More than 44,000 spectators were upbeat at kickoff, anticipating a Germany team that, under Julian Nagelsmann, has found its form once again to put on a show less than two weeks before they open off Euro 2024 against Scotland in Munich on June 14.
What Germany’s supporters saw was quite different; despite dominating for extended stretches of time and creating numerous opportunities, Nagelsmann’s team was unable to break through against a tough Ukraine.
“We played very well for long stretches and I felt like the team wanted to win,” Nagelsmann said to Das Erste, a German public broadcaster.
“The game was excellent for the first twenty minutes. That was when we needed to step up.
“I believe we should exert even greater aggression.
“All we have to do is pack the box with extra players and provide a little more pressure to their penalty area. The 36-year-old continued, “The players we brought on did not need any time to get into the game; they all did well.”
With their recent victories against France and the Netherlands, Germany entered this match having turned the corner under Nagelsmann. Their aggressive, high-tempo style gave rise to hope that, with home advantage, this European Championship could be a triumph.
Nagelsmann was without Nico Schlotterbeck and Niclas Fuellkrug of Borussia Dortmund and Toni Kroos and Antonio Ruediger of Real Madrid, who had both rested after winning the Champions League final.
In lieu of Kroos, Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross did a fantastic job of holding things together with Robert Andrich of Bayer Leverkusen. Germany looked quite comfortable at the back, with Waldemar Anton of Stuttgart making an assured full debut next to Jonathan Tah.
Germany struggled in attack and lacked a cutting edge, even after Nagelsmann’s substitutions.
Kai Havertz of Arsenal was isolated at times, and Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen, whose every move created a frenzy of activity throughout the stadium, was unable to get things going before leaving the game at halftime.
Ilkay Guendogan had Germany’s greatest chance of the first half when he misjudged his jump while trying to meet a tease from Gross.
The closest Germany got was on the hour mark, when Maximilian Beier, who had entered the game a minute earlier, struck Andrich’s flawless through ball with a first-time shot that rattled the inside of the post.
Thomas Mueller, a second half substitute himself, praised the impact of the 21-year-old Hoffenheim forward who has been linked with a move to the Premier League.
Mueller remarked, “Maxim Beier did it flawlessly.”
“It just needed a tiny bit of luck, but the post’s very corner worked.” At first, I believed it to be a goal, and he would have been deserving of it.
“Not winning is not so great but, well, maybe it was a good lift for the tournament,” he added.
Beier shone in his cameo role as Germany peppered the Ukraine goal throughout the game but the visitors’ back line held firm in a fine demonstration of defence, led a string of top saves by goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin.
The Ukrainians, who qualified for their fourth straight Euro with a play-off victory over Iceland in March, will be buoyed by denying the tournament hosts on home soil as they look to come through a group that also includes Romania, Slovakia and Belgium.
While several aspects of the performance will have pleased Nagelsmann – the performances of Gross and Andrich and the impact of Beier and Deniz under off the bench – it was a result that poses some questions ahead of Germany’s final warm-up game against Greece in Moenchengladbach on June 7.
After opening the tournament against Scotland, Germany will face Hungary on June 19 and Switzerland four days later.