor Nmecha were too secure in possession — Nmecha giving the ball away cheaply on a soft cross-field pass with one of the first actions of the game — and the Germans relied on their wing and forward players for influence instead.
Nmecha is still young (24) but Andrich is not, and he is one of many BVB players who seem to be struggling to stick with the national team despite their on-paper individual talent. Yet there is at least a bright spot here, as Nmecha used his strength and savvy to hold off defenders and pounce on a rebound for Germany’s only goal of the game.
Still…in Nagelsmann’s system, midfield dynamism under pressure will surely be in demand. Germany might have it in its next generation of youngsters, but question marks still abound, particularly with depth.
Funny how full-backs and even strikers have dropped off the radar of top national team concerns. And on that note…
Hurrah for Tim Kleindienst
He didn’t do much — and did not have much time today, having come on only in the 80th minute — but the 29-year-old Gladbach striker is clearly earning the trust of his coach in these last couple of international periods. Kleindienst even had a nice pass or two and showed the kind of aerial presence he can be at 6’4 (also the height of Arsenal FC man Kai Havertz).
Some of the other bubble players on the roster may not stick around, but Kleindienst looks like a fixture. As we look ahead to the next international period, it is worth remembering what a fresh injection of new faces Nagelsmann has brought to the team, all in short order. That there looks to be a traditional box striker among them is all the more reason for hope.
The 1-1 draw was uninspiring but the future of this Germany team is anything but. Let’s see what March brings.
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