Spain - Germany (2am November 28): When the 'tank' trembles in the 'bullfight'
The shocking defeat against Japan pushed Germany into a dead end in the match against Spain in the second match of Group E, taking place at 2am on November 28 (VTV3, VTV Can Tho live).
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Germany is in a difficult position before the match against Spain. Photo: REUTERS |
A draw against Spain (3 points) could even cost Germany (0 points) the right to decide in the race for a ticket to the next round.
Germany in disarray
With Costa Rica being so weak, the race for Group E seems to belong to Germany, Japan and Spain. And with the loss to Japan, Germany has lost half of its chance. But the consequences for Germany are more than just a loss.
"We let Japan play too easily. Especially in the second goal, I don't know if there has been an easier goal scored in this World Cup...", after the match, midfielder Ilkay Gundogan "fired" at his teammates as well as coach Hansi Flick's tactical system.
Mr. Flick responded: "Ilkay Gundogan can say that. The important thing is to take responsibility after coming to the right conclusion." Coach Flick also named a sinner, center-back Niklas Sule, when he said that Sule had committed an offside trap.
From a professional perspective, it is a good sign that the whole team acknowledges mistakes. On the other hand, blaming each other can also lead to internal strife. In recent years, the "tank" has increasingly revealed problems with competitive spirit, cohesion...
The defeat against Japan clearly showed that, when Germany still dominated the game and had many chances but were not calm enough to finish off the opponent. Some stars like Rudiger even showed contempt for the opponent and were heavily criticized after the match.
Don't trust too much...Spain
In contrast to the heavy atmosphere of the German team is a jubilant Spain after a 7-0 victory over Costa Rica. Don't be too quick to rate Spain too highly when Costa Rica is too weak. Costa Rica is only ranked above Qatar in terms of squad value in this World Cup. The victory over Costa Rica is only of spiritual significance.
Spain and Germany are two rivals with a lot of history, with the last encounter being an unforgettable memory for Germany when they lost 0-6 two years ago. Although the German team has changed a lot since then, Spain is still on the right track.
Coach Enrique showed that he is no longer too conservative when replacing Morata with Asensio in the center forward position. And Asensio showed that he has a more diverse playing style than Morata, bringing a special vitality to the team. Coach Enrique will likely keep the same lineup as the victory over Costa Rica.
More noteworthy is Germany's starting lineup. After the poor match against Japan, coach Hansi Flick will likely have to make personnel changes. Havertz and Musiala are the two most disappointing names in attack.
However, both are also difficult stars to touch when coach Flick does not have enough of the best personnel. Before the tournament, he had to say goodbye to Werner, and then Sane got injured. Some other options on the attack line such as Gotze, Brandt, Moukoko, Fullkrug do not bring a sense of security.
The problem in defense is even bigger. Sule is a center back but was moved to the right wing, as a result he often showed slowness when facing fast counter-attacks. Meanwhile, Rudiger - a high-class center back played subjectively...
When facing a strong opponent like Spain, the German team promises to show a completely different face. More than ever, they need to prove their "tank" qualities, to avoid being eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup for the second consecutive time.
* Match schedule on November 27:Japan - Costa Rica (VTV5, 5pm), Belgium - Morocco (VTV2, VTV Can Tho, 8pm), Croatia - Canada (VTV2, VTV Can Tho, 11pm).