European Football Championship: DFB team in the quarter-finals: The European Championship is a success

The German footballers have combined themselves into a comfortable position. The game that allows a fundamentally positive assessment of this European Championship has been played. And won. The tender little plant of hope that blossomed under national coach Julian Nagelsmann would not have died straight away if they were eliminated from the round of 16 against Denmark, but it would have been badly picked apart in the Dortmund thunderstorm. With the 2-0 win against defensive Danes, a DFB team reached the quarter-finals for the first time in three tournaments and eight years – a failure there against possible opponents Spain would not be a shame.

There was still cheering at Dortmund Central Station in the dead of Sunday night. The arrival of a train was applauded, which in turn is just further proof that the success of this European Championship so far has only been a sporting one. The organization, especially when it comes to transporting the fans, is a disaster. The many curses from the rain-soaked people waiting on the windy platforms will not be reproduced here. While other goals of the organizers can only be judged after the four-week state of emergency during the European Football Championship, the whole world is already laughing about the German traffic problem.

Suitable stadium management

The extraordinary atmosphere created by the sporting part of the tournament could be experienced in the Westfalenstadion. The German fans showed their confidence even before kick-off against Denmark after the DFB team’s good performances against Scotland, Hungary and in the last group game against Switzerland. When rumbling thunder, bright lightning and heavy rain hammering on the stadium roof caused the ball to rest for 25 minutes in the first half, the spectators celebrated the interruption with a classic song known as a victory song: “Oh, how beautiful that is.” It couldn’t have been more fitting the stadium management couldn’t react: the celebration continued to the “Live is Life” by Opus.

Whether the famous spark was ignited on the pitch or in the stands, players and fans alike were in top form. “The first 20 minutes were our best in the tournament so far,” said Julian Nagelsmann later. Evidence of this were four good chances and one goal disallowed due to a previous foul. The national coach was particularly impressed by his team’s mental strength: “It’s not easy to go into the game as favorites and then encounter resistance.”

Trainer with cell phone evidence

Denmark was the expected tough opponent. Even though Manuel Neuer only had to prove his world class twice in the German goal – in addition to the tireless defensive fight, the Danes also remained offensively dangerous at all times. Neuer only prevented the red and white from celebrating when he was able to clear against the free-standing Rasmus Hojlund shortly before the half-time whistle. Five minutes after the restart, the video referee recognized an offside position before Joachim Andersen’s goal. Denmark coach Kasper Hjukmand presented a picture of this scene several times on his cell phone during the press conference and complained about the centimeter decision.

Whether a Danish leadership, as the disappointed Hjulmand remarked, would actually have “changed everything” is speculation. On the one hand, his team remained strong in the game after the 0-1 lead in the 53rd minute, and only Neuer stood in the way of Hojlund’s equalizer 13 minutes later. On the other hand, the German players were not shocked by a deficit in the last group game against Switzerland. This time they forced the Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to do seven great things. He had to concede two goals, first from a penalty by Kai Havertz and after 68 minutes by Jamal Musiala.

The victory shows the strength of the national coach. Julian Nagelsmann should still not care what fans or experts demand. To the many questions about whether Niclas Füllkrug should be in the center of the attack instead of Havertz, he responded by nominating the Arsenal player again and with the friendly sentence: “If you look at it from the outside, a demand for ‘fullness’ is understandable, but in the Internally, Kai is rated significantly higher than in public. And so Havertz again made many important moves in the offensive, which then made others dangerous to score.

Better Wirtz than Sané

The only surprising one of the three starting eleven changes concerned Leroy Sané. Nico Schlotterbeck, replacing the suspended Jonathan Tah, played a very good game despite an unnecessary mistake in central defense – and set up Musiala’s goal with a wonderful pass. Left-back David Raum replaced Maximilian Mittelstädt – the national coach doesn’t have a problem in this position. Sané was once again unable to convince: in the important pressing game he doesn’t work as intensively as Florian Wirtz. And on offense, the flow of the game often stalls when he gets the ball. Nagelsmann justified Sané’s deployment with tactical considerations. A fresh Wirtz would make the DFB team even stronger in the quarter-finals.