On Friday evening, Germany emerged victorious in their 2-1 friendly win against Greece in Mönchengladbach, just one week prior to their first EUROs clash against Scotland (14th June, 21:00 CEST).
Giorgos Masouras opened the scoring for the visitors not long before the break (34’), yet Germany came out the traps firing in the second half and hit home twice in response, courtesy of Kai Havertz (56’) and Pascal Groß (89’).
Two changes to the line-up
Nagelsmann made two adaptations to his starting XI from last week’s draw against Ukraine. Manuel Neuer began between the sticks, with Maximilian Mittelstädt in left-back and Joshua Kimmich manning the right side of the defence. Jonathan Tah started the game in centre-back next to Antonio Rüdiger, who swapped in for Waldemar Anton. Champions League winner Toni Kroos took the place of Pascal Groß in the central midfield, with Robert Andrich positioned next to him. In front of the pair sat Florian Wirtz, captain Ilkay Gündogan and Jamal Musiala, with Kai Havertz spearheading Germany’s attack.
The hosts started the game full of composure and concentrated on maintaining possession, impressing the 45,488 fans in attendance with their quality on the ball. However, Greece refused to crumble under the pressure of the crowd and exhibited their own ability, having the first clear-cut chance of the game through second-division top goalscorer Christos Tzolis. The visitors regained possession after a Germany error, and were quick to counter and combine the ball in the penalty area, eventually finding an unmarked Tzolis. The forward was able to pull the trigger, but Neuer was on hand to clear both his initial shot and second attempt on the rebound to keep the scoreline level (7’).
Greece find the net first
In response to almost going behind early on, Germany took things up a notch, increasing their intensity and starting the press higher up the pitch. Nevertheless, Julian Nagelsmann’s side still struggled to find any success, with the Southern European team showing quality in possession and causing Germany to give the ball away easily in the midfield. However, centre-back Tah stepped up to the plate and prevented two Greece players from getting through on goal, who otherwise would have only had Neuer to beat.
Despite almost going behind, Germany refused to back down. Kroos delivered a low ball into Musiala on the edge of the box, but he was unable to pick out a corner with his strike from twenty metres out (22’). Wirtz then had a go from a tight angle, but Greece’s keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos was fully alert and able to clear the danger (29’). The visitors then tried their luck down the other end, yet Giorgos Masouras’ effort flew over the bar (26’).
Greece were finally rewarded for their hard work just prior to the break, which saw Tzolis pounce on a Germany mistake and power a strike towards the top right corner from the right side of the box. While it appeared as though Neuer had it covered, he was unable to keep the ball in his grasp and it fell into the path of Masouras, who buried it into an open net from close range (34’).
Germany search for an equaliser
Nagelsmann’s side refused to take their foot off the gas despite the deficit, and came close to levelling the scoring through a Kroos free-kick (37’) and a Tah header (40’). Havertz even managed to find the back of the net in the final minutes before half-time, but the flag went up to signal the forward as offside in the build-up (43’). Greece piled on the pressure, with Pavlidas’ effort flying just shy of the right post seconds before the whistle was blown to signal the halfway mark.
David Raum replaced Mittelstädt for the second 45, and Nagelsmann subbed in Leroy Sane for Wirtz. Greece came close to doubling their advantage after Tzolis nodded a cross in the direction of the Germany net, but Kimmich cleared the ball out for a corner.
Havertz levels the scoring
It was clear that Germany were determined to make amends for the first half, immediately seeming much more fired-up and playing with more aggression. The crowd followed suit and supported the team passionately. After Hatzidiakos took the ball off the toes of Tah as the latter was preparing to shoot (50’) and Andrich fired wide following a corner (51’), Havertz popped up with the equaliser. Following an attack on the right-hand side, substitute Sané picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area before finding Havertz in the middle. The number 7’s effort from around ten yards out deflected off Siopis towards the bottom right corner, leaving Vlachodimos with no chance. The supporters celebrated to the tune of Peter Schilling’s hit song ‘Major Tom’.
Germany were now camped in the attacking half, while the visitors were attempting to pose a danger on the counterattack. They did exactly that just after the hour mark, when Neuer saved in a one-on-one against the lively Tzolis (64’). Nagelsmann made four more changes in the 68th minute, as Nico Schlotterbeck, Pascal Groß, Benjamin Henrichs and Niclas Füllkrug came on for Andrich, Kimmich, Gündogan and Rüdiger.
Germany continued to attack with purpose, but were just missing an end product in the final third, with Musiala (73’) and Tah (78’) both firing wide of Greece’s goal. Right-back Henrichs came even closer following a corner, but his powerful shot from around 20 yards out cannoned off the bar (83’).
Groß's half volley sparks wild celebrations
Groß netted his first international goal shortly before full-time, which caused the crowd to go wild at BORUSSIA-PARK (89’). After a cross from the right, a headed clearance fell to the midfielder on the edge of the penalty area, striking it on the half volley from around 17 yards into the top right-hand corner. Germany held on to the ball for most of the remainder of the game and made sure of victory in their final friendly before the EUROs.
The squad will regroup at their Team Base Camp in Herzogenaurach on Monday, after which they will travel to Munich to take on Scotland and kick off their European Championship campaign on 14th June (21:00 CEST). The side will then face Hungary in Stuttgart on 19th June (18:00 CEST) and Switzerland in Frankfurt on 23rd June (21:00 CEST) in their remaining group games.
