News : German U21 – The first slack – sports

The proof that Oliver Bierhoff knew what he was talking about hangs in the Stadio Friuli in Udine on the fourth floor. There you walk as a visitor past the pictures of the important players in the recent club history of Udinese Calcio. Bierhoff played from 1995 to 1998 as a striker for the Italian first division, became top scorer. Four floors down, he spoke on Sunday night as a manager of the German national team about the fact that it also needs weaker games to develop into a good player. And it was a weak game that the German U21 national team had previously made against Austria.

The 1-1 went to the group victory with seven points from three games, which was of course the most important news of the evening. Germany is now in the semi-finals of the U21 European Championship, Germany is qualified for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Stefan Kuntz talked about his respect for gymnasts and wrestlers, and how nice it is to be there. ("When I think of individual athletes and think about what Ringer or gymnast, for example, have to do to make an effort, so they'll be in the limelight every four years, and you just have to whistle three times and then there's usually a headline. To be able to express this respect and to be able to support these athletes very closely, to clap and cheer from the stands, that is something I would like to have. ")

When it came to football, repeated the coach of the German U21 repeatedly a sentence: "The wealth of experience from today's game will be very large." He said that he wanted to see from the players "that they resist the defeat". There was no doubt that the defeat had threatened.

Goalkeeper Nübel is one of the main characters of the evening

The Austrians, who needed a win to progress, had been the better team, especially in the first half. They played well sorted and courageous, they blocked the opponent's rooms and attacked quickly. Alone Sasa Kalajdzic, the two-meter striker, had two promising chances, once he failed at the inside post, once at the German goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, who strongly parried on the line. Also in the second half Nübel held a shot from Husein Balic, who rushed to him alone. In general, the goalkeeper was one of the main characters of the evening.

He played at the beginning of a bad pass in the game structure, just so there was no chance to score. And he caused the penalty, which compensated for Kalajdzic after a cross with the ball in his hands and the knee in the face, a clear foul. For the third time in the third European Championship match was the goal for Germany by a penalty. For the first time Nübel had caused him. When shot by the Austrians Kevin Danso he had no chance.

If you start with the goalkeeper, then the Schalke Nübel, 22, the weeks for the rumors about a change to Bayern accompany, on Sunday in his third game at his first tournament as a junior national team has gathered the experience to find their way back to the game after mistakes. "He was there twice to one hundred percent and kept us alive," Kuntz said. Center-back Jonathan Tah had to take responsibility for a defense that was really required for the first time in this tournament. Before the start of the European Championship, the captain had talked about how he had developed in the circle of the U21 national team to the player who speaks at crucial moments and is loud. During the week, they teamed up to tell the story of how he had made a speech about the value of the reservists after beating Serbia 6-1.

Only the individual class secures the point

The midfielder Florian Neuhaus, who is still so delicate against Serbia, had to cope on Sunday to be challenged against Austria not only on offense. Kuntz certainly meant him as well, when he said he had deliberately renounced switching to the break, because he wanted to see reactions. Kuntz switched to a game with doubles six, so drew back Neuhaus - and brought for him only after one hour the robust Suat Serdar. It was individual class that Germany secured the point, Luca Waldschmidt scored the interim lead goal without a point from 30 meters, a goal as painted, already his fifth in the tournament. But the other two attackers, Marco Richter and Levin Öztunali, played weak. Öztunali missed once before the empty goals a cross. But Kuntz said: "Everyone was ready to give something he no longer had: strength and energy."

The opponent for the semi-finals on Thursday is not fixed yet, it could be Italy, France or Romania. The latter are playing against each other this Monday as they are the only other unbeaten teams yet. Germany now only need two wins to defend the European Championship title of 2017. But perhaps the happy, drawn-out draw against Austria will be a game in which a few young German footballers will grow. At least that's the wish of her coach.