European Championship qualification
U21 coach Di Salvo criticizes the discouraged first half
U21 coach Antonio Di Salvo does not agree with his team’s performance, especially in the first half. photo
© Robert Michael/dpa
In the fifth European Championship qualifying game, the U21 failed to win for the first time. In the disappointing 0-0 draw against Kosovo, the team showed a weak first half. Coach Antonio Di Salvo is particularly annoyed by one thing.
U21 national coach Antonio Di Salvo criticized his team for their poor performance in the first half after the disappointing 0-0 draw against outsiders Kosovo.
“We didn’t manage to generate pressure at all in the first half,” said the 44-year-old after the European Championship qualifying game in Chemnitz. “The pace of the pass was simply not enough. There was a lack of courage to play forward, it kept going back and was too hesitant,” said the football coach.
Due to the draw, his selection missed out on regaining first place in the group from Poland and is two points behind its rivals with one game less. Di Salvo was much happier with the second half in Chemnitz, in which the U21s at least created numerous chances. “We were missing a goal, it was in the second half,” he said, praising his team’s more determined performance.
Di Salvo did not want to accept the absence of regular player Maximilian Beier, who was nominated for the senior national team for the first time, as a reason for the lack of a goal. “If he’s not there, others have to sort it out,” said the coach. Jan Thiemann from Cologne was also dissatisfied. “We didn’t put enough effort on the pitch, especially in the first half. Football is a results sport, so we’re obviously satisfied with the 0-0 result and have to work on that in the next few days.”