U21 European Championship
Racist insults overshadow EM start
Jessic Ngankam missed Germany’s second penalty after Youssoufa Moukoko. photo
© Sebastian Kahnert/dpa
At the start of the European Championship against Israel, Germany’s U21s only needed a draw. The defending champion fails twice from the penalty spot. What follows are massive insults on the net.
This time Youssoufa Moukoko didn’t want to remain silent. After the 1-1 (1-1) against Israel at the start of the European Championship with two missed penalties, the German U21 international reported emotionally about racist insults against himself and his teammate Jessic Ngankam on Instagram.
“If we win, we are all Germans. If we lose, these monkey comments come. Jessic got them, I got them. Things like that just don’t belong in football,” said the 18-year-old after the disappointing draw of the Germans U21 footballers on Thursday evening in Kutaisi, Georgia.
Moukoko (3rd minute) and Ngankam (80th) each missed a penalty in the game and thus missed the chance of the important European Championship opening win. “We don’t shoot extra, we try to help the team. When you get messages like that, it’s disgusting,” said Moukoko. Coach Antonio Di Salvo also strongly condemned the comments to his players. “Any kind of racism and discrimination is the bottom drawer, it doesn’t work at all,” said the 44-year-old. He was “personally shocked and disappointed”.
Excessive chances at the start of the tournament
The sporting unfortunate start of the defending champion in the tournament moved into the background. The hopes of the youth selection for the next title coup had suffered a damper right at the start of the European Championship after the last three finals in a row. Captain Yann Aurel Bisseck’s goal (26th minute) was only enough for a draw in front of 2442 spectators in the rain in Kutaisi on Thursday – also because Moukoko and Ngankam failed with their attempts from the penalty spot by the good keeper Daniel Peretz.
Dor Turgeman (20th) had given Israel the lead. The hoped-for victory was then no longer achieved by defending champion Germany, despite a questionable yellow-red card against Israel’s Eden Karzev (45 + 2). “We had enough chances to score, especially with the two missed penalties. Now the frustration is of course deep. That was a missed chance to win,” said Di Salvo on TV station Sat.1 and added: “We have the game controlled, had more chances to score. The precision was lacking.”
Under pressure against the Czech Republic
For the German team, which had to put up with numerous absentees from regular players before the tournament, the match against the Czech Republic continues on Sunday. The Czechs are also under pressure after losing 2-0 to England, Germany’s last opponents on Wednesday. “Now it’s up to us to build up the boys. I have to talk to them first and see what kind of words they said,” said Di Salvo, referring to the impact of the insults on the next few games. The coach had issued the ticket for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris as the EM minimum goal, for which the three best teams in the tournament qualify alongside Olympic host France.
Moukoko didn’t have the best day against Israel from the start. The top scorer missed further great chances after the penalty (15’/54′) and also prevented a goal from Josha Vagnoman (37′) by being offside. “Unfortunately there are days like that in football. Tomorrow you’re the hero, today you’re the fool,” he said.
With the fast switching game and the long balls from the Israelis into the top, the German team had increasing problems. Yannik Keitel lost a duel in midfield – Israel’s super talent Oscar Gloukh from Red Bull Salzburg sent Turgeman and Bisseck got out and scored. However, Di Salvo’s team fought back and got a better grip on Israel’s fast attackers.
A standard situation helped offensively: Bisseck headed a free kick from Angelo Stiller almost unchallenged into the goal. And the defending champion pushed for the second goal, especially at half-time two in the majority. However, the team struggled to find gaps against the deeply defending Israelis. In the closing stages, Ngankam failed from the penalty spot like Moukoko before. Kevin Schade put the margin next to the goal.