Wednesday 18 / September / 2024
Paris: World champions Germany face a difficult path in the knock-out stages if they want to win Euro 2016 but for now there was satisfaction that Joachim Loew's team raised their game in the final group match against Northern Ireland.
Germany finally showed some attacking flair although they were extremely wasteful and should have won by a much bigger margin than the lone goal from Mario Gomez in the 29th Tuesday night for a 1-0 success at the Parc des Princes.
"We did well to create these chances, now we go to step two and convert them," Gomez said.
That will be needed because Germany's half of the draw bracket has suddenly turned into a huge task.
Slovakia or Albania are the likely opponents in the last 16 Sunday in Lille. If Germany win they then face either two-time reigning champions Spain (against who they lost in the 2008 final and 2010 World Cup semis) or Italy (who Germany have never beaten at a major championship). England or hosts France are possible semifinal opponents.
"Now we need to be at our best in every game," forward Thomas Mueller said.
For coach Joachim Loew the tournament starts in earnest: "I am looking forward to the knock-out rounds, those are the great games. A lot is at stake, and the excitement is there."
But first there was satisfaction overall that Germany created a dozen chances against harmless Northern Ireland, after a dull attacking display in the previous 0-0 with Poland.
Even national icon Franz Beckenbauer was impressed, telling Wednesday's Bild paper that "somehow a new German team was on the pitch."
Loew made only two changes but they worked wonders. Gomez came on as a true striker and youngster Joshua Kimmich was fielded as right back but was effectively a right winger with plenty of good moments in the position he has also filled at times at Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
"I saw a good game from him," Loew said. "He ran well, had good crosses. I saw no nervousness. He was very clever and can be very satisfied with his first game at this stage. He was strong in the air, good at the back and created a lot of movement up front."
The Sueddeutsche Zeitung paper named Kimmich "the badly needed attacking option on the far side" and even suggested that he could become the legitimate heir of Philipp Lahm as right back, with far more attacking power than the natural defender Benedikt Hoewedes who had filled the role in the first two games.
Loew remained vague on whether the 21-year-old Kimmich could become a permanent solution, and it remains to be seen how he fares when confronted with a fast and attacking opponent on his side.
Kimmich made most of the headlines but so did Arsenal's Mesut Oezil who finally found back his skill and created many of the chances of which almost half a dozen alone were wasted by Mueller.
Mueller was however a little unlucky as he was denied his first ever goal at the Euros by the right post and the crossbar.
"It simply didn't work out," Mueller said while Loew believes "he will succeed next time."
The whole team was aware that they must now do better in front of goal as chances could become sparser again as the opposition becomes stronger.
"Of course we have to work on converting our chances, otherwise it could get tight. We won't have such a harmless opponent as Northern Ireland again at this tournament," midfielder Toni Kroos said.
For the same reason Loew did not want to make too much out of the fact that Germany have kept a clean sheet so far in France.
"The clean sheet is good but the next opponents will be tougher up front," Loew said.
Loew had a defensive scare as centre back Jerome Boateng came off with a calf problem in the 76th but the coach is upbeat he can return on Sunday.
"I think we got him off in time. I expect our doctors to get him ready and expect him to play (on Sunday)," Loew said.
