News :
U-21 European Championship: DFB-Elf wins thanks to Richter - Sport
At his first goal, he cheered even more restrained, perhaps because it was his first for the German Under-21 national team. After his second goal on Monday evening, 2-0 against Denmark, slipped Marco Richter, the attacker from FC Augsburg, on his knees on the lawn in Udine. He probably guessed it would be the gateway to victory. Germany won 3: 1 (1: 0) in the end. And Richter's share was a big one.
It was already in the first game for a lot for the DFB-Elf, which is considered the defending champion at the tournament in Italy and San Marino, because the previous generation two years ago in Poland won the title. Only the first of the group and the best of three runner-up will reach the semi-finals. In the other match of the group on the previous evening, Austria beat Serbia 2-0.
Coach Stefan Kuntz had already decided on a center-back at the weekend, captain Jonathan Tah of Bayer Leverkusen. The coach had also determined a number one for the tournament, Alexander Nübel of Schalke 04. But beyond his starting eleven was at least a few positions still open. In the back four he decided for Timo Baumgartl in addition to Tah, although the Stuttgarter lacked in the Bundesliga last match practice. Also Arne Maier was missing in Hertha BSC much of the second half because of an inside ligament injury, but played on the six-position.
DFB-Elf needs 20 minutes to organize itself better
Richter, 21, is not that long a national player, the match against Denmark was only his sixth ever for the DFB, his fifth for the U21. "I'm not the typical national player, I was not in all grades," he said in the training camp in South Tyrol. One could call it a surprise that Kuntz offered him from the beginning as left wing.
The German team started a bit tricky, Baumgartl played a bad pass in construction, Maier even two. Tah played the ball once more so inaccurately to goalkeeper Nübel that he brought himself into distress when he got the ball back - there was then corner kick. But the Danes were not really dangerous.
It took about 20 minutes for the German team to organize their game better and get dangerously close to the goal. But then it was also relatively fast, until it was successful: Richter played after 28 minutes Maximilian Eggestein in the box, which put him back the ball. Slightly deflected Richters shot flew into the net.
Germany played more confidently, the Danes made the next mistake after 52 minutes, Mads Pedersen lost the ball, Richter ran alone to the gate, still hit a hook in the box and hit. In the 65th minute Luca Waldschmidt closed a counterattack to make it 3-0, the ball in the barrel had played him: Marco Richter. As Denmark shortened by hand penalty to 1: 3, there was sitting judge on the bench, Kuntz had replaced him. And every substitute had congratulated him.
