The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Olympia: German footballers lose to Brazil

2021-07-22T16:57:27.855Z


Only 18 squad places occupied, now the receipt came: The German footballers started at the Olympics in Japan with a disgraceful first half against Brazil. Trainer Stefan Kuntz reacts with self-criticism.


Enlarge image

Was still the best, but still had to reach behind him four times: goalkeeper Florian Müller

Photo: Kiichiro Sato / dpa

Yokohama has already been the scene of a German football story without a happy ending.

In the city south of the gates of Tokyo, the final of the World Cup took place in 2002, Germany against Brazil - and in the end Oliver Kahn was seen brooding over the defeat, lonely at the post.

This time, 19 years later, it was a first game at the Olympic football tournament in Japan that brought Brazil and the German selection together in Yokohama.

This time, too, the success story was missing: 0: 3 the German selection was already behind at the break, in the second half Maximilian Arnold was thrown off the field.

It looked like a debacle, but it wasn't until stoppage time that Brazil finally secured victory with Paulinho's goal to make it 4-2.

But it wasn't really a tremendous match for the Brazilians.

On the contrary: for a long time there was a class difference.

The eighth minute was running when Richarlison marched for the first time alone towards Florian Müller's goal.

The regular player from FC Everton from the Premier League then performed a little dance, in the German team Amos Pieper, Arminia Bielefeld, snuck back towards the center line after he had favored the 0: 1 with a positional error.

Already in the 21st minute, Richarlison pushed the 2-0 afterwards, again he appeared free in front of Müller, this time he closed with his head.

Everything is "much too easy" for the opponent, shouted Stefan Kuntz in the 33rd minute through the stadium, which had to remain empty in the spectator stands due to the corona pandemic.

Shortly before that, it was 3-0, and again it was Richarlison.

They were scenes that could be expected.

In the first days of Tokyo, coach Kuntz was in a good mood, combative, despite all the circumstances.

Maybe it was the famous good face for the bad game.

In the run-up to the summer games, the coach, who usually works for the DFB's U21 juniors and who was selected as European champion in May, had to clean the doors of the Bundesliga clubs, he had to do the advertising for a trip to Japan.

Kuntz is a good storyteller, but he couldn't get the Olympic affair among the German soccer people.

In the end, the coach of the Olympic team - which should consist of players born in 1997 or younger and three other professionals - only occupied 18 of his 22 squad positions.

This is regrettable for one of the largest football nations, even if it is "only" the Olympics.

Or:

because

it's the Olympics.

For a long time, football and the Olympics were considered an unsuitable couple, two heavyweights, but each one for itself.

But the summer games in Brazil five years ago had changed this view.

The Brazilians 'Olympic victory, led by Neymar, brought tears to the Brazilian fans' eyes, probably also because the revenge against Germany for the historic 1: 7 at the 2014 home World Cup was successful.

2016 was a football festival - at the Olympics.

An Olympic success would also look good on the DFB

The Olympics can also be a win for footballers in terms of sport.

In Rio 2016, another Serge Gnabry flitted across the pitch for the German team, scoring six goals at the time, and it wasn't until his Olympic appearances that he made decisive progress in his career.

This time, too, the German team came with some talents, with players who could take the next step.

But also with a completely different basic feeling: with little backing after the long quarrel about the Olympic approval of German players.

Since the Olympic tournament is not part of the FIFA calendar, the clubs do not have to release their players.

A little more support would have been expected after the silver medal in 2016, especially after the World Cup disgrace in 2018 and the knockout.

In the European Championship round of 16 against England, German football as a whole would benefit from a success story.

A football atmosphere can also arise outside of the major World Cup or European Championship tournaments, as even the U21 European Championship in May showed.

Against Brazil you saw a grace team - and because of the fact that the German team lacks quality against a top opponent and gold candidate.

Especially in the first half, the defense around Pieper and Felix Uduokhai was overrun by Richarlison or Herthas Matheus Cunha.

The veterans in the team, Max Kruse and Maximilian Arnold, were no support.

The third older player in the squad, Nadiem Amiri, made it 1: 3 (57th minute), Ragnar Ache scored the second German goal.

The roster composition should not serve as an excuse later.

Goalkeeper Müller said that you do not want to have "pity" and want to forget the game quickly.

Coach Kuntz chose self-critical words and said on ARD that he should have taken Arnold from the game earlier and before he was sent off.

"I'll take that on my head."

And after all: Brazil were the toughest opponents in the fight for the quarter-finals.

The German footballers will continue with games against Saudi Arabia (Sunday) and Ivory Coast (Wednesday) and should they leave these two teams behind, then Team Germany will stay in the fight for the medals.

The Kuntz U21s did not shine from the start at the last European Championship, they almost failed in the quarter-finals to Denmark. But she increased and rewarded herself with the European title. Kuntz is considered a team builder who can quickly form a unit. There is still an opportunity to bring this quality to bear at the Olympics. Yes, that is also certain, there is a lot of work waiting for the coach of the German selection.

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2021-07-22

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.