Category: Novosti

Germany drew 2-2 with Argentina at the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday night, as the hosts surrendered a two-goal lead. They now head into their Euro 2020 qualifying match with Estonia on Sunday with issues to iron out.

The man of the moment Serge Gnabry took centre stage 15 minutes in, weaving in between a few challenges to poke home for his tenth goal in 11 caps for Germany. With the hosts dominating, the second came shortly after as Gnabry turned provider for Kai Havertz to net his first goal for Die Mannschaft. 

Both sides hit the woodwork ahead of half-time – in soaking wet conditions – although the home side went into the break the far happier side.

With games to come for both sides at the weekend, the quality dipped drastically in the second half, as neither side were hell-bent on over-exuding themselves on the slippery surface. Argentina did pull a goal back, however, as substitute Lucas Alario directed a superb header beyond ?Marc-Andre ter Stegen against the run of play.

Alario’s introduction sparked the visitors into life, as sloppiness entered Germany’s game, with Argentina suddenly looking the more likely to grab the game’s fourth goal. That goal unsurprisingly came with five minutes remaining, with fellow substitute Lucas Ocampos firing past Ter Stegen via a deflection. No further goals arrived, with both sides leaving the match with vastly contrasting emotions.

?GERMANY

Key Talking Point

It was made very clear by Joachim Low that it was time for a new wave of German footballers in the aftermath of their World Cup embarrassment. Fortunately for him, he’s got plenty to choose from.

Ter Stegen was the oldest player on the pitch for the home side at a prehistoric age of 27, with the young Germans making mincemeat of an Argentina side in the first 45 minutes that chose not to call up a number of their more headline-grabbing names. In midfield they zipped the ball across the sodden surface with consummate ease, while at the back they looked solid with a pair of full-backs who have a superb future ahead of them.

Up front there is no doubting their quality. Without some key attackers they still looked a threat at every attack as ?Gnabry stretched the back four with some blinding forward runs. So then, why did they lose their rhythm so drastically after the Argentina goal? Seemingly assured of their win, they misplaced passes became all-too frequent as the visitors turned the screw in the dying embers of the game. 

The collapse was one nobody could have foreseen, but as soon as the first goal went in, the second was an inevitability. Low will be aiming to iron out those errors in the coming months, after such a commanding first half showing ended in a nerve-wracking finale. Plenty of positive signs, but worrying ones to boot.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Ter Stegen (7); Klostermann (7), Koch (7), Sule (8), Halstenberg (7); Can (6), Havertz (8), Kimmich (8); Brandt (7), Waldschmidt (6), Gnabry (8*)

Substitutes: Amiri (6), Serdar (6), Rudy (5)

Star Man

Who else but Serge Gnabry? The former ?Arsenal forward is one of Europe’s hottest talents at present, demonstrating the level that Tony Pulis and Arsene Wenger so carelessly shunned. His touches were perfect, the timing of his runs superb, and he tore Argentina apart in the first hour of the match. A man on fire.

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ARGENTINA

Key Talking Point

No Sergio Aguero, no Lionel Messi, no Angel di Maria, no Giovani Lo Celso…no problem? 

Fielding a centre half pairing of the much-maligned Nicolas Otamendi and hide-and-seek champion Marcos Rojo, neither looked comfortable against a German side full of endeavour. For a side blessed with immense attacking talent, the Achilles heel of Argentina in recent years been their defence, an area of Lionel Scaloni’s side that needs amending after a supremely poor first half showing.

With the game falling into a lull, a superb header got them back into the match, as numerous changes added some bite to the Argentina attack. Their first goal came from nothing, albeit a wonderful header, but the second was one everyone in the stadium saw coming.

Looking like and entirely new side with the different shape they came out in, positive signs are there for the visitors that the foundations of a new-look Argentina exist. They do, however, need to sort out their defence.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Marchesin (5); Foyth (5), Otamendi (4), Rojo (4), Tagliafico (6); Pereyra (6), Paredes (6), De Paul (7*), Correa (5); Dybala (4), Martinez (5)

Substitutes: Ocampos (7), Acuna (7), Alario (7), Saravia (6)

Star Man

With no player offering much in either an attacking or a defensive sense in the first 66 minutes, the award goes to Rodrigo De Paul in the centre of the park for being largely solid. The Udinese number ten offered some protection in front of a shaky defence, and produced a commanding showing in the second half.