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On Friday evening, Germany emerged victorious in their 2-1 friendly win against Greece in Mönchengladbach, just one week prior to their first EUROs clash against Scotland (14th June, 21:00 CEST).
Giorgos Masouras opened the scoring for the visitors not long before the break (34’), yet Germany came out the traps firing in the second half and hit home twice in response, courtesy of Kai Havertz (56’) and Pascal Groß (89’).
Two changes to the line-up
Nagelsmann made two adaptations to his starting XI from last week’s draw against Ukraine. Manuel Neuer began between the sticks, with Maximilian Mittelstädt in left-back and Joshua Kimmich manning the right side of the defence. Jonathan Tah started the game in centre-back next to Antonio Rüdiger, who swapped in for Waldemar Anton. Champions League winner Toni Kroos took the place of Pascal Groß in the central midfield, with Robert Andrich positioned next to him. In front of the pair sat Florian Wirtz, captain Ilkay Gündogan and Jamal Musiala, with Kai Havertz spearheading Germany’s attack.
The hosts started the game full of composure and concentrated on maintaining possession, impressing the 45,488 fans in attendance with their quality on the ball. However, Greece refused to crumble under the pressure of the crowd and exhibited their own ability, having the first clear-cut chance of the game through second-division top goalscorer Christos Tzolis. The visitors regained possession after a Germany error, and were quick to counter and combine the ball in the penalty area, eventually finding an unmarked Tzolis. The forward was able to pull the trigger, but Neuer was on hand to clear both his initial shot and second attempt on the rebound to keep the scoreline level (7’).
Greece find the net first
In response to almost going behind early on, Germany took things up a notch, increasing their intensity and starting the press higher up the pitch. Nevertheless, Julian Nagelsmann’s side still struggled to find any success, with the Southern European team showing quality in possession and causing Germany to give the ball away easily in the midfield. However, centre-back Tah stepped up to the plate and prevented two Greece players from getting through on goal, who otherwise would have only had Neuer to beat.
Despite almost going behind, Germany refused to back down. Kroos delivered a low ball into Musiala on the edge of the box, but he was unable to pick out a corner with his strike from twenty metres out (22’). Wirtz then had a go from a tight angle, but Greece’s keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos was fully alert and able to clear the danger (29’). The visitors then tried their luck down the other end, yet Giorgos Masouras’ effort flew over the bar (26’).
Greece were finally rewarded for their hard work just prior to the break, which saw Tzolis pounce on a Germany mistake and power a strike towards the top right corner from the right side of the box. While it appeared as though Neuer had it covered, he was unable to keep the ball in his grasp and it fell into the path of Masouras, who buried it into an open net from close range (34’).
Germany search for an equaliser
Nagelsmann’s side refused to take their foot off the gas despite the deficit, and came close to levelling the scoring through a Kroos free-kick (37’) and a Tah header (40’). Havertz even managed to find the back of the net in the final minutes before half-time, but the flag went up to signal the forward as offside in the build-up (43’). Greece piled on the pressure, with Pavlidas’ effort flying just shy of the right post seconds before the whistle was blown to signal the halfway mark.
David Raum replaced Mittelstädt for the second 45, and Nagelsmann subbed in Leroy Sane for Wirtz. Greece came close to doubling their advantage after Tzolis nodded a cross in the direction of the Germany net, but Kimmich cleared the ball out for a corner.
Havertz levels the scoring
It was clear that Germany were determined to make amends for the first half, immediately seeming much more fired-up and playing with more aggression. The crowd followed suit and supported the team passionately. After Hatzidiakos took the ball off the toes of Tah as the latter was preparing to shoot (50’) and Andrich fired wide following a corner (51’), Havertz popped up with the equaliser. Following an attack on the right-hand side, substitute Sané picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area before finding Havertz in the middle. The number 7’s effort from around ten yards out deflected off Siopis towards the bottom right corner, leaving Vlachodimos with no chance. The supporters celebrated to the tune of Peter Schilling’s hit song ‘Major Tom’.
Germany were now camped in the attacking half, while the visitors were attempting to pose a danger on the counterattack. They did exactly that just after the hour mark, when Neuer saved in a one-on-one against the lively Tzolis (64’). Nagelsmann made four more changes in the 68th minute, as Nico Schlotterbeck, Pascal Groß, Benjamin Henrichs and Niclas Füllkrug came on for Andrich, Kimmich, Gündogan and Rüdiger.
Germany continued to attack with purpose, but were just missing an end product in the final third, with Musiala (73’) and Tah (78’) both firing wide of Greece’s goal. Right-back Henrichs came even closer following a corner, but his powerful shot from around 20 yards out cannoned off the bar (83’).
Groß's half volley sparks wild celebrations
Groß netted his first international goal shortly before full-time, which caused the crowd to go wild at BORUSSIA-PARK (89’). After a cross from the right, a headed clearance fell to the midfielder on the edge of the penalty area, striking it on the half volley from around 17 yards into the top right-hand corner. Germany held on to the ball for most of the remainder of the game and made sure of victory in their final friendly before the EUROs.
The squad will regroup at their Team Base Camp in Herzogenaurach on Monday, after which they will travel to Munich to take on Scotland and kick off their European Championship campaign on 14th June (21:00 CEST). The side will then face Hungary in Stuttgart on 19th June (18:00 CEST) and Switzerland in Frankfurt on 23rd June (21:00 CEST) in their remaining group games.
