Confident Comebacks Goretzka and Nagelsmann Lead the Line
Julian Nagelsmann proposes four impressive strategies.
In the lively clash between Germany and Italy in the Nations League, there were plenty of fascinating subplots. One of the most remarkable stories revolves around Leon Goretzka. After being left out of the German squad for over a year and a half, Goretzka silenced critics and made a stunning comeback, notching the winning goal that secured a historic away victory over Italy - the first in 39 years.
Nagelsmann, the German national team coach, showed unexpected trust in Goretzka, including him in the squad after initially leaving him out. "He didn't have an easy time with us," Nagelsmann admitted. Goretzka himself expressed gratitude, describing the experience as a "beautiful story."
Iron(y) Curtain: The Back-and-Forth Battle
Italy drew first blood early on, taking advantage of some early pressure to score in the ninth minute. However, Germany refused to back down. Joshua Kimmich equalized from the penalty spot after Alessandro Buongiorno fouled Tim Kleindienst. Not long after, it was Kimmich again, delivering a corner that barely tickled Goretzka, who netted the go-ahead goal.
The German performance in the first half was uninspiring, but they turned the tide in the second half. Captain Kimmich admitted to numerous mistakes in the early stages, but the team rallied and faced the challenge head-on.
The Amiri-Burkardt Struggle: A Questionable Lineup Decision
The Germans were missing several key players, including Florian Wirtz, Kai Havertz, and Niclas Füllkrug, who were sidelined due to injury. Nagelsmann surprisingly opted to field Mainz players Nadim Amiri and Jonathan Burkardt in the starting lineup, but the strategic choice did not pay off.
Nagelsmann acknowledged the difficulty of the situation and made several changes during the half-time break. He replaced David Raum with Nico Schlotterbeck, who contributed significantly to Germany's comeback, and Tim Kleindienst took over for Burkardt in the center forward position.
The Redemption of Oliver Baumann
Another compelling story emerged from the slice-of-life tale of Oliver Baumann, the backup goalkeeper for TSG Hoffenheim. Nagelsmann called on Baumann as the backup number one for the quarter-final matches due to an injury to Marc-André ter Stegen.
Baumann seized his opportunity, making several outstanding saves to help Germany secure their place in the finals. His performance was not unexpected for Nagelsmann, who had faith in Baumann's abilities. In his post-match press conference, Nagelsmann commended Baumann for his impressive showing.
The mean-green Machine Wins!
In the end, Germany triumphed amidst thrilling comebacks, brilliant tactics, and outstanding individual performances. The final score was 2-1, giving the Germans an advantage that Italy failed to overcome, resulting in a nail-biting 5-4 aggregate victory.
This electrifying contest serves as a testament to the resilience, talent, and determination of the German squad, under the skilled guidance of coach Julian Nagelsmann. As they prepare for their next match against Italy in Dortmund, the excitement continues to build as the team looks to cement their place as European football powerhouses.
Source: ntv.de
- DFB - German Football Association
- Fußball-Nationalmannschaft - Football National Team
- Leon Goretzka
- Julian Nagelsmann
- Italy
- Nations League
Enrichment Data
Key Moments
- Kimmich's Penalty (30'): Alessandro Buongiorno was adjudged to have fouled Tim Kleindienst, allowing Joshua Kimmich to score the first goal of the match.
- Musiala's Quick Goal (36'): Following Gianluigi Donnarumma's save, the ball was quickly delivered by ball boy Noel Urbaniack to Kimmich, who took a low corner. Jamal Musiala scored into an empty net, exploiting Italy's slow response.
- Tim Kleindienst's Header (45'): Just before halftime, Kleindienst made it 3-0 with a close-range header.
- Second-Half Comeback: Though Italy managed to score twice in the second half, Germany held on to win 5-4 on aggregate.
Player Performances
- Joshua Kimmich: Directly involved in all five of Germany's goals in the tie, including a goal and four assists.
- Tim Kleindienst: Scored a crucial goal and had several other key opportunities.
- Jamal Musiala: Scored a goal and was instrumental in Germany's attack.
- Leon Goretzka: Registered the crucial winning goal in the match.
Tactical Adjustments
- Germany's First-Half Strategy: Employed quick transitions and clever corner play to exploit Italy's defensive disorganization.
- Italy's Second-Half Changes: Introduced fresh players to revive their attacks, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.
- Defensive Stance Late On: Adopted a more defensive stance in the final minutes to safeguard the lead.
- The German national team coach, Julian Nagelsmann, demonstrated community aid to Leon Goretzka by giving him another chance in the squad, even after over a year and a half of being left out, following Goretzka's impressive performance and winning goal against Italy that secured a historic victory.
- Ironically, Joshua Kimmich's outstanding performances and crucial goals for Germany throughout the Nations League tie with Italy, including the equalizing penalty, a low corner, and an assist, led to Germany's ultimate victory, despite initial mistakes in the early stages.
- The controversial lineup decision made by Julian Nagelsmann to field Nadim Amiri and Jonathan Burkardt in the starting lineup, despite the absence of several key players due to injury, was ironically met with perceptible shortcomings, eventually leading to some tactical changes during the half-time break.