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Looking Ahead

Sunday brings about Germany’s next Euro 2020 qualifying match, as they travel to Estonia aiming to maintain their spot at the top of Group C

It is more friendly duty for Argentina, as they too are on their travels on Sunday but back in the familiar surroundings of South America as they take on Ecuador.

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?Rumours surrounding the future of Manchester City winger Leroy Sane have intensified after the player’s agent met with a ‘confidant’ of Bayern Munich to discuss a potential transfer for the German international.

Sane was repeatedly linked with a move to the Bundesliga side over the summer, having grown weary with a lack of playing time at the Etihad Stadium, before a long-term injury in the club’s Community Shield victory over Liverpool pulled the handbrakes on any move.

Bayern made the 23-year-old one of their top targets over summer, with manager Niko Kovac landing himself in hot water after going as far to claim he was ‘very confident’ of securing the forward’s signature.

The ugly transfer saga came to a crashing halt, however, after Sane suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the win over Liverpool in August, which subsequently required surgery.

Hopes remain that the former Schalke player could return before the end of the year, which would coincide perfectly with the opening of the winter window. It is with that thought in mind that ?Christian Falk of German publication Bild has revealed Sane’ agent met with a ‘confidant’ of Bayern’s about discussing a future move to Bavaria some time last week.

The Citizens themselves are ?hopeful that Sane will opt to extend his stay with the Premier League champions after Die Roten’s failed move, after they had already reached an informal agreement during the summer, prior to the Bundesliga club registering an interest.

Sane fell out-of-favour under Pep Guardiola during the second half of City’s historic treble winning campaign, scoring ten goals in each of the Citizen’s last two top-flight campaigns, in turn helping the club retain their Premier League crown by the narrowest of margins last year.

Despite this form, he found playing time hard to come by, with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and now Riyad Mahrez enjoying extended runs in the side.

For more from Ross Kennerley, follow him on Twitter!

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?Bayern Munich forward Thomas Müller has confessed he may be forced to consider his future at the club if he does not see more game time under manager Niko Kova?.

The 30-year-old has started just three games this season and has often been forced to accept a role on the bench, with Kovac seemingly struggling to find a regular place for Müller in his lineup. As a result, a report emerged suggesting he had ?grown frustrated with his role.

Speaking to ?Kicker, ?Müller has now confirmed those rumours. He admitted that he was shocked to hear Kova? admit to Sky (via ?Goal) that he will get his chance “if needs be”.

He said: “When I heard about that statement, I was surprised, of course. But I’m not sensitive to such things. I’ve already had a chat with the manager and, for me, everything’s okay now.

“I am only 30 years old. I am fit and hungry for success, with the club but also personally. I’m firmly convinced I can help the team with my skills on the pitch.

“Of course, the new arrivals, like Philippe Coutinho, have created more competition for my best position, but that’s not the problem. That’s not what it’s all about.

“A manager has to make difficult decisions before every game, but in the last five games, there was a trend that doesn’t make me happy. If the coaching staff see me as a sub in the future, I have to think about my situation. I’m too ambitious for that.”

Last season, Müller started 28 ?Bundesliga games for ?Bayern, so to find himself out of the team this time around has come as somewhat of a surprise to him.

When asked whether he saw this coming, Müller responded: “No, not at all. After I was successful in the number 10 role in the spring and we got the double after that frantic catch-up, I didn’t expect this development.

“The media have speculated wildly in the last few days. I won’t get involved in that. Now it’s time to put the focus back on sport and to make the next few weeks with Bayern successful. As far as competition is concerned, I won’t let up and I’ll continue to give my all in training and in matches. There’s nothing more to say about it from my side.”

For more from Tom Gott, follow him on Twitter!

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Change of mind of Anatoliy Tymoshchuk: After the Ukrainians had a few weeks said insulted to find in winter, the length, the 31-year-old now dreams of a future at Bayern. “Now I play every game for 90 minutes and got a good shape. If that has to continue, then the situation really changed for me. Then I’ll stay here,” said the defensive man.

At least for the match at Schalke Louis van Gaal was the already stamped as a failure shopping ‘Matthew Ukraine’ promised a starting place. “The coach has already told me that I play against Schalke -.. Either as six or as a central defender Mark van Bommel is yes, because he is back for the coach, a regular player,” analyzed Tymoshchuk the personnel situation.

That this will change though the second half, the international has apparently not yet registered as real. If Arjen Robben is fit, likely moves to re-Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mark van Bommel in addition to the set to the position of the classic first ‘6 ‘. For Tymoshchuk, who seemed to be two goals against Frankfurt finally arrived in Munich, would stay again only the space on the hard bench.