Less than a year from Euro 2024, which it is organizing, Germany sank into crisis by conceding a second defeat in a row in a friendly match against Colombia (2-0) in Gelsenkirchen on Tuesday , his fourth game without a win. Harmless, amorphous, and crumbly, the Germans lost again against an opponent within their reach, four days after an already worrying defeat against Poland (1-0), weakening their coach Hansi Flick a little more.
The Mannschaft broke for the first time after a header from Luis Diaz (54th) then a second when Joshua Kimmich, who had just come into play and put on the captain’s armband, countered a cross with his hand, offering his South American counterpart Juan Cuadrado the opportunity to score a second goal (82nd) from a penalty.
Automatically qualified for the Euro (June 14 – July 14, 2024) as the host country of the event, the Germans have not won since March, when they beat another South American selection. , Peru (2-0). Since then, they lost against Belgium (3-2), in Cologne, then drew against Ukraine (3-3) before their two failures against Poland and then Colombia.
“Worrying? I don’t know if the word is enough. It is dramatic, it must be said clearly. We are missing things on all levels. (…) It’s far too little, “said midfielder Leon Goretzka at the microphone of German television. This is the first victory for Colombia against Germany, in five games played in the history of the two selections.
Not only is Germany no longer able to win, but it also seems devoid of a solution, almost of envy, despite a very competitive workforce. Thus, neither captain Ilkay Gündogan, excellent with Manchester City, nor the offensive nugget of Bayern Munich Jamal Musiala, managed to wake up their teammates after the opener, and whistles even descended from the stadium usually occupied by Schalke 04 A ‘Flick Raus’ (Flick out) sign was held up by a disillusioned fan late in the game.
Shy offensively, the Germans were too wait-and-see in defense, overwhelmed by the speed of transmission and the desire of the Cafeteros. The opener was a pattern of quick play: after a high recovery the ball moved quickly from side to side before a superb cross from Cuadrado for a pivoting header from Diaz. Néstor Lorenzo’s players then had several chances to drive the point home, before Kimmich signed his entry in the worst possible way.
After a bitter failure at the Mondial-2022, where the Mannschaft did not leave its group, it must now relaunch quickly in view of “its” Euro. It must face Japan, then France in September.
