On Saturday, Germany suffered an unexpected 4-1 defeat at home to Japan in a friendly match, further intensifying the crisis surrounding the Euro 2024 hosts. The hosts’ embarrassment was compounded by late goals from Takuma Asano and Ao Tanaka in Wolfsburg.
This marked the team’s third consecutive loss and their fourth in five matches, with less than nine months remaining before the tournament commences.
2022 World Cup:
Germany 1-2 JapanToday:
Germany 1-4 Japan💥🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/zuoGA5NKZ4
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 9, 2023
In the 11th minute, Junya Ito silenced the home crowd by converting a low cross at the far post. However, the hosts quickly responded, leveling the score in the 19th minute through a brilliant passing sequence and a left-footed strike from Leroy Sane.
Unfortunately for head coach Hansi Flick, relief was short-lived as Japan found the net again just three minutes later. Ayase Ueda, the forward from Feyenoord, deceived the German goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen, after an impressive play down the right wing.
Arsenal's Tomiyasu incredible performance against Germany.
Germany 🇩🇪 1 Japan 🇯🇵 4 #afcpic.twitter.com/bTw762Kd4W— TM (@TM_23M) September 10, 2023
Ter Stegen thwarted another Japanese goal when Ueda seized on a defensive mistake a bit later, only to have his shot saved.
In the opening minutes of the second half, Japan had two more rapid opportunities, but Ter Stegen managed to keep Germany in contention. Ter Stegen was once again called into action in the 70th minute, initially deflecting Asano’s close-range shot wide and then denying Kaoru Mitoma’s rebound attempt as all the pressure and scoring chances favored the visitors.
“We have to be honest and say that Japan were better. They let the ball run, they played the right spaces, carved out their goals. They were better. We made far too many individual mistakes. We have to admit that we are just not on the same level with teams like the one today. We are just not good enough at the moment. That’s the reality. Maybe we even think we are better than we are.”
Japan's national team are underrated man…..so many good players and they are legit played Germany out of the park here in 1st half ……AGAIN after beating them at the World Cup!pic.twitter.com/Tx6xsiocAv
— Joy (@Joybz24) September 9, 2023
Asano made amends in the 90th minute, securing the victory and echoing their triumph over Germany in the 2022 World Cup. Tanaka then added a fourth goal in injury time, amidst jeers and whistles from the stands.
The four-time world champions have now only won four of their last 17 international matches, raising serious doubts about Flick’s future. The team is in dire need of a positive outcome in their upcoming friendly against World Cup finalists France in Dortmund on Tuesday.
