Time to try harder.
After their debut in the World Cup at a training pace against Curaçao, when they won by the fateful score of 7-1, Germany is preparing for a rival who should demand more, the Ivory Coast.
This Saturday’s clash (20), at 5 pm, in Toronto (Canada), guarantees the winner a place in the next phase of the World Cup — this is because the African team has the same 3 points after the 1-0 victory against Ecuador in the other game valid for Group E.
The first tiebreaker criterion is the direct confrontation, unfortunately for the group that likes to apply 7 to 1.
In an interview, veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, 40, said that the team needs to give “a little more”.
In fact, in addition to the dancing score, another thing that made the 2014 champion remember Brazil was the heat. “I believe that in this tournament, given the conditions, which are perhaps a little similar to those in Brazil, it all comes down to that extra meter,” said Neuer.
Despite the highest score in the first round, Germany is still not considered one of the main candidates for the title.
“A lot is said about France. We just want to look at the next game and hope for the best”, said the number 1.
If they win all their games in the first phase, Germany and France could face each other in a hypothetical quarter-final.
Looking at the duel with the Africans, the Germans chose the main target of attention: the young Ivorian striker Yan Diomandé, just 19 years old, but well known among the German squad — he plays for German RB Leipzig.
The most concerned is fellow Copas newcomer Brown, the first person responsible for marking Diomandé, voted best player in the debut against the Ecuadorians.
In the two clashes of the last German Championship between Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt (from Brown), the full-back suffered in pursuit of his African rival, who scored four goals in both duels.
“He’s a fantastic young man who’s evolved a lot, but he hasn’t reached his peak yet,” praised David Raum, the Ivorian’s Leipzig teammate and Brown’s substitute in the match against Curaçao — he came on 27 minutes into the second half.
For captain Kimmich, it is not easy to contain the Ivorian’s ability.
“The way he does that start-and-stop dribbling is incredible, accelerating very quickly and slowing down the opponent. He has incredible speed,” explained the Bayern Munich star.
During the week, coach Julian Nagelsmann spoke a lot with striker Sané and even trained with a 5-4-1 formation, which he could use during the game, with Sané retreating to form a line with Kimmich, Tah, Schlotterbeck and Brown.
The German team does not expect to have the same ability to attack as it did on its debut.
Against Curaçao, there were 26 shots, the fourth team that most sought goals in the first round, behind Turkey (30), Spain (27) and Uruguay (27) and tied with Switzerland (26).
“We are preparing with total concentration for this game”, commented the coach, who completed a thousand days in charge of the German team.
“I believe we are on the right path. Still, there are things we need to improve against even better opponents. But they are things that are possible and achievable.”
Ecuador tries to score the goal
After Germany x Ivory Coast, the Ecuadorian team is looking to recover in the World Cup against Curaçao, the weakest team in the group.
The match takes place at 9pm this Saturday in Kansas.
To do this, the Ecuadorians hope to improve their aim. Against the African rival, three balls hit the post. In the end, the South Americans were punished by conceding a goal 44 minutes into the second half.
“The game is over. We’re doing very well, we’re going to qualify, we’re going to win,” said Milan full-back Estupiñán, who was a substitute in the first game. “We want the country to be calm, we have already turned the page.”
After the 7-1 defeat against Germany, Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, 78, the oldest at the World Cup, did not throw in the towel. “We may have surprises in the second and third games”, commented the Curaçao commander.
“But we are already proud to be on the biggest stage in world football. The next game is a different game, and so is the one after that. We will play one game at a time,” he added.
