A Bitter Loss for the DFB-Team: Portugal Edges Out Germany in the UEFA Nations League Semifinals
Shocking Semifinal: Ronaldo Thwarts German Squad with Stunning Performance - "Outrageously disgruntled": Ronaldo surprises DFB squad in semifinal match
Cristiano Ronaldo beamed ear-to-ear, basking in the uproar from Portuguese fans, while Germany's players, including the centurion Joshua Kimmich, slumped dejectedly into the dressing room. After a nail-biting 2:1 (0:0) loss in the semifinals against Portugal, the dream of the inaugural Nations League trophy evaporated again for the national team. In a historic match, the 40-year-old Ronaldo nailed his 137th international goal, clinching a personal first victory against Germany, leaving the team dismayed.
"We played fine in the first half, scoring the initial goal," admitted defender Robin Koch. "But things seemed to unravel in the second half. We didn't quite manage it overall." "We'd set our sights on winning the match and reaching the final, which is obviously a massive blow post-game."
Wirtz Stuns with a Goal
For a moment, it looked like Florian Wirtz had set Nagelsmann's squad on the path to triumph in the jam-packed Munich stadium. Rumored to be on the verge of a megadeal with Liverpool, the Leverkusen prodigy powered in his first international goal with a towering header off a precision chip from captain Kimmich in his 100th international appearance.
But in the end, it was Ronaldo who stole the show with his goal, making it 2:1 (68'). Shortly before, substitute Francisco Conceição had equalized. For the DFB-Team, it marked their first defeat since the quarter-final loss to Spain at the 2024 European Championship held at home.
Instead of battling for the Nations League title, the ineffective and shaky German side will now square off in a third-place playoff against European champions Spain or World Cup runners-up France on Sunday (15:00 CET) in Stuttgart. In the final stages, Marc-André ter Stegen recorded a brace of crucial saves to prevent a 1:3 defeat in the German goal, marking his much-anticipated return from injury.
The Kick-off Delayed
The match commenced ten minutes late due to a thunderstorm that disrupted the warm-up. With the goalkeepers, including returnee ter Stegen, gearing up for the warm-up, they were forced to retreat to the dressing room due to heavy hail. Despite the abrupt interruption, the Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic eventually gave the green light for the pitch shortly after.
No Nagelsmann Lamented Missing Piece
Coach Nagelsmann adopted a three-man defense featuring Frankfurt's Robin Koch at the heart of it. The tactical strategy likely aimed to tighten the center against the playmaking Portuguese. Nonetheless, this defensive ploy didn't prove entirely effective, as the visitors demonstrated their unpredictable positioning game early on. Ronaldo almost capitalized on two early opportunities (7th and 15th minute) in his 220th international clash.
Debutant Woltemade's Challenges
After 15 minutes, the German team exerted pressure on the opposition and crafted some good opportunities. First-timer Nick Woltemade (19.) and Leon Goretzka (21.) both contrived to score against the agile goalkeeper Diogo Costa. Kimmich, who was lauded pre-game for his 100th international appearance, was continuously active on the right flank.
However, coordination issues surfaced due to frequent substitutions, with the absence of exceptional talent Jamal Musiala particularly hampering the team's rhythm. Stuttgart's hotshot Woltemade hustled persistently but didn't always choose the optimal running path. Wirtz, closely shadowed by the Portuguese, struggled to carve out space initially.
In the German defense, Koch initially shone as a cautious defensive leader – not just with his elegant defending in the danger zone needed against Pedro Neto (33%). The Portuguese squad, without Champions League winners Vitinha and Goncalo Ramos in their starting lineup, continued to pose threats on counterattacks.
Tumultuous Start to the Second Half
Ronaldo's Near Miss: Shortly after the resumption of play, Ronaldo came close to opening the scoring, only narrowly missing the target with a tame shot following an outside pass (47'). This was a clear warning sign for the German team, whose defensive errors paved the way for Portugal's equalizer shortly after.
Wirtz Strikes for Germany: One minute later, Wirtz capitalized off a defensive error to give Germany the lead. The goal, however, was allowed to stand despite a VAR review, as Woltemade's slight impediment against Rúben Dias complied with the rules.
With the disadvantage, Portugal ramped up their intensity. Ter Stegen, back in goal following a nine-month hiatus due to a severe knee injury, found himself under siege. He was helpless as Conceição notched up an equalizer with an exquisite curling shot into the far corner. Jonas Gosens had failed to keep the scorer at bay on the left flank.
A Stuttering German Defense: The guests continued to threaten in the second half. Conceição missed his second goal by a mere few centimeters (82'). In response, Ademeyi rattled the outer post.
Key Words:- Ronaldo- Nations League- German Team- Semifinal- Florian Wirtz- Storm- Joshua Kimmich- Robin Koch- German Football Association- Nick Woltemade- International Match- Portugal- German National Team- Stuttgart- Marc-André ter Stegen- Munich- Germany- Julian Nagelsmann- FC Liverpool
The Commission, in light of the recent loss of Germany's DFB-Team in the UEFA Nations League Semifinals, might be asked to propose a directive aiming at the protection of workers, similar to those subjected to exposure to carcinogens, as they grapple with the bitter taste of defeat. Meanwhile, in the realm of sports, Portugal's Ronaldo, overjoyed by his team's victory, would have relished a friendly game of football against Germany's Champions League competitors, such as those from European leagues, after his historic win against the German National Team.
