Julian Nagelsmann is not a miracle healer either. The new national coach left the furrowed turf of Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field thoughtfully and in an intensive conversation with his assistant Benjamin Glück – the 2-2 (1-1) draw against Mexico gave him plenty of material for analysis at the end of an overall successful trip to the USA delivered at home. “We know that we can do some things better,” said Nagelsmann, this time wearing dark blue.
He immediately gathered all the players together again in the dressing room; after all, the Dortmund team around top joker Niclas Füllkrug had to get the private jet to Germany that night. The national coach gave them a huge dose of European Championship optimism: “I told the team that I am very convinced that we will be successful.” This team is “extremely willing,” praised the national coach, and he switched to superlatives: “He has never coached a team that implements things so quickly, I’m absolutely thrilled.”
He definitely wants to stay in touch with his players until the next international match window. “Then,” he promised, the fans will “see a further improved team” against Turkey and Austria. This will be necessary, at least on defense. Mexico shook the German back four so violently that a small damper on the newly ignited euphoria could not be denied. At times Nagelsmann complained and arched his upper body backwards in anguish.
His captain Ilkay Gündogan also addressed the lack of attention before both goals were conceded in an ARD interview. Niklas Süle was involved twice, but he was not recommended for the problem position at right back. Gündogan called the game “expandable” – but ultimately the new plant is still tender: “Of course the curve doesn’t always go steeply uphill.”
Antonio Rüdiger made it 1-0, but the Mexicans turned the game around after the break.
(Photo: SCOTT TAETSCH/Getty Images via AFP)
After a weak opening quarter of an hour, Nagelsmann initially saw a clear improvement, Antonio Rüdiger (25th) took the lead in front of 50,000 fanatical Mexicans among the 62,284 spectators. Strong attacks alternated with weaknesses in defense: Uriel Antuna (37th) took advantage of a double drowsiness from Rüdiger and Süle to equalize, and when Erick Sanchez scored (47th), Robin Gosens and Süle were too passive.
Füllkrug (51.) struck back immediately. Overall, the new national coach can mark the trip to America as a success: the sporting direction is right, a new beginning has been made after the dismissal of Hansi Flick. There were no serious injuries, but there was some cause for hope for the home European Championships in the summer. Until then, the game idea and implementation will be worked on under time pressure. Nagelsmann doesn’t have to do any miracles either. The Philadelphia Flyers were playing next door and the Philadelphia Phillies were playing across the street – the city was celebrating a sporting festival.
Lots of Mexicans in the stands – and traffic jams in front of the stadium in Philadelphia
Both (football) teams were stuck in traffic. Anyone who wanted to watch the game on the German night had to wait another quarter of an hour until 2:15 a.m. In the first duel with Mexico since the 2018 World Cup (0-1), there were eleven opponents on the pitch – and an extremely large number of Mexicans in the stands. Perhaps it was the music played after shots on goal that led goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to make a bad pass in the penalty area, which went unpunished (3rd). Florian Wirtz (5th) had the first chance.
The German team lacked calm and consistency, Mexico had space, Wirtz and Jamal Musiala were without force up front. Nagelsmann clapped and cheered: And he saw how his strategist Gündogan took the game into his hands. The second dangerous Leroy Sane corner within a few seconds was right: Rüdiger headed it in and while celebrating, caricatured the criticism of his jagged running style.
The DFB team always combined nicely forward, but defensively the vulnerabilities that were openly discussed later remained. Immediately before the 1-1 draw, Thomas Müller scored an offside goal in his 125th international match. After the break, things happened quickly. Gosens did not prevent Antuna’s cross before the second goal, Süle came too late. Füllkrug, who came on as a substitute for Müller, scored a classic goal after a shot from the now much stronger Wirtz. And Nagelsmann? He used the last half hour to play through personnel variations. Kevin Behrens became the second debutant of his term after Chris Führich.